Marathon, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Marathon: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Marathon 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. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Marathon County at a glance: 21.8% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Wisconsin: 13.4%).
Overview
Since 2015, 755 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Marathon County. They injured 292 people and killed 27.
That averages about one truck crash every 6 days in fully reported years.
Marathon had 22 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Marathon County numbers.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 13.0% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.9% of truck crashes, against 44.9% across 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
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Marathon happened on I-39 (2), SR-29 (1) and US-51 (1); no road leads clearly.
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 Marathon fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Marathon County.
- Morning starts matter: 30.0% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Wisconsin.
- 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
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 Marathon County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-39 | 2 |
| SR-29 | 1 |
| US-51 | 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 |
Marathon at a glance
| Population | 978 |
| Land area | 32.7 sq mi |
| Density | 30 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54448) | $94,432 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54448) | $247,501 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 57 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 63. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 3.0 a year in 2016–19, 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Marathon
How common are truck crashes in Marathon?
755 truck crashes have been reported in Marathon County since 2015, with 27 deaths and 292 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Marathon?
Truck crashes in Marathon County peak in January, with 13.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Marathon?
19 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Marathon County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Marathon compare with Wisconsin?
Per 100,000 residents, Marathon County has 46.4 truck crashes a year; Wisconsin has 42.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Marathon?
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.