Western Springs, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Western Springs: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Western Springs 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.
What stands out in Western Springs: 1.6× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of Western Springs (8.2 → 13.6).
Overview
Cook County has recorded 29,495 truck crashes since 2015, with 15,477 people injured and 367 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 7 truck crashes a day.
With 37 truck crashes reported in Western Springs 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%).
November through March accounts for 40.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.0% in 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
I-55 leads within 10 miles of Western Springs with 13 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-294 (12), I-290 (10) and SR-50 (10).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 425 crashes, 1.4% of the total, against 1.4% across Illinois.
Their busiest month is May, with 11% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 0.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Western Springs fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-55; 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.
- 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-55 | 13 |
| I-294 | 12 |
| I-290 | 10 |
| SR-50 | 10 |
| SR-43 | 6 |
| I-88 | 4 |
| Roosevelt Rd | 4 |
| US-12 | 4 |
| I-355 | 3 |
| SR-53 | 3 |
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 |
Western Springs at a glance
| Population | 13,529 |
| Land area | 2.8 sq mi |
| Density | 4,858 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60558) | $230,255 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60558) | $741,402 |
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 Western Springs
How common are truck crashes in Western Springs?
Since 2015, 29,495 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Cook County (15,477 injured, 367 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Western Springs?
Since 2015, I-55 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Western Springs: 13.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Western Springs?
The worst month is June: 9.3% of truck crashes in Cook County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Western Springs?
Since 2015, Cook County has reported 425 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Western Springs compared with Illinois?
The yearly rate is 49.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cook County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Western Springs?
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.