Branch, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Branch: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Branch and Mason County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Mason County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 133 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Mason County compares with Michigan
Mason County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mason County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mason County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 38.1 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 27% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 49% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 31.1% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.6% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 32.0% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.5× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 51.6% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 10.7% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 48% below the state |
Compared with Michigan, Mason County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and after dark. It runs above Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Mason County: January the month with the most truck crashes: 20.3% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 133 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Mason County. They injured 46 people and killed 4.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 33 days.
With 6 truck crashes reported in Branch since 2015, this page uses Mason County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 20.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 3.0%.
November through March accounts for 51.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (12.8%).
Road surface: 31.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Branch happened on US-31 (2); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 2.3%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Branch fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 31.1% 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
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 Mason County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-31 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mason County) |
|---|---|
| US-31 | 42 |
| US-10 | 29 |
| Pere Marquette | 11 |
| S Us 31 | 6 |
| N Us 31 | 5 |
| Fountain | 3 |
| Lakeshore | 2 |
| 6Th | 1 |
Branch at a glance
| Population | 1,415 |
| Land area | 35.4 sq mi |
| Density | 40 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49458) | $113,077 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mason 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 | 8 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 12 | +50% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 10 | -20% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 11 | +18% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 8 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 11. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Branch
How common are truck crashes in Branch?
133 truck crashes have been reported in Mason County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 46 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Branch?
Truck crashes in Mason County peak in January, with 20.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Branch?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Mason County since 2015, 2.3% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Branch compare with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 38.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Mason County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Branch?
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.