North Chicago, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in North Chicago: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in North Chicago 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 has lower values than Illinois for crashes per 100k residents / yr. It runs above Illinois on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
North Chicago at a glance: 2.2× yearly fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of North Chicago: 2.5 in 2016–19, 5.6 in 2020–24.
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.
With 80 truck crashes reported in North Chicago since 2015, this page uses Lake County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 10.1% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (6.9%).
November through March accounts for 41.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.0% in Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (7.8%).
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 within 10 miles of North Chicago is I-94, with 10 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-41 (8), SR-83 (3) and SR-120 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 52 of the truck crashes here, or 1.7%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (13% of them).
They recorded 2.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for North Chicago fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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
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-94 | 10 |
| US-41 | 8 |
| SR-83 | 3 |
| SR-120 | 2 |
| SR-43 | 2 |
| CR-17 | 1 |
| CR-20 (Peterson Rd) | 1 |
| CR-22 (Delany Rd) | 1 |
| CR-27 | 1 |
| CR-69/CR-A34/WINCHESTER Rd | 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 |
North Chicago at a glance
| Population | 30,639 |
| Land area | 8.0 sq mi |
| Density | 3,832 per sq mi |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 137 a year in the 1990s and 248 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 North Chicago
How many truck crashes happen in North Chicago?
Since 2015, 3,005 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lake County (1,469 injured, 88 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in North Chicago?
Since 2015, I-94 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of North Chicago: 10.
When do most truck crashes happen in North Chicago?
Truck crashes in Lake County peak in January, with 10.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in North Chicago?
Since 2015, Lake County has reported 52 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.7% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in North Chicago compare with Illinois?
The yearly rate is 36.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lake County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in North Chicago?
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.