Athens, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Athens: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Athens and Menard County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Menard County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 26 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Menard County compares with Illinois
Menard County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Menard County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Menard County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 19.0 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 66% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.16 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 68% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.0% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 56% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.0% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.0% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 55% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.0% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 12.0% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 50% below the state |
Menard County sits below Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes.
The headline for Athens: I-55 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Athens: 3 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 26 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Menard County. They injured 4 people and killed 1.
That averages about one truck crash every 161 days in fully reported years.
Athens had 2 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Menard County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is September with 19.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 0.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (15.4%).
4.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
I-55 leads within 10 miles of Athens with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: Peoria Rd I-55 Business Loop (1), SR-4 (1) and Sr- 29 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 3.8%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Route planning tips for Athens fleets
- Review driver schedules for September, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-55 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Menard County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-55 | 3 |
| Peoria Rd I-55 Business Loop | 1 |
| SR-4 | 1 |
| Sr- 29 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Menard County) |
|---|---|
| Il-123 | 5 |
| Il-97 | 3 |
| Five Points St | 2 |
| Il-29 | 2 |
| Athens Blacktop | 1 |
| Gaines Street | 1 |
| Il Rt 29 S/B | 1 |
| Il Rt 97 | 1 |
Athens at a glance
| Population | 1,903 |
| Land area | 1.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,130 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 62613) | $86,675 |
| Median home value (ZIP 62613) | $199,134 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Menard 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 | 1 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 2 | +180% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 2 | +19% | 0.0 |
| 2020s | 3 | +40% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 1 a year in the 1990s and 3 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Athens
How many truck crashes happen in Athens?
Menard County has had 26 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 4 people and killing 1.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Athens?
I-55 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Athens since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Athens?
September has the most truck crashes in Menard County, 19.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Athens?
Since 2015, Menard County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 3.8% of its truck crashes.
How does Athens compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 19.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Menard County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Athens?
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.