Nelson, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Nelson: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Nelson 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 |
Compared with Michigan, Kent County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Nelson: SR-57 7 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Nelson.
Overview
Police reported 4,686 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kent County since 2015: 1,048 people were injured and 69 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Nelson had 25 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.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.5%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 15.9% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Nelson is SR-57, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: CR-17 Mile Rd (1) and CR-MEDDLER Ave Ne (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 116 of the truck crashes here, or 2.5%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (14%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.0, vs 1.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Nelson fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to SR-57 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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-57 | 7 |
| CR-17 Mile Rd | 1 |
| CR-MEDDLER Ave Ne | 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 |
Nelson at a glance
| Population | 5,033 |
| Land area | 35.3 sq mi |
| Density | 142 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49319) | $78,951 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49319) | $258,496 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 6.2 a year in 2016–19, 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Nelson
How many truck crashes happen in Nelson?
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 Nelson?
NHTSA data shows SR-57 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Nelson since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Nelson?
Truck crashes in Kent County peak in January, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Nelson?
116 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Kent County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Nelson compare with Michigan?
Kent County records 58.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Nelson?
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.