Lake County, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lake 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
2.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.9 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lake County compares with Illinois
Lake County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.0 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 36% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.2% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.8% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.1% | 17.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.0% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.7% | 24.1% | 24.8% | same |
Lake County has lower values than Illinois for crashes per 100k residents / yr. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Lake County at a glance: 1.9× fatal truck crashes in Lake County per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (9.2 vs 4.8).
Overview
Police reported 3,005 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lake County since 2015: 1,469 people were injured and 88 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.9%).
November through March accounts for 41.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.0% in Illinois.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 11.2% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Lake County is I-94, with 14 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-41 (8), US-12 (5) and SR-83 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 52 crashes, 1.7% of the total, against 1.4% across Illinois.
Their busiest month is December, with 13% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 2.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Lake County fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-94, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Lake County.
- With 11.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Illinois), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Lake County) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 14 |
| US-41 | 8 |
| US-12 | 5 |
| SR-83 | 3 |
| CR-19 Russell Rd | 2 |
| SR-120 | 2 |
| SR-131 | 2 |
| SR-173 | 2 |
| SR-43 | 2 |
| SR-59 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 533 |
| Skokie Valley Rd | 48 |
| Green Bay Rd | 40 |
| Deerfield Rd | 38 |
| SR-41 | 36 |
| Skokie Hwy | 36 |
| Waukegan Rd | 33 |
| Belvidere Rd | 31 |
Lake County at a glance
| Population | 718,604 |
| Land area | 443.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,620 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $117,395 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake 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 | 137 | — | 6.0 |
| 2000s | 259 | +89% | 4.9 |
| 2010s | 241 | -7% | 4.1 |
| 2020s | 248 | +3% | 9.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 137 to 248. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.8 a year in 2016–19 and 9.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Lake County
ZIP codes in Lake County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Lake County
How many truck crashes happen in Lake County?
Lake County has had 3,005 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,469 people and killing 88.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Lake County?
NHTSA data shows I-94 with 14 fatal large-truck crashes in Lake County since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lake County?
The worst month is January: 10.1% of truck crashes in Lake County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Lake County?
52 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lake County since 2015, 1.7% of all truck crashes.
How does Lake County compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
Lake County records 36.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Lake County?
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.