Palos Park, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Palos Park: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Palos Park and Cook County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cook County numbers.
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 |
Cook County sits below Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Palos Park: 1.6× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of Palos Park (5.5 → 9.0).
Overview
Cook County has recorded 29,495 truck crashes since 2015, with 15,477 people injured and 367 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 7 truck crashes every day.
With 49 truck crashes reported in Palos Park since 2015, this page uses Cook County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (9.3% of the year) and are lowest in April (7.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.6% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.2%).
Road surface: 5.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Illinois: 9.0%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Palos Park is I-294, with 15 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-55 (7), I-80 (7) and I-57 (6).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 425 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Their busiest month is May, with 11% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.2, vs 1.3 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Palos Park fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-294, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: May is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Cook County.
- 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 Cook County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-294 | 15 |
| I-55 | 7 |
| I-80 | 7 |
| I-57 | 6 |
| SR-43 | 4 |
| SR-50 | 3 |
| 87th St | 2 |
| I- 80 | 2 |
| SR-83 | 2 |
| US-6 | 2 |
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 |
Palos Park at a glance
| Population | 4,810 |
| Land area | 6.4 sq mi |
| Density | 746 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60464) | $126,087 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60464) | $459,173 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 1,033 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 2,496. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 27.0 a year in 2016–19 and 37.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Palos Park
How common are truck crashes in Palos Park?
Since 2015, 29,495 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Cook County (15,477 injured, 367 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Palos Park?
Since 2015, I-294 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Palos Park: 15.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Palos Park?
The worst month is June: 9.3% of truck crashes in Cook County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Palos Park?
Since 2015, Cook County has reported 425 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
How does Palos Park compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Cook County has 49.0 truck crashes a year; Illinois has 56.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Palos Park?
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.