Ontonagon County, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ontonagon County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 58 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Ontonagon County compares with Michigan
Ontonagon County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ontonagon County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ontonagon County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 78.0 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.0 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 2.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.16 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 47% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 38% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 50.0% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 2.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.0% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 28.0% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 54.0% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 38.0% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 1.8× the state |
Compared with Michigan, Ontonagon County is lower on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Michigan on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Ontonagon County: January worst month: 25.9% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Since 2015, 58 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Ontonagon County. They injured 9 people and killed 4.
That averages about one truck crash every 80 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (25.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (1.7%).
November through March accounts for 54.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 12.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 50.0% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck in Ontonagon County happened on SR-28 (2) and SR-64 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 1.7%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Ontonagon County fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Ontonagon County.
- 50.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Michigan; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Ontonagon County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Ontonagon County) |
|---|---|
| SR-28 | 2 |
| SR-64 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ontonagon County) |
|---|---|
| US-45 | 10 |
| Ontonagon Greenland | 7 |
| Rockland | 5 |
| Calumet | 1 |
| Misery Bay | 1 |
| Norwich | 1 |
| One Mile | 1 |
Ontonagon County at a glance
| Population | 5,824 |
| Land area | 1,311.0 sq mi |
| Density | 4 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $56,564 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ontonagon 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 | 5 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 3 | -30% | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 3 | -15% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 5 | +73% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 5 to 5. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Ontonagon County
ZIP codes in Ontonagon County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Ontonagon County
How many truck crashes happen in Ontonagon County?
58 truck crashes have been reported in Ontonagon County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 9 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Ontonagon County?
The worst month is January: 25.9% of truck crashes in Ontonagon County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ontonagon County?
Since 2015, Ontonagon County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 1.7% of its truck crashes.
How does Ontonagon County compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Ontonagon County has 78.0 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ontonagon County?
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.