Sands, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sands: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sands and Marquette County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Marquette County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 233 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Marquette County compares with Michigan
Marquette County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Marquette County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Marquette County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 28.9 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 45% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.30 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 57% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 36.1% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 2.0× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.0% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.4% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 7% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.1% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 18.1% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 13% below the state |
Compared with Michigan, Marquette County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Marquette County: 36.1% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 17.7% in Michigan.
Overview
Marquette County has recorded 233 truck crashes since 2015, with 74 people injured and 7 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 19 days.
With 15 truck crashes reported in Sands since 2015, this page uses Marquette County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 13.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 4.7%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.1% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 10.7% of truck crashes.
36.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Sands since 2015: US-41 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 1.3%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Sands fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 36.1% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Marquette County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-41 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Marquette County) |
|---|---|
| US-41 | 97 |
| Front | 5 |
| Mcclellan | 5 |
| Big Bay | 4 |
| Wright | 4 |
| Teal Lake | 3 |
| County Road 581 | 3 |
| 7Th | 2 |
Sands at a glance
| Population | 2,359 |
| Land area | 66.4 sq mi |
| Density | 36 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49871) | $63,125 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49871) | $82,569 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Marquette 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 | 18 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 17 | -6% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 14 | -15% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 20 | +39% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 18 a year in the 1990s and 20 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sands
How common are truck crashes in Sands?
Marquette County has had 233 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 74 people and killing 7.
When do most truck crashes happen in Sands?
The worst month is January: 13.7% of truck crashes in Marquette County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Sands?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Marquette County since 2015, 1.3% of all truck crashes.
How does Sands compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Marquette County has 28.9 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Sands?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.