Houghton Lake, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Houghton Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Houghton Lake and Roscommon County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Roscommon County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 114 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Roscommon County compares with Michigan
Roscommon County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Roscommon County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Roscommon County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.9 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 24% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 10% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.28 | 0.30 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.7% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 29.5% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.4% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 28.6% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.9% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 13.3% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 36% below the state |
Roscommon County sits below Michigan on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Roscommon County: 1 in 18 crashes involve a garbage truck (6 since 2015), vs 3.2% across Michigan.
Overview
Since 2015, 114 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Roscommon County. They injured 30 people and killed 2.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 38 days.
Houghton Lake had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Roscommon County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (13.2% of the year) and are lowest in June (4.4%).
November through March accounts for 41.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 10.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 29.5% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Houghton Lake happened on CR-100 Houghton Lake Dr (1) and SR-55 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 6 of the truck crashes here, or 5.3%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Houghton Lake fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 31.4% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; adjust start times where you can.
- 29.5% 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
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 Roscommon County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-100 Houghton Lake Dr | 1 |
| SR-55 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Roscommon County) |
|---|---|
| Houghton Lake | 18 |
| I-75 | 7 |
| Roscommon | 6 |
| Lake City | 5 |
| US-127 | 5 |
| Higgins Lake | 4 |
| N Us 127 | 4 |
| Emery | 2 |
Houghton Lake at a glance
| Land area | 10.8 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48629) | $56,520 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48629) | $152,278 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Roscommon 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 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 7 | -16% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 5 | -23% | 0.0 |
| 2020s | 11 | +98% | 0.8 |
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: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Houghton Lake
How common are truck crashes in Houghton Lake?
Roscommon County has had 114 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 30 people and killing 2.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Houghton Lake?
The worst month is October: 13.2% of truck crashes in Roscommon County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Houghton Lake?
6 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Roscommon County since 2015, 5.3% of all truck crashes.
How does Houghton Lake compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Roscommon County has 39.9 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Houghton Lake?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.