Lake Zurich, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lake Zurich: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lake Zurich and Lake County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lake County numbers.
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 sits below Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Lake Zurich: 2.4× yearly fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Lake Zurich: 2.2 in 2016–19, 5.4 in 2020–24.
Overview
Since 2015, 3,005 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lake County. They injured 1,469 people and killed 88.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Lake Zurich had 99 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lake County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.0% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (7.8%).
Road surface: 11.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Illinois: 9.0%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lake Zurich since 2015 were spread across roads: I-90 (5), US-12 (5), SR-83 (3), I-94 (2) and Lake Cook Rd (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
52 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.7% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in December (13%).
They recorded 2.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Lake Zurich fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Lake County.
- 11.2% 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 Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 5 |
| US-12 | 5 |
| SR-83 | 3 |
| I-94 | 2 |
| Lake Cook Rd | 2 |
| SR-59 | 2 |
| SR-60 | 2 |
| US-14 | 2 |
| Barrington Rd | 1 |
| Beverly Dr | 1 |
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 Zurich at a glance
| Population | 19,960 |
| Land area | 6.9 sq mi |
| Density | 2,883 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60047) | $176,081 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60047) | $541,709 |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lake Zurich
How many truck crashes happen in Lake Zurich?
3,005 truck crashes have been reported in Lake County since 2015, with 88 deaths and 1,469 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Lake Zurich?
The worst month is January: 10.1% of truck crashes in Lake County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Lake Zurich?
Garbage trucks were involved in 52 reported crashes in Lake County since 2015 (1.7% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Lake Zurich compared with Illinois?
The yearly rate is 36.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lake County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Lake Zurich?
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.