Watertown Township, Sanilac County, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Watertown Township, Sanilac County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Watertown Township, Sanilac County and Sanilac County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Sanilac County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 184 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Sanilac County compares with Michigan
Sanilac County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Sanilac County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Sanilac County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 38.6 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 26% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.5 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 1.5× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 9% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 24.6% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.0% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.0% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.9% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 23.4% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Michigan, Sanilac County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Sanilac County: November the month with the most truck crashes: 13.6% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 184 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Sanilac County. They injured 82 people and killed 6.
That averages about one truck crash every 23 days in fully reported years.
Only 9 truck crashes were reported in Watertown Township, Sanilac County since 2015; patterns below come from Sanilac County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in November (13.6% of the year) and are lowest in March (4.9%).
November through March accounts for 47.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 9.8% of truck crashes.
24.6% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Watertown happened on SR-19 (2) and SR-90 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.7% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Watertown Township, Sanilac County fleets
- Plan November schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Sanilac County.
- With 24.6% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Michigan), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Sanilac County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-19 | 2 |
| SR-90 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Sanilac County) |
|---|---|
| Van Dyke | 34 |
| Sanilac | 17 |
| Lakeshore | 16 |
| Ubly | 7 |
| Galbraith Line | 6 |
| Main | 6 |
| Peck | 6 |
| Cass City | 5 |
Watertown Township, Sanilac County at a glance
| Population | 1,246 |
| Land area | 35.1 sq mi |
| Density | 36 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48471) | $62,844 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48471) | $140,762 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Sanilac 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 | 18 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 14 | -22% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 10 | -26% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 18 | +71% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 18 a year in the 1990s and 18 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Watertown Township, Sanilac County
How common are truck crashes in Watertown Township, Sanilac County?
Sanilac County has had 184 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 82 people and killing 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Watertown Township, Sanilac County?
Truck crashes in Sanilac County peak in November, with 13.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Watertown Township, Sanilac County?
Since 2015, Sanilac County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.7% of its truck crashes.
How does Watertown Township, Sanilac County compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Sanilac County records 38.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Watertown Township, Sanilac County?
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.