State Highway 46 in Michigan: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 65 fatal crashes on State Highway 46 in Michigan killed 73 people, the 16th most of 162 numbered roads in Michigan. In 2024 there were 10 fatal crashes and 11 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 9 counties of Michigan. All fatal crashes in Michigan.
Deaths on State Highway 46 in Michigan by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | 11 |
| 2023 | 4 | 4 |
| 2022 | 10 | 11 |
| 2021 | 8 | 8 |
| 2020 | 5 | 6 |
| 2019 | 11 | 13 |
| 2018 | 2 | 2 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
| 2016 | 3 | 3 |
| 2015 | 7 | 10 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 46 in Michigan: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Montcalm County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 46 from 2015 to 2024: 17, with 20 deaths. Montcalm, Muskegon and Saginaw counties together held 66% of fatal crashes on State Highway 46 in Michigan from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 80%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montcalm County | 5 | 17 | 20 |
| 2 | Muskegon County | 3 | 14 | 14 |
| 3 | Saginaw County | 0 | 12 | 14 |
| 4 | Gratiot County | 1 | 9 | 11 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on State Highway 46 in Michigan
65 fatal crashes on State Highway 46 in Michigan from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is November.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 7.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 6.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 7.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan13.8%
- Feb7.7%
- Mar0.0%
- Apr6.2%
- May10.8%
- Jun4.6%
- Jul10.8%
- Aug10.8%
- Sep6.2%
- Oct1.5%
- Nov15.4%
- Dec12.3%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on State Highway 46 in Michigan first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 69%; a pedestrian in 15%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 9.2%, a cyclist in 1.5%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 45 | 69% |
| Pedestrian | 10 | 15% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 6 | 9.2% |
| Other | 3 | 4.6% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.5% |
| Rollover | 0 | 0.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on State Highway 46 in Michigan compare with the state
The largest difference from Michigan: from 2015 to 2024, 71% of fatal crashes on State Highway 46 in Michigan were on rural roads, against 41% across Michigan. Also above the Michigan share: intersections and distracted drivers. Below it: speeding and unbelted occupants. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Michigan. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 65 crashes.
| State Highway 46 | Michigan | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 71% | 41% | above the Michigan share |
| At or near an intersection | 40% | 29% | above the Michigan share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 25% | 26% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| A drinking driver | 19% | 28% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| Speeding | 14% | 25% | below the Michigan share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 12% | 5.9% | above the Michigan share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 23% | 38% | below the Michigan share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.1% | 6.5% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 16% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 15% | 15% | about the same as the Michigan share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on State Highway 46 in Michigan
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 46 in Michigan?
- 65 fatal crashes killed 73 people on State Highway 46 in Michigan from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 10 fatal crashes and 11 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 46 in Michigan do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Montcalm County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 46 from 2015 to 2024: 17, with 20 deaths. Muskegon County was second with 14.
Other roads in Michigan with a page
- I-69
- I-75
- I-94
- I-96
- State Highway 10
- State Highway 102
- State Highway 21
- State Highway 24
- State Highway 25
- State Highway 3
- State Highway 37
- State Highway 43
All fatal crashes in Michigan, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 46 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as State Highway 46 in Michigan (filed under 26 spellings, such as "SR-46", "SR-46 17 MILE RD", "SR-46 17 MILE RD NW", "SR-46 APPLE AVE"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.