Prairie Grove, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Prairie Grove: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Prairie Grove 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 has lower values than Illinois for crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It runs above Illinois on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for McHenry County: 1 in 30 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 3.3%, vs 1.4% in Illinois.
Overview
Police reported 1,104 crashes involving commercial trucks in McHenry County since 2015: 530 people were injured and 30 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 5 truck crashes were reported in Prairie Grove 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.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 12.0% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Prairie Grove is US-12, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: CR-44 Darell Rd (1), CR-45 (Roberts Rd) (1) and CR-49 Cr-V61 Fairfield 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%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.9, vs 2.9 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Prairie Grove fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in McHenry County.
- Look at alternatives to US-12 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 |
| CR-44 Darell Rd | 1 |
| CR-45 (Roberts Rd) | 1 |
| CR-49 Cr-V61 Fairfield Rd | 1 |
| CR-49/V61/FAIRFIELD Rd | 1 |
| Ringwood Rd | 1 |
| SR-176 | 1 |
| SR-47 | 1 |
| SR-59 | 1 |
| SR-60 | 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 |
Prairie Grove at a glance
| Population | 1,951 |
| Land area | 6.0 sq mi |
| Density | 323 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60012) | $159,375 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60012) | $417,193 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 52 to 92. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 2.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Prairie Grove
How common are truck crashes in Prairie Grove?
1,104 truck crashes have been reported in McHenry County since 2015, with 30 deaths and 530 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Prairie Grove?
Since 2015, US-12 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Prairie Grove: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in Prairie Grove?
Truck crashes in McHenry County peak in July, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Prairie Grove?
Garbage trucks were involved in 36 reported crashes in McHenry County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
How does Prairie Grove 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 Prairie Grove?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.