ZIP 49331 (Lowell, MI) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 49331: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Kent County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Kent County compares with Michigan
Kent County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kent County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kent County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 58.4 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 29% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.22 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 27% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 28% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.9% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 10% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.8% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.2% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.4% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 11% below the state |
Kent County sits below Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
ZIP 49331 at a glance: I-96 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 49331: 5 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 4,686 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Kent County. They injured 1,048 people and killed 69.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 12.6% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.3%).
November through March accounts for 42.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.5%).
15.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-96 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). After it: SR-21 (3), CR-ALDEN Nash Ave (2) and CR-CASCADE Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
116 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.5% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (14% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.0, vs 1.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 49331 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-96 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 28.1% 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
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Kent County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-96 | 5 |
| SR-21 | 3 |
| CR-ALDEN Nash Ave | 2 |
| CR-CASCADE Rd | 1 |
| CR-WHITNEYVILLE Ave Se | 1 |
| SR-44 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kent County) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 414 |
| I-96 | 221 |
| N Us 131 | 205 |
| 28Th | 201 |
| S Us 131 | 200 |
| Mile | 163 |
| 44Th | 113 |
| I-196 | 110 |
ZIP 49331 at a glance
| Population | 17,661 |
| Density | 74 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $91,800 |
| Median home value | $308,460 |
| Home ownership | 86% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kent 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 | 230 | — | 6.9 |
| 2000s | 253 | +10% | 5.5 |
| 2010s | 259 | +2% | 4.9 |
| 2020s | 428 | +65% | 5.0 |
In the 1990s about 230 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 428. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 6.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 49331
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 49331?
Since 2015, 4,686 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Kent County (1,048 injured, 69 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 49331?
NHTSA data shows I-96 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 49331 since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 49331?
The worst month is January: 12.6% of truck crashes in Kent County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 49331?
Garbage trucks were involved in 116 reported crashes in Kent County since 2015 (2.5% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 49331 compared with Michigan?
Kent County records 58.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 49331?
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.