Lake Mills, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lake Mills: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lake Mills and Jefferson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jefferson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
19 of 481 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Wisconsin
Jefferson County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 47.7 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.6 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.2% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.9% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.6% | 26.9% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.8% | 16.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.7% | 44.9% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 21.0% | 20.9% | 24.8% | same |
Jefferson County has lower values than Wisconsin for injuries per crash. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Jefferson County: 1 in 24 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.2%, against 2.7% for Wisconsin.
Overview
Jefferson County has recorded 481 truck crashes since 2015, with 185 people injured and 21 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 9 days in fully reported years.
Only 52 truck crashes were reported in Lake Mills since 2015; patterns below come from Jefferson County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 13.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 3.7%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 49.7% of truck crashes, vs 44.9% for Wisconsin.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 9.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 15.9% of truck crashes, compared with 13.4% in Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Lake Mills happened on I-94 (3), SR-26 (3), US-12 (3), US-18 (2) and CR-B (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 19 crashes, 4.0% of the total, against 2.7% across Wisconsin.
Route planning tips for Lake Mills fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 31.6% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Wisconsin; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 15.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Wisconsin), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 3 |
| SR-26 | 3 |
| US-12 | 3 |
| US-18 | 2 |
| CR-B | 1 |
| CR-Y | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| I-094 | 166 |
| Sth 026 | 56 |
| Ush 012 | 22 |
| Ush 018 | 16 |
| Parking Lot | 12 |
| Cth | 9 |
| Cth F | 9 |
| Cth B | 8 |
Lake Mills at a glance
| Population | 6,617 |
| Land area | 4.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,582 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 53551) | $94,401 |
| Median home value (ZIP 53551) | $356,234 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | 36 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 41 | +14% | 2.3 |
| 2010s | 37 | -10% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 44 | +18% | 1.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 36 to 44. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lake Mills
How many truck accidents are there in Lake Mills?
Jefferson County has had 481 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 185 people and killing 21.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Lake Mills?
The worst month is January: 13.3% of truck crashes in Jefferson County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Lake Mills?
Since 2015, Jefferson County has reported 19 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Lake Mills compare with Wisconsin for truck crashes?
Jefferson County records 47.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.6 across Wisconsin.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Lake Mills?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.