Waukegan, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Waukegan: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Waukegan 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 |
Compared with Illinois, Lake County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Waukegan at a glance: 1.8× yearly fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Waukegan: 3.0 in 2016–19, 5.4 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 163 truck crashes reported in Waukegan since 2015, this page uses Lake County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 11.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Illinois: 9.0%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Waukegan is US-41, with 8 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-94 (7), CR-19 Russell Rd (2) and I-41 (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 Waukegan fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-41; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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) |
|---|---|
| US-41 | 8 |
| I-94 | 7 |
| CR-19 Russell Rd | 2 |
| I-41 | 2 |
| SR-120 | 2 |
| SR-131 | 2 |
| SR-43 | 2 |
| CR-17 | 1 |
| CR-20 (Peterson Rd) | 1 |
| CR-22 (Delany 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 |
Waukegan at a glance
| Population | 88,570 |
| Land area | 24.3 sq mi |
| Density | 3,651 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 |
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 Waukegan
How common are truck crashes in Waukegan?
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 Waukegan?
NHTSA data shows US-41 with 8 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Waukegan since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Waukegan?
January has the most truck crashes in Lake County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Waukegan?
52 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lake County since 2015, 1.7% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Waukegan compare with Illinois?
Lake County records 36.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Waukegan?
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.