Elgin, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elgin: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 351 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Elgin compares with Illinois
Elgin against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Elgin stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Elgin | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 26.8 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 52% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.59 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.1% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 32.5% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 24.0% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.2% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.3% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 32% below the state |
Compared with Illinois, Elgin is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark. It stands out for higher injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Elgin: 1 in 42 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 2.4%, vs 1.4% in Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 351 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Elgin. They injured 209 people and killed 9.
That averages about one truck crash every 12 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 10.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 6.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.2% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 10.8% of truck crashes.
12.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
US-20 leads within 15 miles of Elgin with 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-90 (7), SR-64 (6) and SR-59 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
8 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.3% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Route planning tips for Elgin fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use US-20, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 32.5% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Illinois; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 12.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Illinois; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Elgin
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 8 |
| I-90 | 7 |
| SR-64 | 6 |
| SR-59 | 3 |
| CR-34 Randall Rd | 2 |
| SR-25 | 2 |
| SR-31 | 2 |
| SR-38 | 2 |
| SR-47 | 2 |
| Barrington Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Elgin) |
|---|---|
| SR-20 | 36 |
| I-90 | 34 |
| N Randall Rd | 34 |
| S Randall Rd | 14 |
| Big Timber Rd | 14 |
| N State St | 13 |
| S State St | 10 |
| S Mclean Blvd | 9 |
Elgin at a glance
| Population | 114,701 |
| Land area | 38.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3,005 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60123) | $87,693 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60123) | $261,812 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Elgin 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 | 12 | — | 4.6 |
| 2000s | 25 | +117% | 5.2 |
| 2010s | 29 | +15% | 3.1 |
| 2020s | 28 | -3% | 3.6 |
In the 1990s about 12 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 28. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.5 a year in 2016–19 and 3.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elgin
How many truck crashes happen in Elgin?
351 truck crashes have been reported in Elgin since 2015, with 9 deaths and 209 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Elgin?
NHTSA data shows US-20 with 8 fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Elgin since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Elgin?
The worst month is August: 10.8% of truck crashes in Elgin happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Elgin?
Since 2015, Elgin has reported 8 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.3% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Elgin compared with Illinois?
Elgin records 26.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Elgin?
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.