Rusk County, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Rusk 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
5 of 80 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rusk County compares with Wisconsin
Rusk County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rusk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rusk County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 46.2 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.6% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 2.0× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 22.2% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 16.7% | 26.9% | 23.7% | 38% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.7% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 41% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.4% | 44.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.1% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 14% below the state |
Rusk County sits below Wisconsin on injuries per crash, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Wisconsin on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Rusk County at a glance: 1 in 18 crashes involve a garbage truck (5 since 2015), vs 2.7% across Wisconsin.
Overview
Rusk County has recorded 80 truck crashes since 2015, with 29 people injured and 3 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 56 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 17.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 0.0%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.4% of truck crashes, against 44.9% across Wisconsin.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (16.2%).
22.2% 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 Rusk County since 2015: US-8 (2) and SR-40 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 5 crashes, 6.2% of the total, against 2.7% across Wisconsin.
Route planning tips for Rusk County fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 22.2% of truck crashes here, more than Wisconsin; schedule winter checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Rusk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Rusk County) |
|---|---|
| US-8 | 2 |
| SR-40 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rusk County) |
|---|---|
| Ush 008 | 33 |
| Sth 027 | 8 |
| Marshall Rd | 3 |
| SR-008 | 3 |
| Cth M | 2 |
| Cth P | 2 |
| Ellingson Ave | 2 |
| SR-027 | 2 |
Rusk County at a glance
| Population | 14,168 |
| Land area | 913.5 sq mi |
| Density | 16 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $58,619 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rusk 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 | 7 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 5 | -26% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 6 | +12% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 6 | +5% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 7 a year in the 1990s and 6 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Rusk County
ZIP codes in Rusk County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Rusk County
How many truck crashes happen in Rusk County?
Rusk County has had 80 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 29 people and killing 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Rusk County?
July has the most truck crashes in Rusk County, 17.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Rusk County?
Since 2015, Rusk County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 6.2% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Rusk County compare with Wisconsin?
The yearly rate is 46.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Rusk County, vs 42.6 for Wisconsin.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Rusk County?
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.