Sturgis, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sturgis: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sturgis 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 |
St. Joseph County sits below Michigan on on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for St. Joseph County: 5.4 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 2.1 in Michigan.
Overview
Since 2015, 416 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in St. Joseph County. They injured 150 people and killed 26.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 10 days.
Sturgis had 56 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
Truck crashes peak in December (10.8% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.5%).
November through March accounts for 46.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, 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
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Sturgis is I-80, with 10 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: CR-200 North (1), Nottawa Rd (1) and SR-120 (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 Sturgis fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Morning starts matter: 29.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Michigan.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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. Joseph County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 10 |
| CR-200 North | 1 |
| Nottawa Rd | 1 |
| SR-120 | 1 |
| SR-66 | 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 |
Sturgis at a glance
| Population | 11,030 |
| Land area | 7.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,587 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49091) | $67,333 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49091) | $180,655 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sturgis
How many truck accidents are there in Sturgis?
416 truck crashes have been reported in St. Joseph County since 2015, with 26 deaths and 150 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Sturgis?
I-80 had 10 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Sturgis since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Sturgis?
Truck crashes in St. Joseph County peak in December, with 10.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Sturgis?
Garbage trucks were involved in 16 reported crashes in St. Joseph County since 2015 (3.8% of truck crashes).
How does Sturgis compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 57.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in St. Joseph County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Sturgis?
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.