Cowden, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cowden: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cowden 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Shelby County: 8.3 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Illinois: 2.6).
Overview
Police reported 119 crashes involving commercial trucks in Shelby County since 2015: 67 people were injured and 9 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 37 days in fully reported years.
With 2 truck crashes reported in Cowden since 2015, this page uses Shelby County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (12.6% of the year) and are lowest in July (4.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.4% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across 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
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Cowden.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Shelby County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Cowden fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 28.7% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Illinois; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 12.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Illinois; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Shelby County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 |
Cowden at a glance
| Population | 499 |
| Land area | 0.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,241 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 62422) | $75,074 |
| Median home value (ZIP 62422) | $104,423 |
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 Cowden
How many truck crashes happen in Cowden?
Shelby County has had 119 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 67 people and killing 9.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Cowden?
Truck crashes in Shelby County peak in January, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cowden?
Since 2015, Shelby County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Cowden compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Shelby County has 47.8 truck crashes a year; Illinois has 56.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Cowden?
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.