Merrill Township, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Merrill Township: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Merrill Township and Newaygo County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Newaygo County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 147 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Newaygo County compares with Michigan
Newaygo County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Newaygo County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Newaygo County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 24.4 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 53% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.1 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 2.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.22 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 27% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 10% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.6% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.7% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.0% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.5% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 20.3% | 20.7% | 24.8% | same |
Newaygo County sits below Michigan on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Newaygo County: 5.1 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Michigan: 2.1).
Overview
Since 2015, 147 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Newaygo County. They injured 34 people and killed 8.
That averages about one truck crash every 29 days in fully reported years.
Merrill Township had 4 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Newaygo County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is November with 12.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 4.1%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.5% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
By time of day, 9–10 am stands out with 10.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 19.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Merrill since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 2.7% of the total, against 3.2% across Michigan.
Route planning tips for Merrill Township fleets
- Review driver schedules for November, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 29.7% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Michigan; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 19.6% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Michigan), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Newaygo County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Newaygo County) |
|---|---|
| Mile | 16 |
| Main | 11 |
| Maple Island | 8 |
| Mason | 8 |
| 72Nd | 7 |
| Evergreen | 7 |
| Warner | 6 |
| 80Th | 5 |
Merrill Township at a glance
| Population | 769 |
| Land area | 34.8 sq mi |
| Density | 22 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49312) | $40,694 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Newaygo 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 | 13 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 12 | -6% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 10 | -17% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 12 | +19% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 13 to 12. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Merrill Township
How many truck crashes happen in Merrill Township?
Since 2015, 147 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Newaygo County (34 injured, 8 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Merrill Township?
November has the most truck crashes in Newaygo County, 12.9% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Merrill Township?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Newaygo County since 2015 (2.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Merrill Township compare with Michigan?
Per 100,000 residents, Newaygo County has 24.4 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Merrill Township?
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.