Wards Grove, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wards Grove: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wards Grove and Jo Daviess County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jo Daviess County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 168 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jo Daviess County compares with Illinois
Jo Daviess County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jo Daviess County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jo Daviess County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 65.9 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.62 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.5% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.1% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.4% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.9% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.4% | 24.1% | 24.8% | same |
It runs above Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Jo Daviess County: 1 in 39 crashes involve a garbage truck (4 since 2015), vs 1.4% across Illinois.
Overview
Police reported 168 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jo Daviess County since 2015: 100 people were injured and 7 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 26 days.
With 7 truck crashes reported in Wards Grove since 2015, this page uses Jo Daviess County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 10.1% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (6.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.9% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 11.9% of truck crashes.
11.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Wards Grove since 2015: US-20 (3) and N Baker Rd (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
4 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.4% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Route planning tips for Wards Grove fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 30.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Illinois; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 11.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Illinois), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Jo Daviess County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 3 |
| N Baker Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jo Daviess County) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 34 |
| W Us-20 | 15 |
| Il-84 | 8 |
| Ulysses S Grant Memorial | 6 |
| E Us-20 | 4 |
| SR-20 | 4 |
| Us Rte 20 | 4 |
| State Rte 78 | 3 |
Wards Grove at a glance
| Population | 219 |
| Land area | 17.9 sq mi |
| Density | 12 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61044) | $82,083 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jo Daviess 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 | 8 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 14 | +63% | 0.7 |
| 2010s | 16 | +21% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 13 | -20% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 8 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 13. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wards Grove
How many truck crashes happen in Wards Grove?
Jo Daviess County has had 168 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 100 people and killing 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Wards Grove?
Truck crashes in Jo Daviess County peak in December, with 10.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Wards Grove?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Jo Daviess County since 2015, 2.4% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Wards Grove compare with Illinois?
Per 100,000 residents, Jo Daviess County has 65.9 truck crashes a year; Illinois has 56.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Wards Grove?
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.