ZIP 49548 (Grand Rapids, MI) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 49548: 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 runs above Michigan on crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
ZIP 49548 at a glance: US-131 5 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 49548.
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%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.2% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 15.9% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
US-131 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 49548 with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-6 (4), SR-11 (3) and I-96 (2).
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).
They recorded 1.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 49548 fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kent County.
- Look at alternatives to US-131 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.
- 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 Kent County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 5 |
| SR-6 | 4 |
| SR-11 | 3 |
| I-96 | 2 |
| SR-44 | 2 |
| 44th Street | 1 |
| Barden Dr Se | 1 |
| CR-100TH St Sw | 1 |
| CR-22ND Ave | 1 |
| CR-36TH 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 49548 at a glance
| Population | 34,777 |
| Density | 1,248 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $61,636 |
| Median home value | $153,239 |
| Home ownership | 73% |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 230 to 428. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 49548
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 49548?
Kent County has had 4,686 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,048 people and killing 69.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 49548?
US-131 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 49548 since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 49548?
January has the most truck crashes in Kent County, 12.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 49548?
116 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Kent County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 49548 compare 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 49548?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.