South Ottawa, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in South Ottawa: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in South 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 |
LaSalle County sits below Illinois on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for LaSalle County: 16.8% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,266 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in LaSalle County. They injured 578 people and killed 56.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
Only 4 truck crashes were reported in South Ottawa since 2015; patterns below come from LaSalle County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.4% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (6.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.2% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (6.9%).
16.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-80 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). It is followed by SR-23 (3), Cr- 42 (1) and E 12th Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
8 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.6% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Route planning tips for South Ottawa fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in LaSalle County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 16.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Illinois; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 |
| Cr- 42 | 1 |
| E 12th Rd | 1 |
| SR-178 | 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 |
South Ottawa at a glance
| Population | 8,330 |
| Land area | 19.7 sq mi |
| Density | 424 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 South Ottawa
How many truck crashes happen in South 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 South Ottawa?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of South Ottawa since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in South Ottawa?
January has the most truck crashes in LaSalle County, 11.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in South 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 South Ottawa compared with Illinois?
LaSalle County records 101.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in South Ottawa?
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.