Cary, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cary: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cary and McHenry County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use McHenry County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.9 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How McHenry County compares with Illinois
McHenry County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where McHenry County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | McHenry County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 29.7 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 47% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.3% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 2.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.0% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.8% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.3% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.2% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.4% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 32% below the state |
Compared with Illinois, McHenry County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for McHenry County: 1 in 30 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.3%, against 1.4% for Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,104 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in McHenry County. They injured 530 people and killed 30.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 21 truck crashes were reported in Cary since 2015; patterns below come from McHenry County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (10.5% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.2% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (8.3%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 12.0% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-12 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). After it: SR-59 (2), CR-44 Darell Rd (1) and CR-45 (Roberts Rd) (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
36 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.3% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (17%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.9 deaths compared with 2.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Cary fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-12, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: January is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in McHenry County.
- Morning starts matter: 27.8% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Illinois.
- With 12.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Illinois), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 McHenry County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-12 | 4 |
| SR-59 | 2 |
| CR-44 Darell Rd | 1 |
| CR-45 (Roberts Rd) | 1 |
| CR-49 Cr-V61 Fairfield Rd | 1 |
| CR-49/V61/FAIRFIELD Rd | 1 |
| SR-176 | 1 |
| SR-31 | 1 |
| SR-60 | 1 |
| SR-62 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (McHenry County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 92 |
| US-14 | 48 |
| Il-31 | 47 |
| Il-176 | 40 |
| Il-47 | 24 |
| Algonquin Rd | 19 |
| US-20 | 19 |
| Illinois Route 47 | 16 |
Cary at a glance
| Population | 18,031 |
| Land area | 6.5 sq mi |
| Density | 2,763 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60013) | $120,604 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60013) | $315,422 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in McHenry 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 | 52 | — | 3.8 |
| 2000s | 80 | +54% | 3.1 |
| 2010s | 88 | +10% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 92 | +4% | 1.8 |
In the 1990s about 52 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 92. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cary
How common are truck crashes in Cary?
McHenry County has had 1,104 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 530 people and killing 30.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Cary?
Since 2015, US-12 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cary: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in Cary?
The worst month is July: 10.5% of truck crashes in McHenry County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cary?
Garbage trucks were involved in 36 reported crashes in McHenry County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
How does Cary compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
McHenry County records 29.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cary?
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.