Colon, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Colon: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Colon and St. Joseph County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use St. Joseph County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
16 of 416 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How St. Joseph County compares with Michigan
St. Joseph County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where St. Joseph County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | St. Joseph County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 57.8 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.4 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 2.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.1% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.4% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 7% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.6% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.0% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.3% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 15.4% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 25% below the state |
Compared with Michigan, St. Joseph County is lower on on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It runs above Michigan on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
St. Joseph County at a glance: 5.4 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Michigan: 2.1).
Overview
Police reported 416 crashes involving commercial trucks in St. Joseph County since 2015: 150 people were injured and 26 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 10 days in fully reported years.
Colon had 12 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use St. Joseph County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 10.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.5%.
November through March accounts for 46.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 10.6% of truck crashes.
16.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
SR-86 leads within 10 miles of Colon with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-60 (1), SR-66 (1) and US-12 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 16 of the truck crashes here, or 3.8%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Colon fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use SR-86, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 29.6% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Michigan; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 St. Joseph County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-86 | 2 |
| SR-60 | 1 |
| SR-66 | 1 |
| US-12 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (St. Joseph County) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 78 |
| US-12 | 51 |
| N Us 131 | 22 |
| S Us 131 | 15 |
| Main | 15 |
| Michigan | 14 |
| Lutz | 11 |
| Centerville | 11 |
Colon at a glance
| Population | 1,196 |
| Land area | 1.4 sq mi |
| Density | 870 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49040) | $64,306 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49040) | $170,976 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in St. Joseph 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 | 17 | — | 2.6 |
| 2000s | 32 | +86% | 1.3 |
| 2010s | 26 | -19% | 1.7 |
| 2020s | 39 | +51% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 17 a year in the 1990s and 39 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 Colon
How many truck accidents are there in Colon?
Since 2015, 416 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in St. Joseph County (150 injured, 26 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Colon?
NHTSA data shows SR-86 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Colon since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Colon?
December has the most truck crashes in St. Joseph County, 10.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Colon?
Garbage trucks were involved in 16 reported crashes in St. Joseph County since 2015 (3.8% of truck crashes).
How does Colon compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
St. Joseph County records 57.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Colon?
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.