Colby, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Colby: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Colby and Marathon County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Marathon County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
19 of 755 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Marathon County compares with Wisconsin
Marathon County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Marathon County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Marathon County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 46.4 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 17% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 7% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 21.8% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.0% | 26.9% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.9% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.9% | 44.9% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 20.7% | 20.9% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Wisconsin, Marathon County is lower on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Marathon County: 21.8% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 13.4% in Wisconsin.
Overview
Since 2015, 755 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Marathon County. They injured 292 people and killed 27.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
With 3 truck crashes reported in Colby since 2015, this page uses Marathon County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 13.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.2%.
November through March accounts for 48.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.9% in Wisconsin.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 9.4% of truck crashes.
21.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 13.4% across Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
SR-29 leads within 10 miles of Colby with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by CR-A (1) and SR-13 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 19 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 2.7% across Wisconsin.
Route planning tips for Colby fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Marathon County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-29 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 30.0% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Wisconsin; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 21.8% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Wisconsin), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Marathon County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-29 | 3 |
| CR-A | 1 |
| SR-13 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Marathon County) |
|---|---|
| Sth 029 | 182 |
| I-039 | 76 |
| Ush 051 | 57 |
| Sth 097 | 20 |
| Sth 013 | 19 |
| SR-029 | 18 |
| Sth 153 | 13 |
| Cth | 12 |
Colby at a glance
| Population | 1,959 |
| Land area | 1.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,196 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54421) | $60,820 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54421) | $196,131 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Marathon 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 | 57 | — | 3.0 |
| 2000s | 75 | +33% | 3.0 |
| 2010s | 64 | -15% | 2.1 |
| 2020s | 63 | -2% | 2.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 57 to 63. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Colby
How many truck crashes happen in Colby?
Since 2015, 755 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Marathon County (292 injured, 27 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Colby?
NHTSA data shows SR-29 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Colby since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Colby?
January has the most truck crashes in Marathon County, 13.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Colby?
Garbage trucks were involved in 19 reported crashes in Marathon County since 2015 (2.5% of truck crashes).
How does Colby compare with Wisconsin for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Marathon County has 46.4 truck crashes a year; Wisconsin has 42.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Colby?
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.