Mercer, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mercer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Mercer and Iron County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Iron County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 27 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Iron County compares with Wisconsin
Iron County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Iron County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Iron County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.0 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 18% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 16.7 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 4.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 50.0% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 3.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.8% | 26.9% | 23.7% | 23% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.0% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 1.5× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 75.0% | 44.9% | 41.9% | 1.7× the state |
| After dark | 25.0% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Iron County sits below Wisconsin on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Iron County: 16.7 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.4 across Wisconsin.
Overview
Since 2015, 27 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Iron County. They injured 14 people and killed 5.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 167 days.
Only 6 truck crashes were reported in Mercer since 2015; patterns below come from Iron County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (25.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (0.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 75.0% of truck crashes, against 44.9% across Wisconsin.
By time of day, 6–7 am stands out with 14.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 50.0% of truck crashes, compared with 13.4% in Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Mercer.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.7% share (Wisconsin: 2.7%).
Route planning tips for Mercer fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 50.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Wisconsin; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Iron County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Iron County) |
|---|---|
| Ush 051 | 8 |
| Ush 002 | 7 |
| 5Th Ave | 1 |
| Cth Ff | 1 |
| Fisher Lake Rd West | 1 |
| Island Lake Rd | 1 |
| Parking Lot | 1 |
| S Island Lake Rd | 1 |
Mercer at a glance
| Population | 1,690 |
| Land area | 4.5 sq mi |
| Density | 380 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54547) | $63,500 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54547) | $312,377 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Iron 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 | 4 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 3 | -28% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 3 | -7% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 2 | -32% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 2. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Mercer
How common are truck crashes in Mercer?
27 truck crashes have been reported in Iron County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 14 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Mercer?
The worst month is January: 25.9% of truck crashes in Iron County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Mercer?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Iron County since 2015 (3.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Mercer compare with Wisconsin?
Iron County records 35.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.6 across Wisconsin.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Mercer?
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.