Watertown, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Watertown: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Watertown 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 |
Compared with Wisconsin, Jefferson County is lower on injuries per crash. It runs above Wisconsin on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Jefferson County at a glance: 1 in 24 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.2%, against 2.7% for Wisconsin.
Overview
Police reported 481 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jefferson County since 2015: 185 people were injured and 21 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 9 days in fully reported years.
Only 36 truck crashes were reported in Watertown 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.
By time of day, 9–10 am stands out with 9.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Wisconsin: 13.4%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Watertown happened on I-94 (3), SR-26 (3), Beryl Dr (1) and First St S (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
19 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.0% share (Wisconsin: 2.7%).
Route planning tips for Watertown fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 31.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Wisconsin.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 15.9% 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 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 |
| Beryl Dr | 1 |
| First St S | 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 |
Watertown at a glance
| Population | 22,617 |
| Land area | 12.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,875 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 53094) | $73,443 |
| Median home value (ZIP 53094) | $236,926 |
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 Watertown
How common are truck crashes in Watertown?
Since 2015, 481 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Jefferson County (185 injured, 21 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Watertown?
January has the most truck crashes in Jefferson County, 13.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Watertown?
Garbage trucks were involved in 19 reported crashes in Jefferson County since 2015 (4.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Watertown compare with Wisconsin?
Per 100,000 residents, Jefferson County has 47.7 truck crashes a year; Wisconsin has 42.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Watertown?
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.