Wales, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wales: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wales and St. Clair County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use St. Clair County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How St. Clair County compares with Michigan
St. Clair County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where St. Clair County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | St. Clair County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 38.4 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 27% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.31 | 0.30 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.5% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 2.0× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 18.9% | 17.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.4% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.9% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.6% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 23.8% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
St. Clair County has lower values than Michigan for crashes per 100k residents / yr and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
St. Clair County at a glance: 1 in 15 garbage-truck share of crashes is 6.5%, against 3.2% for Michigan.
Overview
St. Clair County has recorded 730 truck crashes since 2015, with 222 people injured and 17 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
Only 22 truck crashes were reported in Wales since 2015; patterns below come from St. Clair County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 14.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 6.2%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 47.6% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
18.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Wales since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-GRATIOT (1), CR-GRATOPT Ave (1), CR-WALES Center Rd (1) and I-69 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
47 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.4% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in October (23%).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Wales fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in St. Clair County.
- Waste haulers: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in St. Clair County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 27.4% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 St. Clair County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-GRATIOT | 1 |
| CR-GRATOPT Ave | 1 |
| CR-WALES Center Rd | 1 |
| I-69 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (St. Clair County) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 97 |
| I-69 | 59 |
| Wadhams | 31 |
| Gratiot | 23 |
| Marine City | 15 |
| Pine Grove | 13 |
| Range | 12 |
| Capac | 11 |
Wales at a glance
| Population | 3,175 |
| Land area | 37.4 sq mi |
| Density | 85 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48027) | $90,417 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48027) | $274,479 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in St. Clair 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 | 27 | — | 2.3 |
| 2000s | 55 | +100% | 1.8 |
| 2010s | 48 | -13% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 64 | +35% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 27 a year in the 1990s and 64 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wales
How many truck crashes happen in Wales?
Since 2015, 730 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in St. Clair County (222 injured, 17 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Wales?
Truck crashes in St. Clair County peak in January, with 14.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Wales?
Garbage trucks were involved in 47 reported crashes in St. Clair County since 2015 (6.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Wales compare with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 38.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in St. Clair County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Wales?
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.