Shields, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Shields: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Shields 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 runs above Illinois on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Shields at a glance: 2.0× fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Shields per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (5.0 vs 2.5).
Overview
Lake County has recorded 3,005 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,469 people injured and 88 killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
With 16 truck crashes reported in Shields since 2015, this page uses Lake County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 10.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 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.
11.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-94 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (11). Next come US-41 (6), I-294 (3) and SR-83 (3).
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).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.1, vs 2.9 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Shields fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lake County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-94; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at December schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 11.2% of truck crashes here, more than Illinois; schedule winter 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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 11 |
| US-41 | 6 |
| I-294 | 3 |
| SR-83 | 3 |
| SR-120 | 2 |
| SR-43 | 2 |
| CR-20 (Peterson Rd) | 1 |
| CR-69/CR-A34/WINCHESTER Rd | 1 |
| Genesee Street | 1 |
| I- 94 | 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 |
Shields at a glance
| Population | 37,715 |
| Land area | 17.8 sq mi |
| Density | 2,119 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60044) | $134,724 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60044) | $601,435 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 137 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 248. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 4.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 9.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Shields
How common are truck crashes in Shields?
3,005 truck crashes have been reported in Lake County since 2015, with 88 deaths and 1,469 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Shields?
NHTSA data shows I-94 with 11 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Shields since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Shields?
The worst month is January: 10.1% of truck crashes in Lake County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Shields?
52 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lake County since 2015, 1.7% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Shields compared with Illinois?
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 Shields?
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.