Helvetia, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Helvetia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Helvetia and Madison County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Madison County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.6 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Madison County compares with Illinois
Madison County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Madison County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Madison County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 68.7 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 1.4% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.5% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 17% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.8% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.8% | 17.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.6% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.4% | 24.1% | 24.8% | same |
Madison County has lower values than Illinois for on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and deaths per 100 crashes.
Helvetia at a glance: I-70 deadliest road: 3 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Helvetia since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,114 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Madison County. They injured 1,077 people and killed 70.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
With 6 truck crashes reported in Helvetia since 2015, this page uses Madison County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 9.6% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (7.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.6% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (7.4%).
7.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-70 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). After it: SR-4 (2), Buckeye Rd (1) and Ellwood Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
31 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.5% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in July (23% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.6 deaths compared with 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Helvetia fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Madison County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-70; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at July schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Madison County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 3 |
| SR-4 | 2 |
| Buckeye Rd | 1 |
| Ellwood Rd | 1 |
| SR-160 | 1 |
| US-40 | 1 |
| US-50 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Madison County) |
|---|---|
| I-55 | 340 |
| I-270 | 250 |
| I-70 | 169 |
| I-255 | 51 |
| Il-3 | 43 |
| SR-3 | 41 |
| Il-4 | 31 |
| SR-111 | 31 |
Helvetia at a glance
| Population | 8,299 |
| Land area | 35.9 sq mi |
| Density | 231 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 62249) | $90,424 |
| Median home value (ZIP 62249) | $227,981 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Madison 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 | 79 | — | 4.7 |
| 2000s | 130 | +65% | 4.7 |
| 2010s | 167 | +29% | 3.8 |
| 2020s | 184 | +10% | 4.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 79 to 184. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.8 a year in 2016–19 and 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Helvetia
How common are truck crashes in Helvetia?
Madison County has had 2,114 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,077 people and killing 70.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Helvetia?
I-70 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Helvetia since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Helvetia?
Truck crashes in Madison County peak in January, with 9.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Helvetia?
Garbage trucks were involved in 31 reported crashes in Madison County since 2015 (1.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Helvetia compare with Illinois?
Madison County records 68.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Helvetia?
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.