Sparta, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sparta: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sparta 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 has lower values than Michigan for 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).
The headline for Kent County: January more garbage-truck crashes happen in January than in any other month (14%).
Overview
Kent County has recorded 4,686 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,048 people injured and 69 killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Only 60 truck crashes were reported in Sparta since 2015; patterns below come from Kent County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (12.6% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.2% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 8.5% of truck crashes.
15.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Sparta since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-37 (4), SR-57 (4), CR-FRUIT Ridge Ave Nw (1), SR-19 (1) and US-131 (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 Sparta fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kent County.
- Waste haulers: January is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Kent County.
- 28.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Michigan; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 |
| SR-57 | 4 |
| CR-FRUIT Ridge Ave Nw | 1 |
| SR-19 | 1 |
| US-131 | 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 |
Sparta at a glance
| Population | 4,323 |
| Land area | 2.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,698 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49345) | $85,463 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49345) | $272,330 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 230 to 428. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 6.2 a year in 2016–19 and 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sparta
How many truck crashes happen in Sparta?
4,686 truck crashes have been reported in Kent County since 2015, with 69 deaths and 1,048 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Sparta?
Truck crashes in Kent County peak in January, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Sparta?
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 Sparta compare with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 58.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Kent County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Sparta?
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.