Clear Lake, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Clear Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Clear Lake 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 |
Polk County has lower values than Wisconsin for crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Polk County: 1 in 14 garbage-truck share of crashes is 7.2%, against 2.7% for Wisconsin.
Overview
Polk County has recorded 155 truck crashes since 2015, with 71 people injured and 6 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 26 days.
Clear Lake 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
The worst month is March with 12.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 4.5%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.4% of truck crashes, vs 44.9% for Wisconsin.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 11.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 24.2% of truck crashes, compared with 13.4% in Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Clear Lake since 2015 were spread across roads: US-63 (3) and SR-46 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 11 of the truck crashes here, or 7.1%, compared with 2.7% in Wisconsin.
Route planning tips for Clear Lake fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 32.7% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Wisconsin.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 24.2% of truck crashes here, more than Wisconsin; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-63 | 3 |
| SR-46 | 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 |
Clear Lake at a glance
| Population | 1,103 |
| Land area | 2.6 sq mi |
| Density | 424 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54005) | $87,813 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54005) | $273,428 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 12 a year in the 1990s and 15 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 Clear Lake
How many truck crashes happen in Clear Lake?
Since 2015, 155 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Polk County (71 injured, 6 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Clear Lake?
March has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 12.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Clear Lake?
Garbage trucks were involved in 11 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (7.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Clear Lake compare with Wisconsin?
Polk County records 30.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.6 across Wisconsin.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Clear Lake?
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.