St. Joseph, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in St. Joseph: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in St. Joseph and Champaign County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Champaign County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Champaign County compares with Illinois
Champaign County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Champaign County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Champaign County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 60.1 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 16% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.1% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 2.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.7% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 24.9% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.3% | 42.0% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 26.0% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Champaign County sits below Illinois on deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Champaign County: 19.1% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.0% in Illinois.
Overview
Police reported 1,462 crashes involving commercial trucks in Champaign County since 2015: 615 people were injured and 28 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
With 107 truck crashes reported in St. Joseph since 2015, this page uses Champaign County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 13.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.4%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.3% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.8%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 19.1% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-74 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). Next come CR-15 Sidney-Homer Rd (1), CR-1850 N (1) and Lincoln Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 29 of the truck crashes here, or 2.0%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Their busiest month is April, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 7.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for St. Joseph fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Champaign County.
- Check whether your routes use I-74, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Champaign County.
- With 19.1% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Illinois), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Champaign County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-74 | 2 |
| CR-15 Sidney-Homer Rd | 1 |
| CR-1850 N | 1 |
| Lincoln Ave | 1 |
| US-150 | 1 |
| US-45 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Champaign County) |
|---|---|
| I-57 | 265 |
| I-74 | 246 |
| Il-47 | 17 |
| I-72 | 15 |
| Springfield Ave | 11 |
| US-136 | 10 |
| US-45 | 9 |
| N Mattis Ave | 9 |
St. Joseph at a glance
| Population | 3,772 |
| Land area | 2.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,811 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61873) | $117,578 |
| Median home value (ZIP 61873) | $265,566 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Champaign 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 | 40 | — | 2.4 |
| 2000s | 73 | +81% | 3.0 |
| 2010s | 123 | +69% | 2.2 |
| 2020s | 126 | +2% | 2.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 40 a year in the 1990s and 126 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about St. Joseph
How common are truck crashes in St. Joseph?
Since 2015, 1,462 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Champaign County (615 injured, 28 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in St. Joseph?
I-74 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of St. Joseph since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in St. Joseph?
The worst month is February: 13.2% of truck crashes in Champaign County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in St. Joseph?
Garbage trucks were involved in 29 reported crashes in Champaign County since 2015 (2.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in St. Joseph compare with Illinois?
Per 100,000 residents, Champaign County has 60.1 truck crashes a year; Illinois has 56.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in St. Joseph?
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.