Cook County, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cook County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Cook County compares with Illinois
Cook County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cook County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cook County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 49.0 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 50% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.53 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 1.4% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.7% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 37% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.5% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.7% | 17.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.6% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.0% | 24.1% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Illinois, Cook County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Cook County at a glance: I-294 most fatal truck crashes in Cook County: 30 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 29,495 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cook County since 2015: 15,477 people were injured and 367 were killed.
That averages about 7 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.6% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 5.7% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Cook County is I-294, with 30 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by I-94 (17), I-90 (15) and SR-50 (13).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 425 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in May (11%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.2, vs 1.3 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Cook County fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-294; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Cook County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Cook County) |
|---|---|
| I-294 | 30 |
| I-94 | 17 |
| I-90 | 15 |
| SR-50 | 13 |
| I-55 | 11 |
| I-57 | 10 |
| SR-83 | 8 |
| I-290 | 7 |
| SR-43 | 7 |
| I-80 | 5 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cook County) |
|---|---|
| I-294 | 2,877 |
| I-90 | 989 |
| I-94 | 802 |
| I-290 | 473 |
| I-55 | 458 |
| I-80 | 348 |
| S Cicero Ave | 339 |
| I-57 | 296 |
Cook County at a glance
| Population | 5,182,617 |
| Land area | 944.9 sq mi |
| Density | 5,485 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $87,558 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cook 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 | 1,033 | — | 42.5 |
| 2000s | 2,315 | +124% | 36.0 |
| 2010s | 2,360 | +2% | 20.9 |
| 2020s | 2,496 | +6% | 37.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 1,033 to 2,496. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 27.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 37.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Cook County
ZIP codes in Cook County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Cook County
How many truck accidents are there in Cook County?
Since 2015, 29,495 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Cook County (15,477 injured, 367 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Cook County?
Since 2015, I-294 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Cook County: 30.
When do most truck crashes happen in Cook County?
June has the most truck crashes in Cook County, 9.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Cook County?
Since 2015, Cook County has reported 425 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Cook County compared with Illinois?
Per 100,000 residents, Cook County has 49.0 truck crashes a year; Illinois has 56.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Cook County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.