Decatur, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Decatur: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 428 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Decatur compares with Illinois
Decatur against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Decatur stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Decatur | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 55.3 | 56.0 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 27% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 2.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.4% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 18% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.1% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.8% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.2% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 11.7% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 51% below the state |
Decatur has lower values than Illinois for deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Decatur at a glance: 1 in 35 garbage-truck share of crashes is 2.9%, against 1.4% for Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 428 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Decatur. They injured 203 people and killed 8.
That averages about one truck crash every 10 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (10.3% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.2% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (9.3%).
Road surface: 7.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Illinois: 9.0%).
Where crashes happen
SR-121 leads within 10 miles of Decatur with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-105 (3), I-72 (2) and US-51 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 12 crashes, 2.8% of the total, against 1.4% across Illinois.
Route planning tips for Decatur fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Decatur.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-121; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 26.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Illinois; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Decatur
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-121 | 5 |
| SR-105 | 3 |
| I-72 | 2 |
| US-51 | 2 |
| CR-1/BRUSH College Rd | 1 |
| CR-121 | 1 |
| CR-30/ELWIN Rd | 1 |
| Caleb Road | 1 |
| Eldorado St | 1 |
| Glasglow Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Decatur) |
|---|---|
| N Brush College Rd | 45 |
| N 22Nd St | 39 |
| E Eldorado St | 17 |
| N Main St | 16 |
| N Il Route 48 | 14 |
| E Us Route 36 | 12 |
| N 27Th St | 12 |
| E Pershing Rd | 12 |
Decatur at a glance
| Population | 68,763 |
| Land area | 43.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,574 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 62523) | $13,393 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Decatur 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 | 11 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 23 | +101% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 33 | +43% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 37 | +14% | 3.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 11 a year in the 1990s and 37 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Decatur
How many truck crashes happen in Decatur?
Decatur has had 428 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 203 people and killing 8.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Decatur?
NHTSA data shows SR-121 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Decatur since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Decatur?
The worst month is July: 10.3% of truck crashes in Decatur happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Decatur?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in Decatur since 2015 (2.8% of truck crashes).
How does Decatur compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 55.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Decatur, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Decatur?
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.