Knox County, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Knox County: 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
5 of 346 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Knox County compares with Illinois
Knox County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Knox County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Knox County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 61.0 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 14% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.0% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 2.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.5% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.9% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.6% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 32.1% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Compared with Illinois, Knox County is lower on injuries per crash. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Knox County at a glance: 19.0% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.0% in Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 346 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Knox County. They injured 148 people and killed 12.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 12 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.3% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (5.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.6% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 6.9% of truck crashes.
19.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
US-34 leads in Knox County with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-74 (2), SR-41 (1) and US-150 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Route planning tips for Knox County fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Knox County.
- Check whether your routes use US-34, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- With 19.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Illinois), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Knox County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Knox County) |
|---|---|
| US-34 | 3 |
| I-74 | 2 |
| SR-41 | 1 |
| US-150 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Knox County) |
|---|---|
| I-74 | 144 |
| US-34 | 20 |
| Henderson St | 4 |
| Illinois Route 97 | 4 |
| Knox Highway 10 | 4 |
| Knox Highway 12 | 4 |
| N Henderson St | 4 |
| S Linwood Rd | 3 |
Knox County at a glance
| Population | 48,716 |
| Land area | 716.4 sq mi |
| Density | 68 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $58,828 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Knox 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 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 18 | +14% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 26 | +46% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 30 | +13% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 16 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 30. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Knox County
ZIP codes in Knox County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Knox County
How many truck crashes happen in Knox County?
346 truck crashes have been reported in Knox County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 148 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Knox County?
Since 2015, US-34 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Knox County: 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Knox County?
January has the most truck crashes in Knox County, 11.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Knox County?
5 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Knox County since 2015, 1.4% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Knox County compare with Illinois?
Knox County records 61.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Knox County?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.