Kent City, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Kent City: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Kent City and Kent County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kent County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Kent County compares with Michigan
Kent County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kent County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kent County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 58.4 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 29% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.22 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 27% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 28% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.9% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 10% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.8% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.2% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.4% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 11% below the state |
Kent County sits below Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Kent City: SR-37 4 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Kent City.
Overview
Police reported 4,686 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kent County since 2015: 1,048 people were injured and 69 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Kent City had 10 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Kent County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 12.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.3%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.2% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 15.9% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-37 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). Next come CR-FRUIT Ridge Ave Nw (1), CR-RAVENNA Rd (1) and CR-WALNUT Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 116 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 3.2% across Michigan.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (14%).
They recorded 1.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Kent City fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-37; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 28.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Michigan.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Kent County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-37 | 4 |
| CR-FRUIT Ridge Ave Nw | 1 |
| CR-RAVENNA Rd | 1 |
| CR-WALNUT Ave | 1 |
| SR-57 | 1 |
| Sr-M-46 Apple Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kent County) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 414 |
| I-96 | 221 |
| N Us 131 | 205 |
| 28Th | 201 |
| S Us 131 | 200 |
| Mile | 163 |
| 44Th | 113 |
| I-196 | 110 |
Kent City at a glance
| Population | 1,377 |
| Land area | 1.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,028 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49330) | $75,794 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49330) | $265,331 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kent County 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 | 230 | — | 6.9 |
| 2000s | 253 | +10% | 5.5 |
| 2010s | 259 | +2% | 4.9 |
| 2020s | 428 | +65% | 5.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 230 a year in the 1990s and 428 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 Kent City
How many truck crashes happen in Kent City?
Since 2015, 4,686 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Kent County (1,048 injured, 69 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Kent City?
Since 2015, SR-37 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Kent City: 4.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Kent City?
The worst month is January: 12.6% of truck crashes in Kent County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Kent City?
116 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Kent County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Kent City compared with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 58.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Kent County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Kent City?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.