Portage County, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Portage County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
11 of 424 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Portage County compares with Wisconsin
Portage County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Portage County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Portage County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 50.0 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 71% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.29 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 37% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 18.4% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.1% | 26.9% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.4% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.0% | 44.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.7% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 11% below the state |
Portage County has lower values than Wisconsin for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
Portage County at a glance: 1.0 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.4 across Wisconsin.
Overview
Since 2015, 424 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Portage County. They injured 129 people and killed 4.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 10 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 13.2% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (4.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.0% of truck crashes, against 44.9% across Wisconsin.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 10.4% of truck crashes.
18.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 13.4% across Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Portage County since 2015: I-39 (1), SR-13 (1) and US-10 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 11 of the truck crashes here, or 2.6%, compared with 2.7% in Wisconsin.
Route planning tips for Portage County fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 31.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Wisconsin.
- 18.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Wisconsin; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Portage County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Portage County) |
|---|---|
| I-39 | 1 |
| SR-13 | 1 |
| US-10 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Portage County) |
|---|---|
| Ush 010 | 84 |
| I-039 | 79 |
| Sth 054 | 40 |
| Sth 066 | 19 |
| Cth B | 18 |
| Cth J | 9 |
| Cth F | 8 |
| Sth 034 | 8 |
Portage County at a glance
| Population | 72,040 |
| Land area | 800.9 sq mi |
| Density | 90 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $77,044 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Portage 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 | 35 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 36 | +0% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 35 | -1% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 34 | -3% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 35 to 34. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Portage County
ZIP codes in Portage County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Portage County
How many truck crashes happen in Portage County?
Since 2015, 424 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Portage County (129 injured, 4 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Portage County?
The worst month is January: 13.2% of truck crashes in Portage County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Portage County?
11 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Portage County since 2015, 2.6% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Portage County compared with Wisconsin?
Per 100,000 residents, Portage County has 50.0 truck crashes a year; Wisconsin has 42.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Portage County?
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.