Ottawa, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ottawa: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ottawa and LaSalle County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use LaSalle County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 1,266 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How LaSalle County compares with Illinois
LaSalle County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where LaSalle County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | LaSalle County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 101.1 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.6 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 51% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.8% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.7% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.2% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.2% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.4% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Illinois, LaSalle County is lower on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
LaSalle County at a glance: 16.8% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Illinois: 9.0%).
Overview
LaSalle County has recorded 1,266 truck crashes since 2015, with 578 people injured and 56 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
Only 69 truck crashes were reported in Ottawa since 2015; patterns below come from LaSalle County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 11.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 6.2%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.2% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (6.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 16.8% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Ottawa is I-80, with 6 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-23 (3), 3450th Rd (1) and Cr- 42 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
8 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.6% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Route planning tips for Ottawa fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- With 16.8% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Illinois), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 LaSalle County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 6 |
| SR-23 | 3 |
| 3450th Rd | 1 |
| Cr- 42 | 1 |
| E 12th Rd | 1 |
| US-6 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (LaSalle County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 424 |
| I-39 | 227 |
| Columbus St | 11 |
| SR-251 | 11 |
| I-080 | 9 |
| E 8Th Rd | 9 |
| Il Rt 71 | 8 |
| US-34 | 8 |
Ottawa at a glance
| Population | 18,775 |
| Land area | 14.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,260 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61350) | $77,921 |
| Median home value (ZIP 61350) | $163,999 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in LaSalle 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 | 34 | — | 2.4 |
| 2000s | 74 | +120% | 3.7 |
| 2010s | 100 | +35% | 3.1 |
| 2020s | 106 | +6% | 3.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 34 a year in the 1990s and 106 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 3.2 a year in 2016–19 and 3.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ottawa
How many truck accidents are there in Ottawa?
LaSalle County has had 1,266 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 578 people and killing 56.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Ottawa?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ottawa since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Ottawa?
January has the most truck crashes in LaSalle County, 11.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Ottawa?
Since 2015, LaSalle County has reported 8 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ottawa compared with Illinois?
The yearly rate is 101.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in LaSalle County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ottawa?
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.