Apple River, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Apple River: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Apple River and Polk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Polk County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
11 of 155 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Wisconsin
Polk County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 30.3 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 29% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 7.2% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 2.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 24.2% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 32.7% | 26.9% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.9% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.4% | 44.9% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 13.7% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 34% below the state |
Compared with Wisconsin, Polk County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Polk County: 1 in 14 garbage-truck share of crashes is 7.2%, against 2.7% for Wisconsin.
Overview
Since 2015, 155 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 71 people and killed 6.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 26 days.
Apple River had 10 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Polk County numbers.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 12.3% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (4.5%).
November through March accounts for 48.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.9% in Wisconsin.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 11.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 24.2% 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 Apple River happened on SR-46 (1) and US-8 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
11 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 7.1% share (Wisconsin: 2.7%).
Route planning tips for Apple River fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 32.7% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Wisconsin; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 24.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Wisconsin; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-46 | 1 |
| US-8 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| Ush 008 | 21 |
| Ush 063 | 17 |
| Sth 035 | 11 |
| Sth 046 | 10 |
| Cth M | 6 |
| Sth 048 | 6 |
| Cth Jj | 4 |
| SR-008 | 4 |
Apple River at a glance
| Population | 1,212 |
| Land area | 33.8 sq mi |
| Density | 36 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54810) | $69,917 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54810) | $271,649 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 12 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 16 | +39% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 13 | -18% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 15 | +12% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 12 to 15. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Apple River
How common are truck crashes in Apple River?
155 truck crashes have been reported in Polk County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 71 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Apple River?
March has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 12.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Apple River?
Garbage trucks were involved in 11 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (7.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Apple River compare with Wisconsin?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 30.3 truck crashes a year; Wisconsin has 42.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Apple River?
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.