Crystal Lake, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Crystal Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Crystal Lake 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 |
McHenry County sits below Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in McHenry County: 1 in 30 crashes involve a garbage truck (36 since 2015), vs 1.4% across Illinois.
Overview
Police reported 1,104 crashes involving commercial trucks in McHenry County since 2015: 530 people were injured and 30 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
With 116 truck crashes reported in Crystal Lake since 2015, this page uses McHenry County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.5% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.0%).
November through March accounts for 42.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.0% in 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
US-12 leads within 10 miles of Crystal Lake with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-176 (2), CR-31 Harmony Rd (1) and CR-44 Darell Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
36 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.3% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (17% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.9, vs 2.9 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Crystal Lake fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-12 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 12.0% 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 McHenry County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-12 | 3 |
| SR-176 | 2 |
| CR-31 Harmony Rd | 1 |
| CR-44 Darell Rd | 1 |
| CR-45 (Roberts Rd) | 1 |
| SR-31 | 1 |
| SR-47 | 1 |
| SR-59 | 1 |
| SR-62 | 1 |
| US-14 | 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 |
Crystal Lake at a glance
| Population | 41,513 |
| Land area | 19.0 sq mi |
| Density | 2,187 per sq mi |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 52 a year in the 1990s and 92 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 2.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Crystal Lake
How common are truck crashes in Crystal Lake?
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 Crystal Lake?
US-12 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Crystal Lake since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Crystal Lake?
Truck crashes in McHenry County peak in July, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Crystal Lake?
Garbage trucks were involved in 36 reported crashes in McHenry County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
How does Crystal Lake compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 29.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in McHenry County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Crystal Lake?
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.