Merton, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Merton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Merton and Waukesha County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Waukesha County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Waukesha County compares with Wisconsin
Waukesha County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Waukesha County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Waukesha County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 31.5 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 26% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 56% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.7% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.1% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 47% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.0% | 26.9% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.8% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 29% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.2% | 44.9% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 15.2% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 27% below the state |
Waukesha County has lower values than Wisconsin for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Wisconsin on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Waukesha County: 1.5 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.4 across Wisconsin.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,556 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Waukesha County. They injured 635 people and killed 25.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
With 8 truck crashes reported in Merton since 2015, this page uses Waukesha County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is September with 10.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.2%.
November through March accounts for 40.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.9% in Wisconsin.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (9.8%).
Road surface: 7.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Wisconsin: 13.4%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Merton since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-K (2), SR-175 (2), CR-C (1), CR-M / Watertown Rd (1) and CR-Q (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 58 crashes, 3.7% of the total, against 2.7% across Wisconsin.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (12% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.9 deaths compared with 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Merton fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Waukesha County.
- Waste haulers: May is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Waukesha County.
- 30.0% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Wisconsin; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Waukesha County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-K | 2 |
| SR-175 | 2 |
| CR-C | 1 |
| CR-M / Watertown Rd | 1 |
| CR-Q | 1 |
| CR-SR | 1 |
| I-94 | 1 |
| Lisbon Rd N | 1 |
| SR-190 | 1 |
| SR-83 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Waukesha County) |
|---|---|
| I-094 | 273 |
| I-041 | 73 |
| Cth F | 67 |
| I-043 | 56 |
| Cth O | 47 |
| Sth 164 | 40 |
| Sth 059 | 36 |
| Ush 018 | 34 |
Merton at a glance
| Population | 3,655 |
| Land area | 3.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,102 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Waukesha 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 | 149 | — | 3.0 |
| 2000s | 170 | +14% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 132 | -22% | 1.8 |
| 2020s | 122 | -8% | 2.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 149 a year in the 1990s and 122 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Merton
How many truck accidents are there in Merton?
1,556 truck crashes have been reported in Waukesha County since 2015, with 25 deaths and 635 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Merton?
Truck crashes in Waukesha County peak in September, with 10.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Merton?
Since 2015, Waukesha County has reported 58 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.7% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Merton compared with Wisconsin?
The yearly rate is 31.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Waukesha County, vs 42.6 for Wisconsin.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Merton?
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.