Cortland, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cortland: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cortland and DeKalb County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use DeKalb County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
15 of 481 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How DeKalb County compares with Illinois
DeKalb County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where DeKalb County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | DeKalb County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 41.0 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 27% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.55 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 2.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.1% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.8% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.2% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.0% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.3% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 20% below the state |
DeKalb County has lower values than Illinois for crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in DeKalb County: 1 in 33 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.1%, against 1.4% for Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 481 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in DeKalb County. They injured 269 people and killed 22.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 9 days.
Only 56 truck crashes were reported in Cortland since 2015; patterns below come from DeKalb County as a whole.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 11.4% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.5%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.1% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
SR-23 leads within 10 miles of Cortland with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-88 (3), SR-64 (3) and Peace Rd (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 15 of the truck crashes here, or 3.1%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Route planning tips for Cortland fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to SR-23 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 27.8% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Illinois; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 10.1% of truck crashes here, more than Illinois; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 DeKalb County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-23 | 5 |
| I-88 | 3 |
| SR-64 | 3 |
| Peace Rd | 2 |
| CR-14 (Meredith Rd) | 1 |
| Nelson Rd | 1 |
| Plank Rd | 1 |
| Sr- 23 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (DeKalb County) |
|---|---|
| I-88 | 56 |
| Peace Rd | 26 |
| State Rte 23 | 17 |
| E Lincoln Hwy | 15 |
| Perry Rd | 13 |
| S Peace Rd | 11 |
| State Rte 64 | 11 |
| Glidden Rd | 9 |
Cortland at a glance
| Population | 4,592 |
| Land area | 3.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,278 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60112) | $72,831 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60112) | $227,805 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in DeKalb 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 | 15 | — | 1.0 |
| 2000s | 37 | +142% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 38 | +3% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 44 | +16% | 3.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 15 a year in the 1990s and 44 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cortland
How many truck accidents are there in Cortland?
DeKalb County has had 481 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 269 people and killing 22.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Cortland?
SR-23 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Cortland since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Cortland?
The worst month is July: 11.4% of truck crashes in DeKalb County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cortland?
Garbage trucks were involved in 15 reported crashes in DeKalb County since 2015 (3.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Cortland compare with Illinois?
The yearly rate is 41.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in DeKalb County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cortland?
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.