Free Soil, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Free Soil: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Free Soil 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. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
Mason County at a glance: January the month with the most truck crashes: 20.3% of the year's total.
Overview
Mason County has recorded 133 truck crashes since 2015, with 46 people injured and 4 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 33 days.
Free Soil had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Mason County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (20.3% of the year) and are lowest in July (3.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 51.6% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 12.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 31.1% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Free Soil since 2015 were spread across roads: US-31 (2).
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 Free Soil fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 31.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Michigan; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 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 |
Free Soil at a glance
| Population | 149 |
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Density | 144 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49411) | $61,857 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49411) | $243,129 |
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 large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Free Soil
How many truck accidents are there in Free Soil?
133 truck crashes have been reported in Mason County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 46 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Free Soil?
January has the most truck crashes in Mason County, 20.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Free Soil?
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 Free Soil compare with Michigan?
Per 100,000 residents, Mason County has 38.1 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Free Soil?
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.