ZIP 49508 (Grand Rapids, MI) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 49508: 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. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
Kent County at a glance: January garbage-truck crashes peak in January (14% of the year's total).
Overview
Police reported 4,686 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kent County since 2015: 1,048 people were injured and 69 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (12.6% of the year) and are lowest in April (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
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 49508 since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-6 (4), US-131 (4), SR-11 (3), I-96 (2) and SR-44 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 116 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 3.2% across Michigan.
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 49508 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: January is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Kent County.
- Morning starts matter: 28.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Michigan.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Kent County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-6 | 4 |
| US-131 | 4 |
| SR-11 | 3 |
| I-96 | 2 |
| SR-44 | 2 |
| 44th Street | 1 |
| Barden Dr Se | 1 |
| CR-100TH St Sw | 1 |
| CR-36TH St | 1 |
| CR-44TH St | 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 49508 at a glance
| Population | 42,720 |
| Density | 1,401 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $70,120 |
| Median home value | $280,302 |
| Home ownership | 61% |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 6.2 a year in 2016–19 and 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 49508
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 49508?
Kent County has had 4,686 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,048 people and killing 69.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 49508?
Truck crashes in Kent County peak in January, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 49508?
Garbage trucks were involved in 116 reported crashes in Kent County since 2015 (2.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 49508 compare with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 58.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Kent County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 49508?
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.