Grand Rapids, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Grand Rapids: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Grand Rapids compares with Michigan
Grand Rapids against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Grand Rapids stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Grand Rapids | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.0 | 52.4 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.1 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 48% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.20 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 33% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.7% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 17% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.3% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 31% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.9% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.5% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.6% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.0% | 20.7% | 24.8% | same |
Grand Rapids sits below Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Grand Rapids: US-131 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes within 15 miles of Grand Rapids since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,347 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Grand Rapids. They injured 276 people and killed 16.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 10.9% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.6% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 12.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-131 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). It is followed by SR-6 (4), SR-11 (3) and SR-44 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
38 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.8% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in June (18% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 1.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Grand Rapids fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-131, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: June is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Grand Rapids.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Grand Rapids
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 5 |
| SR-6 | 4 |
| SR-11 | 3 |
| SR-44 | 3 |
| I-96 | 2 |
| SR-37 | 2 |
| 44th Street | 1 |
| Barden Dr Se | 1 |
| CR-100TH St Sw | 1 |
| CR-22ND Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Grand Rapids) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 179 |
| N Us 131 | 101 |
| I-196 | 82 |
| S Us 131 | 73 |
| Beltline | 72 |
| 28Th | 69 |
| I-96 | 47 |
| Burton | 31 |
Grand Rapids at a glance
| Population | 200,117 |
| Land area | 44.8 sq mi |
| Density | 4,469 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Grand Rapids since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65 | — | 6.9 |
| 2000s | 81 | +25% | 5.5 |
| 2010s | 78 | -3% | 4.9 |
| 2020s | 116 | +49% | 5.0 |
In the 1990s about 65 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 116. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 6.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Grand Rapids
How many truck accidents are there in Grand Rapids?
Since 2015, 1,347 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Grand Rapids (276 injured, 16 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Grand Rapids?
NHTSA data shows US-131 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Grand Rapids since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Grand Rapids?
Truck crashes in Grand Rapids peak in January, with 10.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Grand Rapids?
Since 2015, Grand Rapids has reported 38 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.8% of its truck crashes.
How does Grand Rapids compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Grand Rapids records 56.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Grand Rapids?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.