Prospect Heights, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Prospect Heights: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Prospect Heights 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 Prospect Heights: 2.2× fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Prospect Heights per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (9.2 vs 4.2).
Overview
Since 2015, 29,495 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Cook County. They injured 15,477 people and killed 367.
That averages about 7 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Prospect Heights since 2015; patterns below come from Cook County as a whole.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.6% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, 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 within 10 miles of Prospect Heights is I-94, with 9 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by I-294 (8), I-90 (8) and SR-83 (6).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 425 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (11% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.2 deaths compared with 1.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Prospect Heights fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-94 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in May; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Cook County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 9 |
| I-294 | 8 |
| I-90 | 8 |
| SR-83 | 6 |
| SR-72 | 3 |
| Lake Cook Rd | 2 |
| US-12 | 2 |
| US-14 | 2 |
| 836 W Ohare | 1 |
| Arlington Heights Rd | 1 |
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 |
Prospect Heights at a glance
| Population | 15,566 |
| Land area | 4.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3,700 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60070) | $84,775 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60070) | $339,263 |
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. 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 Prospect Heights
How many truck crashes happen in Prospect Heights?
29,495 truck crashes have been reported in Cook County since 2015, with 367 deaths and 15,477 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Prospect Heights?
I-94 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Prospect Heights since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Prospect Heights?
June has the most truck crashes in Cook County, 9.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Prospect Heights?
Garbage trucks were involved in 425 reported crashes in Cook County since 2015 (1.4% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Prospect Heights 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 Prospect Heights?
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.