Dane County, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dane County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Dane County compares with Wisconsin
Dane County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dane County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dane County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 33.3 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 22% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 41% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 32% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.5% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 29% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.4% | 26.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.6% | 16.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 44.9% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 22.1% | 20.9% | 24.8% | same |
Dane County has lower values than Wisconsin for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Dane County: I-39 most fatal truck crashes in Dane County: 8 since 2015.
Overview
Dane County has recorded 2,268 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,025 people injured and 45 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 9.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 7.2%.
November through March accounts for 40.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.9% in Wisconsin.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 9.5% of truck crashes, compared with 13.4% in Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
I-39 leads in Dane County with 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-12 (4), CR-PB (2) and SR-69 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
41 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.8% share (Wisconsin: 2.7%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (15% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Dane County fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-39; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in May; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Dane County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Dane County) |
|---|---|
| I-39 | 8 |
| US-12 | 4 |
| CR-PB | 2 |
| SR-69 | 2 |
| US-14 | 2 |
| US-51 | 2 |
| CR-V | 1 |
| I-94 | 1 |
| Lincoln Rd | 1 |
| Lodispringfield Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dane County) |
|---|---|
| I-039 | 695 |
| Ush 012 | 234 |
| Ush 018 | 92 |
| Ush 151 | 80 |
| Ush 051 | 80 |
| I-094 | 77 |
| Sth 019 | 59 |
| SR-039 | 44 |
Dane County at a glance
| Population | 588,347 |
| Land area | 1,196.5 sq mi |
| Density | 492 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $91,760 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dane 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 | 178 | — | 4.0 |
| 2000s | 222 | +24% | 4.6 |
| 2010s | 188 | -15% | 3.8 |
| 2020s | 187 | -1% | 2.6 |
In the 1990s about 178 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 187. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 3.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Dane County
ZIP codes in Dane County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Dane County
How many truck accidents are there in Dane County?
Since 2015, 2,268 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Dane County (1,025 injured, 45 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Dane County?
Since 2015, I-39 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Dane County: 8.
When do most truck crashes happen in Dane County?
January has the most truck crashes in Dane County, 9.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Dane County?
41 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Dane County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Dane County compared with Wisconsin?
The yearly rate is 33.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Dane County, vs 42.6 for Wisconsin.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Dane County?
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.