Nelson Township, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Nelson Township: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Nelson Township and Lee County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lee County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 401 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lee County compares with Illinois
Lee County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lee County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 100.8 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.3% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 80% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.6% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.4% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.9% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.5% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.3% | 24.1% | 24.8% | same |
Lee County has lower values than Illinois for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Lee County: 1 in 370 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.3%, vs 1.4% in Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 401 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lee County. They injured 186 people and killed 9.
That averages about one truck crash every 11 days in fully reported years.
With 33 truck crashes reported in Nelson Township since 2015, this page uses Lee County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 10.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is January at 6.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.5% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (11.7%).
Road surface: 12.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Illinois: 9.0%).
Where crashes happen
SR-40 leads within 10 miles of Nelson with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-88 (1), SR-2 (1) and US-30 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 0.5% of the total, against 1.4% across Illinois.
Route planning tips for Nelson Township fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lee County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-40 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 12.6% of truck crashes here, more than Illinois; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Lee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-40 | 3 |
| I-88 | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| US-30 | 1 |
| US-52 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lee County) |
|---|---|
| I-88 | 90 |
| I-39 | 61 |
| US-30 | 18 |
| S Galena Avenue | 7 |
| Il-38 | 6 |
| US-52 | 6 |
| Franklin Grove Rd | 4 |
| Il-2 | 4 |
Nelson Township at a glance
| Population | 754 |
| Land area | 22.5 sq mi |
| Density | 34 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61021) | $69,127 |
| Median home value (ZIP 61021) | $147,744 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lee 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 | 13 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 24 | +88% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 34 | +42% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 31 | -8% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 13 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 31. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Nelson Township
How many truck crashes happen in Nelson Township?
Lee County has had 401 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 186 people and killing 9.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Nelson Township?
SR-40 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Nelson since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Nelson Township?
The worst month is February: 10.2% of truck crashes in Lee County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Nelson Township?
Since 2015, Lee County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.5% of its truck crashes.
How does Nelson Township compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
Lee County records 100.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Nelson Township?
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.