Columbia, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Columbia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Columbia and Monroe County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Monroe County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 128 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Monroe County compares with Illinois
Monroe County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Monroe County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Monroe County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 32.2 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 42% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.6 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 2.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 2.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.3% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 19% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.6% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 7% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.1% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.0% | 42.0% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 19.4% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 20% below the state |
Monroe County sits below Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Illinois on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Monroe County: 1 in 31 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 3.2%, vs 1.4% in Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 128 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Monroe County. They injured 61 people and killed 7.
That averages about one truck crash every 32 days in fully reported years.
With 48 truck crashes reported in Columbia since 2015, this page uses Monroe County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in November (13.3% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.0% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.6%).
7.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Columbia is SR-3, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by I-55 (4), I-255 (3) and SR-158 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 3.1% of the total, against 1.4% across Illinois.
Route planning tips for Columbia fleets
- Plan November schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Monroe County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-3 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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 Monroe County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-3 | 5 |
| I-55 | 4 |
| I-255 | 3 |
| SR-158 | 3 |
| 50th St | 1 |
| Barton St | 1 |
| CR-6 | 1 |
| Falling Springs Rd | 1 |
| Mu-Sidney St | 1 |
| SR-156 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Monroe County) |
|---|---|
| I-255 | 19 |
| Admiral Parkway | 14 |
| State Rt 3 | 11 |
| Il-3 | 9 |
| Bluff Rd | 4 |
| SR-3 | 4 |
| State Rt 159 | 3 |
| Admiral Pkwy | 3 |
Columbia at a glance
| Population | 10,919 |
| Land area | 10.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,035 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 62236) | $108,981 |
| Median home value (ZIP 62236) | $305,402 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Monroe 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 | 3 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 10 | +217% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 10 | +9% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 11 | +3% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 11. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Columbia
How many truck accidents are there in Columbia?
128 truck crashes have been reported in Monroe County since 2015, with 7 deaths and 61 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Columbia?
Since 2015, SR-3 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Columbia: 5.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Columbia?
Truck crashes in Monroe County peak in November, with 13.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Columbia?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Monroe County since 2015, 3.1% of all truck crashes.
How does Columbia compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 32.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Monroe County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Columbia?
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.