Chetek, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chetek: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Chetek and Barron County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Barron County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 204 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Barron County compares with Wisconsin
Barron County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Barron County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Barron County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.8 | 42.6 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 13% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 2.7% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.4% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.3% | 26.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.9% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.6% | 44.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.3% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Barron County sits below Wisconsin on injuries per crash and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Barron County at a glance: 8.4 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Wisconsin: 3.4).
Overview
Police reported 204 crashes involving commercial trucks in Barron County since 2015: 81 people were injured and 16 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 19 days.
Chetek had 8 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Barron County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (12.7% of the year) and are lowest in July (4.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.6% of truck crashes, vs 44.9% for Wisconsin.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 11.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 20.4% of truck crashes, compared with 13.4% in Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Chetek is US-8, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-I 6Th Ave (1) and US-53 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 6 of the truck crashes here, or 2.9%, compared with 2.7% in Wisconsin.
Route planning tips for Chetek fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-8; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- With 20.4% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Wisconsin), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2023 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Barron County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-8 | 3 |
| CR-I 6Th Ave | 1 |
| US-53 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Barron County) |
|---|---|
| Ush 008 | 37 |
| Ush 053 | 37 |
| Ush 063 | 9 |
| Sth 048 | 7 |
| Cth P | 7 |
| Cth Ss | 6 |
| 23Rd St | 5 |
| Cth I | 5 |
Chetek at a glance
| Population | 2,169 |
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
| Density | 926 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54728) | $74,712 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54728) | $223,901 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Barron 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 | 19 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 16 | -17% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 21 | +38% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 17 | -19% | 1.2 |
In the 1990s about 19 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 17. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chetek
How many truck accidents are there in Chetek?
204 truck crashes have been reported in Barron County since 2015, with 16 deaths and 81 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Chetek?
Since 2015, US-8 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Chetek: 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Chetek?
October has the most truck crashes in Barron County, 12.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Chetek?
6 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Barron County since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Chetek compare with Wisconsin?
The yearly rate is 40.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Barron County, vs 42.6 for Wisconsin.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Chetek?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2023; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.