US 8 in Wisconsin: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 57 fatal crashes on US 8 in Wisconsin killed 63 people, the 12th most of 161 numbered roads in Wisconsin. In 2024 there were 4 fatal crashes and 4 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 8 counties of Wisconsin. All fatal crashes in Wisconsin.
Deaths on US 8 in Wisconsin by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 4 |
| 2023 | 10 | 13 |
| 2022 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 |
| 2020 | 3 | 4 |
| 2019 | 8 | 9 |
| 2018 | 11 | 12 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 |
| 2015 | 4 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 8 in Wisconsin: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Polk County had the most fatal crashes on US 8 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 20 deaths. Polk, Barron and Rusk counties together held 63% of fatal crashes on US 8 in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024; the 5 listed held 84%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polk County | 0 | 15 | 20 |
| 2 | Barron County | 2 | 12 | 12 |
| 3 | Rusk County | 2 | 9 | 9 |
| 4 | Oneida County | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| 5 | Forest County | 0 | 5 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on US 8 in Wisconsin
56 fatal crashes on US 8 in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is November.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 7.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 8.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 7.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 10.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan14.0%
- Feb7.0%
- Mar8.8%
- Apr8.8%
- May7.0%
- Jun3.5%
- Jul5.3%
- Aug12.3%
- Sep7.0%
- Oct8.8%
- Nov15.8%
- Dec1.8%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 8 in Wisconsin first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 75%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 12%, a pedestrian in 8.8%, a rollover in 1.8%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 43 | 75% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 7 | 12% |
| Pedestrian | 5 | 8.8% |
| Rollover | 1 | 1.8% |
| Other | 1 | 1.8% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on US 8 in Wisconsin compare with the state
The largest difference from Wisconsin: from 2015 to 2024, 91% of fatal crashes on US 8 in Wisconsin were on rural roads, against 63% across Wisconsin. Below the Wisconsin share: speeding. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Wisconsin. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 57 crashes.
| US 8 | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 91% | 63% | above the Wisconsin share |
| At or near an intersection | 37% | 28% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 32% | 27% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| A drinking driver | 23% | 33% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Speeding | 18% | 31% | below the Wisconsin share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 14% | 9.9% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 41% | 48% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Hit-and-run | 1.8% | 5.4% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| A motorcycle involved | 8.8% | 17% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 7.9% | 9.5% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on US 8 in Wisconsin
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 8 in Wisconsin?
- 57 fatal crashes killed 63 people on US 8 in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 4 fatal crashes and 4 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 8 in Wisconsin do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Polk County had the most fatal crashes on US 8 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 20 deaths. Barron County was second with 12.
Other roads in Wisconsin with a page
- I-39
- I-41
- I-43
- I-94
- State Highway 11
- State Highway 13
- State Highway 145
- State Highway 190
- State Highway 32
- State Highway 35
- US 10
- US 12
All fatal crashes in Wisconsin, with every road ranked.
Where the US 8 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 8 in Wisconsin (filed under 4 spellings, such as "US-8", "US-8 130TH AVE", "US-8 13TH AVE", "US-8 BONNEVAL"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.