Lawton, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lawton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lawton and Van Buren County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Van Buren County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
15 of 1,053 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Van Buren County compares with Michigan
Van Buren County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Van Buren County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Van Buren County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 115.4 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 2.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.6 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.30 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 55% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 45.9% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 2.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.8% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 38.7% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.8× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 61.1% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.4× the state |
| After dark | 24.5% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Van Buren County sits below Michigan on garbage-truck share. It runs above Michigan on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Van Buren County: 45.9% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,053 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Van Buren County. They injured 345 people and killed 36.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
With 3 truck crashes reported in Lawton since 2015, this page uses Van Buren County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 23.6% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (3.5%).
November through March accounts for 61.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (9.8%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 45.9% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
I-94 leads within 10 miles of Lawton with 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-51 (2), CR-MARCELLUS Rd (1) and CR-RED Arrow Hwy (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
15 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.4% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Lawton fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Van Buren County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-94; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 45.9% 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
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 Van Buren County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 9 |
| SR-51 | 2 |
| CR-MARCELLUS Rd | 1 |
| CR-RED Arrow Hwy | 1 |
| CR-W Red Arrow Hwy | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Van Buren County) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 384 |
| I-196 | 52 |
| Red Arrow | 23 |
| Arlington | 8 |
| 46Th | 6 |
| County Road 687 | 6 |
| Main | 6 |
| Phoenix | 6 |
Lawton at a glance
| Population | 1,876 |
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
| Density | 819 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49065) | $71,447 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49065) | $233,733 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Van Buren 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 | 52 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 55 | +5% | 2.1 |
| 2010s | 79 | +44% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 78 | -1% | 1.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 52 a year in the 1990s and 78 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lawton
How many truck crashes happen in Lawton?
Van Buren County has had 1,053 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 345 people and killing 36.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lawton?
NHTSA data shows I-94 with 9 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lawton since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lawton?
January has the most truck crashes in Van Buren County, 23.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Lawton?
Since 2015, Van Buren County has reported 15 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Lawton compare with Michigan?
Van Buren County records 115.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Lawton?
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.