Jefferson, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Jefferson: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Jefferson 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. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for 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.
That averages about one truck crash every 21 days in fully reported years.
Only 5 truck crashes were reported in Jefferson since 2015; patterns below come from Stephenson County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 12.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.4% of truck crashes, vs 42.0% for Illinois.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 10.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 13.1% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Jefferson since 2015 were spread across roads: US-20 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 2.0% of the total, against 1.4% across Illinois.
Route planning tips for Jefferson fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 13.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Illinois; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 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 |
Jefferson at a glance
| Population | 241 |
| Land area | 18.2 sq mi |
| Density | 13 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61062) | $66,667 |
| Median home value (ZIP 61062) | $209,337 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 17 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Jefferson
How many truck crashes happen in Jefferson?
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 Jefferson?
August has the most truck crashes in Stephenson County, 12.1% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Jefferson?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Stephenson County since 2015, 2.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Jefferson compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Stephenson County has 40.3 truck crashes a year; Illinois has 56.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Jefferson?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.