Willow Lake, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Willow Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Willow Lake 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 runs above Illinois on 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.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 21 days.
Willow Lake had 0 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
August has the most truck crashes, 12.1% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (5.0%).
November through March accounts for 42.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.0% in 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
Within this area, US-20 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). Next come SR-26 (1), SR-75 (1) and Sr- 26 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
4 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.0% share (Illinois: 1.4%).
Route planning tips for Willow Lake fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-20; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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
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 | 2 |
| SR-26 | 1 |
| SR-75 | 1 |
| Sr- 26 | 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 |
Willow Lake at a glance
| Land area | 2.7 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61032) | $56,593 |
| Median home value (ZIP 61032) | $111,757 |
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 Willow Lake
How common are truck crashes in Willow Lake?
Stephenson County has had 199 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 104 people and killing 11.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Willow Lake?
Since 2015, US-20 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Willow Lake: 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Willow Lake?
Truck crashes in Stephenson County peak in August, with 12.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Willow Lake?
Since 2015, Stephenson County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Willow Lake compare with Illinois?
Per 100,000 residents, Stephenson County has 40.3 truck crashes a year; Illinois has 56.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Willow Lake?
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.