Blue Ridge, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Blue Ridge: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Blue Ridge and Piatt County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Piatt County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 171 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Piatt County compares with Illinois
Piatt County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Piatt County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Piatt County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 88.0 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.6 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 2.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 10% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 9% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 23.0% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 2.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.2% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 21% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.0% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.1% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.5% | 24.1% | 24.8% | same |
Piatt County has lower values than Illinois for injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Piatt County: 23.0% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Overview
Since 2015, 171 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Piatt County. They injured 74 people and killed 9.
That averages about one truck crash every 25 days in fully reported years.
Only 62 truck crashes were reported in Blue Ridge since 2015; patterns below come from Piatt County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 14.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 4.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.1% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (11.1%).
23.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.0% across Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-74 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). After it: CR-700/725 E (1), SR-47 (1) and SR-54 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.2% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Route planning tips for Blue Ridge fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-74 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 23.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Illinois; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Piatt County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-74 | 6 |
| CR-700/725 E | 1 |
| SR-47 | 1 |
| SR-54 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Piatt County) |
|---|---|
| I-74 | 41 |
| I-72 | 33 |
| Il-10 | 7 |
| US-36 | 4 |
| Us-36 W/B | 3 |
| US-150 | 3 |
| Il-32 | 3 |
| Il Rt 10 | 2 |
Blue Ridge at a glance
| Population | 1,368 |
| Land area | 63.6 sq mi |
| Density | 21 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61854) | $86,705 |
| Median home value (ZIP 61854) | $168,219 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Piatt 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 | 4 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 8 | +100% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 12 | +61% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 16 | +32% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 16. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Blue Ridge
How many truck crashes happen in Blue Ridge?
171 truck crashes have been reported in Piatt County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 74 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Blue Ridge?
NHTSA data shows I-74 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Blue Ridge since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Blue Ridge?
February has the most truck crashes in Piatt County, 14.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Blue Ridge?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Piatt County since 2015, 1.2% of all truck crashes.
How does Blue Ridge compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 88.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Piatt County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Blue Ridge?
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.