Watson, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Watson: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Watson and Effingham County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Effingham County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 1,203 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Effingham County compares with Illinois
Effingham County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Effingham County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Effingham County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 302.1 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 5.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.3% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 81% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.8% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 16.2% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 34% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.6% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.4% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.0% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Effingham County has lower values than Illinois for garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Effingham County at a glance: 1 in 385 crashes involve a garbage truck (3 since 2015), vs 1.4% across Illinois.
Overview
Effingham County has recorded 1,203 truck crashes since 2015, with 618 people injured and 54 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
With 8 truck crashes reported in Watson since 2015, this page uses Effingham County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 12.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 6.2%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.4% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
The busiest hour is 4–5 pm, with 8.3% of truck crashes.
14.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Watson is I-57, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by I-70 (4), CR-6/1600TH Ave/Moccasin Rd (1) and Fayette Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
3 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.2% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Route planning tips for Watson fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Effingham County.
- Check whether your routes use I-57, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 14.8% of truck crashes here, more than Illinois; schedule winter checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Effingham County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-57 | 5 |
| I-70 | 4 |
| CR-6/1600TH Ave/Moccasin Rd | 1 |
| Fayette Ave | 1 |
| SR-37 | 1 |
| US-40 | 1 |
| US-45 | 1 |
| Us- 45 | 1 |
| W Fayette Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Effingham County) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 494 |
| I-57 | 312 |
| N 3Rd St | 13 |
| W Fayette Ave | 12 |
| N Keller Dr | 9 |
| E Fayette Ave | 8 |
| S Banker St | 8 |
| W Evergreen Ave | 7 |
Watson at a glance
| Population | 657 |
| Land area | 1.1 sq mi |
| Density | 602 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 62473) | $74,700 |
| Median home value (ZIP 62473) | $104,803 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Effingham 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 | 35 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 52 | +51% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 86 | +64% | 2.7 |
| 2020s | 116 | +35% | 2.6 |
In the 1990s about 35 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 116. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Watson
How many truck accidents are there in Watson?
Effingham County has had 1,203 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 618 people and killing 54.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Watson?
Since 2015, I-57 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Watson: 5.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Watson?
Truck crashes in Effingham County peak in February, with 12.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Watson?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Effingham County since 2015, 0.2% of all truck crashes.
How does Watson compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 302.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Effingham County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Watson?
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.