Vandalia, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Vandalia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Vandalia and Fayette County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Fayette County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 495 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Fayette County compares with Illinois
Fayette County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Fayette County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Fayette County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 198.5 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 3.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.1 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 16% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.4% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 68% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.3% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.6% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 24% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.8% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.9% | 42.0% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 32.2% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Compared with Illinois, Fayette County is lower on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Fayette County at a glance: 1 in 233 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.4%, vs 1.4% in Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 495 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Fayette County. They injured 223 people and killed 20.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 9 days.
Vandalia had 134 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Fayette County numbers.
When crashes happen
May has the most truck crashes, 11.3% of the yearly total, while September has the fewest (3.0%).
November through March accounts for 45.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.0% in Illinois.
By time of day, 4–5 pm stands out with 8.1% of truck crashes.
14.3% 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 Vandalia is I-70, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-185 (3), US-40 (1) and US-51 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 0.4%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Route planning tips for Vandalia fleets
- Build extra time into May routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-70 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 14.3% 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
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 Fayette County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 7 |
| SR-185 | 3 |
| US-40 | 1 |
| US-51 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Fayette County) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 269 |
| I-57 | 50 |
| US-51 | 19 |
| US-40 | 9 |
| I-070 | 7 |
| Mp I070 64 | 5 |
| Il-185 | 4 |
| N 2125 St | 4 |
Vandalia at a glance
| Population | 7,358 |
| Land area | 8.1 sq mi |
| Density | 903 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 62471) | $61,792 |
| Median home value (ZIP 62471) | $138,828 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Fayette 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 | 16 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 24 | +51% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 40 | +63% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 41 | +3% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 16 a year in the 1990s and 41 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Vandalia
How common are truck crashes in Vandalia?
Fayette County has had 495 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 223 people and killing 20.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Vandalia?
I-70 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Vandalia since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Vandalia?
The worst month is May: 11.3% of truck crashes in Fayette County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Vandalia?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Fayette County since 2015, 0.4% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Vandalia compared with Illinois?
Fayette County records 198.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Vandalia?
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.