Dakota, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dakota: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dakota and Stephenson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Stephenson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 199 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Stephenson County compares with Illinois
Stephenson County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Stephenson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Stephenson County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.3 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 28% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 2.0× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.1% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 13.1% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.1% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.8% | 17.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.5% | 24.1% | 24.8% | same |
Stephenson County has lower values than Illinois for crashes per 100k residents / yr. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Stephenson County at a glance: 5.2 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 2.6 in Illinois.
Overview
Stephenson County has recorded 199 truck crashes since 2015, with 104 people injured and 11 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 21 days in fully reported years.
Dakota had 2 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Stephenson County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (12.1% of the year) and are lowest in April (5.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.4% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (10.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 13.1% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Dakota since 2015: SR-26 (1), SR-75 (1), Sr- 26 (1) and US-20 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
4 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.0% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Route planning tips for Dakota fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 13.1% of truck crashes here, more than Illinois; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Stephenson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-26 | 1 |
| SR-75 | 1 |
| Sr- 26 | 1 |
| US-20 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Stephenson County) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 28 |
| Il-75 | 8 |
| Ulysses S Grant Memorial | 8 |
| W Us-20 | 7 |
| Il-26 | 7 |
| E Cedarville Rd | 5 |
| E Us-20 | 4 |
| Il-73 | 4 |
Dakota at a glance
| Population | 479 |
| Land area | 0.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,924 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61018) | $76,471 |
| Median home value (ZIP 61018) | $168,281 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Stephenson 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 | 8 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 14 | +77% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 18 | +22% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 17 | -3% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 8 to 17. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dakota
How many truck crashes happen in Dakota?
Stephenson County has had 199 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 104 people and killing 11.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Dakota?
The worst month is August: 12.1% of truck crashes in Stephenson County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Dakota?
Since 2015, Stephenson County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Dakota compare with Illinois?
The yearly rate is 40.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Stephenson County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Dakota?
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.