Medford, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Medford: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Medford and Taylor County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Taylor County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 93 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Taylor County compares with Wisconsin
Taylor County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Taylor County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Taylor County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.1 | 42.6 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.6 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 24% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 59% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.2% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 36.0% | 26.9% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.5% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.5% | 44.9% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 13.5% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 36% below the state |
Taylor County sits below Wisconsin on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
Taylor County at a glance: 1 in 89 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.1%, vs 2.7% in Wisconsin.
Overview
Police reported 93 crashes involving commercial trucks in Taylor County since 2015: 33 people were injured and 5 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 45 days in fully reported years.
Medford had 19 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Taylor County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in September (11.8% of the year) and are lowest in March (3.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.5% of truck crashes, against 44.9% across Wisconsin.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 11.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 20.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Wisconsin: 13.4%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-13 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by CR-A (1) and Shady Lane Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.2% share (Wisconsin: 2.7%).
Route planning tips for Medford fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Taylor County.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-13; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 36.0% of truck crashes here, more than Wisconsin; adjust start times where you can.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 20.2% 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 Taylor County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-13 | 3 |
| CR-A | 1 |
| Shady Lane Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Taylor County) |
|---|---|
| Sth 064 | 17 |
| Sth 013 | 15 |
| Cth | 6 |
| Cth M | 6 |
| Cth A | 5 |
| Cth C | 2 |
| Cth O | 2 |
| Hall Dr | 2 |
Medford at a glance
| Population | 4,604 |
| Land area | 4.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,015 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54451) | $71,349 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54451) | $213,298 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Taylor 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 | 5 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 7 | +30% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 8 | +12% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 7 | -10% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 5 to 7. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Medford
How many truck crashes happen in Medford?
Taylor County has had 93 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 33 people and killing 5.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Medford?
Since 2015, SR-13 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Medford: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Medford?
September has the most truck crashes in Taylor County, 11.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Medford?
Since 2015, Taylor County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.2% of its truck crashes.
How does Medford compare with Wisconsin for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 40.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Taylor County, vs 42.6 for Wisconsin.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Medford?
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.