Grand Haven, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Grand Haven: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Grand Haven and Ottawa County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Ottawa County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Ottawa County compares with Michigan
Ottawa County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ottawa County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ottawa County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 49.3 | 52.4 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 19% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.26 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 13% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 3.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.6% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.9% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.0% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.9% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.0% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 18% below the state |
Ottawa County sits below Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and after dark. Where it is higher: on snow, slush or ice.
Ottawa County at a glance: January the month with the most truck crashes: 14.6% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,797 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Ottawa County. They injured 611 people and killed 31.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
Only 157 truck crashes were reported in Grand Haven since 2015; patterns below come from Ottawa County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 14.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 6.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.9% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 9.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 20.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Grand Haven since 2015: US-31 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 57 of the truck crashes here, or 3.2%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Their busiest month is November, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.9 deaths compared with 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Grand Haven fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in November; review collection routes for that month.
- With 20.6% 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
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 Ottawa County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-31 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ottawa County) |
|---|---|
| US-31 | 148 |
| I-196 | 133 |
| I-96 | 115 |
| Chicago | 89 |
| Lake Michigan | 57 |
| I 196 Bl | 46 |
| Riley | 39 |
| Beacon | 39 |
Grand Haven at a glance
| Population | 11,045 |
| Land area | 5.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,930 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ottawa 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 | 88 | — | 3.0 |
| 2000s | 100 | +14% | 3.5 |
| 2010s | 111 | +11% | 2.0 |
| 2020s | 157 | +42% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 88 a year in the 1990s and 157 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Grand Haven
How many truck accidents are there in Grand Haven?
Since 2015, 1,797 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Ottawa County (611 injured, 31 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Grand Haven?
January has the most truck crashes in Ottawa County, 14.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Grand Haven?
Since 2015, Ottawa County has reported 57 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.2% of its truck crashes.
How does Grand Haven compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Ottawa County has 49.3 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Grand Haven?
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.