South Milwaukee, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in South Milwaukee: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in South Milwaukee and Milwaukee County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Milwaukee County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Milwaukee County compares with Wisconsin
Milwaukee County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Milwaukee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Milwaukee County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.3 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 65% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.5% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.0% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 62% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.6% | 26.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.8% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.1% | 44.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.2% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 8% below the state |
Compared with Wisconsin, Milwaukee County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
What stands out in South Milwaukee: I-41 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of South Milwaukee: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 3,996 crashes involving commercial trucks in Milwaukee County since 2015: 1,722 people were injured and 48 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
South Milwaukee had 12 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Milwaukee County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 9.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 6.6%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.1% of truck crashes, against 44.9% across Wisconsin.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 8.8% of truck crashes.
5.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 13.4% across Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-41 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). Next come I-43 (2), I-94 (2) and 13th St S (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 139 crashes, 3.5% of the total, against 2.7% across Wisconsin.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in February (12%).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for South Milwaukee fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Milwaukee County.
- Look at alternatives to I-41 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in February; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Milwaukee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-41 | 4 |
| I-43 | 2 |
| I-94 | 2 |
| 13th St S | 1 |
| CR-U 76Th St S | 1 |
| CR-Y W Layton Ave | 1 |
| S Pennsylvania Ave | 1 |
| SR-32 | 1 |
| W Greenfield Ave | 1 |
| W Layton Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Milwaukee County) |
|---|---|
| I-041 | 915 |
| I-043 | 429 |
| I-094 | 167 |
| Sth 100 | 135 |
| Sth 145 | 59 |
| Parking Lot | 45 |
| Sth 190 | 43 |
| W Silver Spring Dr | 40 |
South Milwaukee at a glance
| Population | 20,233 |
| Land area | 4.8 sq mi |
| Density | 4,192 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 53172) | $73,427 |
| Median home value (ZIP 53172) | $235,301 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Milwaukee 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 | 385 | — | 4.5 |
| 2000s | 420 | +9% | 3.0 |
| 2010s | 331 | -21% | 2.2 |
| 2020s | 318 | -4% | 4.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 385 to 318. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.2 a year in 2016–19, 4.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about South Milwaukee
How many truck accidents are there in South Milwaukee?
3,996 truck crashes have been reported in Milwaukee County since 2015, with 48 deaths and 1,722 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in South Milwaukee?
Since 2015, I-41 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of South Milwaukee: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in South Milwaukee?
The worst month is January: 9.9% of truck crashes in Milwaukee County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in South Milwaukee?
Since 2015, Milwaukee County has reported 139 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in South Milwaukee compared with Wisconsin?
Per 100,000 residents, Milwaukee County has 37.3 truck crashes a year; Wisconsin has 42.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in South Milwaukee?
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.