Ladysmith, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ladysmith: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ladysmith and Rusk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Rusk County numbers.
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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 has lower values than Wisconsin for 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.
The headline for Rusk County: 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.
That averages about one truck crash every 56 days in fully reported years.
With 4 truck crashes reported in Ladysmith since 2015, this page uses Rusk County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 17.5% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (0.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.4% of truck crashes, vs 44.9% for Wisconsin.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 16.2% of truck crashes.
22.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 13.4% across Wisconsin.
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ladysmith since 2015.
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 Ladysmith 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
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 |
Ladysmith at a glance
| Population | 3,187 |
| Land area | 4.2 sq mi |
| Density | 754 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54848) | $56,736 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54848) | $154,072 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 7 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 6. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ladysmith
How common are truck crashes in Ladysmith?
80 truck crashes have been reported in Rusk County since 2015, with 3 deaths and 29 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Ladysmith?
July has the most truck crashes in Rusk County, 17.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Ladysmith?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Rusk County since 2015 (6.2% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Ladysmith compare with Wisconsin?
Rusk County records 46.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.6 across Wisconsin.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ladysmith?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.