German Valley, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in German Valley: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in German Valley 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 sits below Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Stephenson County: 5.2 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Illinois: 2.6).
Overview
Police reported 199 crashes involving commercial trucks in Stephenson County since 2015: 104 people were injured and 11 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 21 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in German Valley since 2015, this page uses Stephenson County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 12.1% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (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%).
Road surface: 13.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Illinois: 9.0%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of German Valley since 2015 were spread across roads: US-20 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 2.0%, compared with 1.4% in Illinois.
Route planning tips for German Valley fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Stephenson County.
- 13.1% 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
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 Stephenson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
German Valley at a glance
| Population | 417 |
| Land area | 0.5 sq mi |
| Density | 897 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61039) | $84,107 |
| Median home value (ZIP 61039) | $179,720 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 8 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 17. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about German Valley
How common are truck crashes in German Valley?
Since 2015, 199 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Stephenson County (104 injured, 11 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in German Valley?
Truck crashes in Stephenson County peak in August, with 12.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in German Valley?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Stephenson County since 2015 (2.0% of truck crashes).
How does German Valley compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
Stephenson County records 40.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.0 across Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in German Valley?
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.