Independence, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Independence: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Independence and Saline County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Saline County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 123 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Saline County compares with Illinois
Saline County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Saline County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Saline County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 46.2 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 17% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 2.0× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.3% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 3.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.5% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 62% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.6% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.8% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 57% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.4% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 13.8% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 43% below the state |
Saline County has lower values than Illinois for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Saline County at a glance: 1 in 23 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.3%, vs 1.4% in Illinois.
Overview
Saline County has recorded 123 truck crashes since 2015, with 50 people injured and 7 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 35 days in fully reported years.
Only 5 truck crashes were reported in Independence since 2015; patterns below come from Saline County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 13.0% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (4.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.4% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 9.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 3.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Independence happened on US-45 (3); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 4.1%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Route planning tips for Independence fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Saline County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-45 | 3 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Saline County) |
|---|---|
| US-45 | 21 |
| Il-34 | 10 |
| Il-142 | 7 |
| Il-13 | 4 |
| SR-145 | 3 |
| S Us-45 | 3 |
| Il-34 N/B | 3 |
| E Church St | 2 |
Independence at a glance
| Population | 1,133 |
| Land area | 36.8 sq mi |
| Density | 31 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 62946) | $51,566 |
| Median home value (ZIP 62946) | $100,396 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Saline 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 | 7 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 7 | -7% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 14 | +103% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 10 | -31% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 7 a year in the 1990s and 10 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Independence
How many truck crashes happen in Independence?
123 truck crashes have been reported in Saline County since 2015, with 7 deaths and 50 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Independence?
The worst month is January: 13.0% of truck crashes in Saline County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Independence?
Since 2015, Saline County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.1% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Independence compare with Illinois?
Per 100,000 residents, Saline County has 46.2 truck crashes a year; Illinois has 56.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Independence?
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.