Crystal, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Crystal: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Crystal and Montcalm County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Montcalm County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
15 of 344 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Montcalm County compares with Michigan
Montcalm County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Montcalm County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Montcalm County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 41.6 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 21% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.5 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.7% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 23.7% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.8% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.4% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.6% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 19.2% | 20.7% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Michigan, Montcalm County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Montcalm County at a glance: 1 in 21 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.7%, vs 3.2% in Michigan.
Overview
Montcalm County has recorded 344 truck crashes since 2015, with 123 people injured and 12 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 13 days.
Crystal had 2 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Montcalm County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 12.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 5.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.6% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 8.4% of truck crashes.
23.7% 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 Crystal since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-CRYSTAL Rd (1) and CR-HOLLAND Lake Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
15 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.4% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Crystal fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 27.8% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; adjust start times where you can.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 23.7% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Montcalm County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-CRYSTAL Rd | 1 |
| CR-HOLLAND Lake Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Montcalm County) |
|---|---|
| Howard City Edmore | 43 |
| US-131 | 26 |
| Greenville | 22 |
| Carson City | 20 |
| Washington | 16 |
| Stanton | 15 |
| N Us 131 | 14 |
| Sheridan | 13 |
Crystal at a glance
| Population | 2,726 |
| Land area | 2.8 sq mi |
| Density | 987 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48818) | $55,924 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48818) | $193,179 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Montcalm 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 | 20 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 24 | +25% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 21 | -13% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 30 | +42% | 1.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 20 to 30. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Crystal
How many truck crashes happen in Crystal?
Montcalm County has had 344 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 123 people and killing 12.
When do most truck crashes happen in Crystal?
Truck crashes in Montcalm County peak in January, with 12.2% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Crystal?
15 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Montcalm County since 2015, 4.4% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Crystal compare with Michigan?
Per 100,000 residents, Montcalm County has 41.6 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Crystal?
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.