Poplar, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Poplar: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Poplar and Douglas County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Douglas County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 157 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Douglas County compares with Wisconsin
Douglas County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Douglas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Douglas County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 29.6 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 18% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 13% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 75% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 18.8% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.7% | 26.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.9% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 16% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 51.4% | 44.9% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 16.0% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 24% below the state |
Compared with Wisconsin, Douglas County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Douglas County: 1 in 145 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.7%, against 2.7% for Wisconsin.
Overview
Since 2015, 157 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Douglas County. They injured 63 people and killed 6.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 28 days.
Only 6 truck crashes were reported in Poplar since 2015; patterns below come from Douglas County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 12.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 2.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 51.4% of truck crashes, against 44.9% across Wisconsin.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 12.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 18.8% of truck crashes, compared with 13.4% in Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Poplar since 2015: US-2 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 0.6%, compared with 2.7% in Wisconsin.
Route planning tips for Poplar fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 18.8% of truck crashes here, more than Wisconsin; schedule winter checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Douglas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-2 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Douglas County) |
|---|---|
| Ush 002 | 41 |
| Ush 053 | 22 |
| Sth 035 | 12 |
| E 2Nd St | 6 |
| Cth A | 5 |
| 28Th St | 3 |
| Brietzman Lake Rd | 3 |
| Cth B | 3 |
Poplar at a glance
| Population | 634 |
| Land area | 11.9 sq mi |
| Density | 53 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54864) | $91,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54864) | $241,325 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Douglas 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 | 17 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 19 | +8% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 15 | -22% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 13 | -10% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 17 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 13. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Poplar
How many truck accidents are there in Poplar?
Since 2015, 157 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Douglas County (63 injured, 6 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Poplar?
The worst month is July: 12.7% of truck crashes in Douglas County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Poplar?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Douglas County since 2015, 0.6% of all truck crashes.
How does Poplar compare with Wisconsin for truck crashes?
Douglas County records 29.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.6 across Wisconsin.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Poplar?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.