Wisconsin Rapids, WI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wisconsin Rapids: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wisconsin Rapids and Wood County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Wood County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 309 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Wood County compares with Wisconsin
Wood County against Wisconsin and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Wood County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Wood County | Wisconsin | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.4 | 42.6 | 49.7 | 17% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.6 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 11% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.6% | 13.4% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 32.3% | 26.9% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.2% | 16.5% | 13.8% | 26% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.8% | 44.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.1% | 20.9% | 24.8% | 14% below the state |
Wood County sits below Wisconsin on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Wood County: 5.6 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Wisconsin: 3.4).
Overview
Police reported 309 crashes involving commercial trucks in Wood County since 2015: 124 people were injured and 16 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
Only 60 truck crashes were reported in Wisconsin Rapids since 2015; patterns below come from Wood County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (12.6% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.8% of truck crashes, vs 44.9% for Wisconsin.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (11.7%).
Road surface: 15.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Wisconsin: 13.4%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Wisconsin Rapids happened on SR-13 (2), SR-54 (2), SR-173 (1), SR-186 (1) and SR-73 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 8 crashes, 2.6% of the total, against 2.7% across Wisconsin.
Route planning tips for Wisconsin Rapids fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 32.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Wisconsin; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 15.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Wisconsin; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Wood County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-13 | 2 |
| SR-54 | 2 |
| SR-173 | 1 |
| SR-186 | 1 |
| SR-73 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Wood County) |
|---|---|
| Sth 013 | 45 |
| Sth 054 | 33 |
| Ush 010 | 26 |
| Sth 073 | 20 |
| Sth 080 | 15 |
| Cth A | 11 |
| Cth H | 8 |
| Sth 186 | 8 |
Wisconsin Rapids at a glance
| Population | 18,675 |
| Land area | 13.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,343 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 54469) | $74,038 |
| Median home value (ZIP 54469) | $151,859 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Wood 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 | 34 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 35 | +1% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 28 | -21% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 23 | -16% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 34 a year in the 1990s and 23 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 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wisconsin Rapids
How common are truck crashes in Wisconsin Rapids?
Wood County has had 309 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 124 people and killing 16.
When do most truck crashes happen in Wisconsin Rapids?
January has the most truck crashes in Wood County, 12.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Wisconsin Rapids?
Garbage trucks were involved in 8 reported crashes in Wood County since 2015 (2.6% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Wisconsin Rapids compare with Wisconsin?
Wood County records 35.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.6 across Wisconsin.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Wisconsin Rapids?
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.