Big Spring, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Big Spring: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Big Spring and Shelby County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Shelby County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 119 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Shelby County compares with Illinois
Shelby County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Shelby County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Shelby County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 47.8 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 15% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 3.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.0% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.7% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.1% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 38% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.4% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.0% | 24.1% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Illinois, Shelby County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Illinois on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Shelby County: 8.3 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 2.6 across Illinois.
Overview
Police reported 119 crashes involving commercial trucks in Shelby County since 2015: 67 people were injured and 9 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 37 days.
Big Spring had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Shelby County numbers.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 12.6% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (4.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.4% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 10.1% 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
Within this area, I-57 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). Next come CR-38/1200 N (1) and SR-121 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for Shelby County.
Route planning tips for Big Spring fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-57; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 28.7% 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 Shelby County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-57 | 5 |
| CR-38/1200 N | 1 |
| SR-121 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Shelby County) |
|---|---|
| Il-16 | 12 |
| I-57 | 10 |
| Il-32 | 5 |
| US-51 | 4 |
| W Main St | 3 |
| SR-32 | 3 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| Cr-6 | 2 |
Big Spring at a glance
| Population | 606 |
| Land area | 29.3 sq mi |
| Density | 21 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 62447) | $87,292 |
| Median home value (ZIP 62447) | $156,187 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Shelby 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 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 6 | +56% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 9 | +48% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 10 | +14% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 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 crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Big Spring
How common are truck crashes in Big Spring?
119 truck crashes have been reported in Shelby County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 67 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Big Spring?
I-57 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Big Spring since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Big Spring?
The worst month is January: 12.6% of truck crashes in Shelby County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Big Spring?
Garbage trucks were involved in 0 reported crashes in Shelby County since 2015 (0.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Big Spring compare with Illinois?
Shelby County records 47.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Big Spring?
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.