Pekin, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Pekin: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Pekin and Tazewell County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Tazewell County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
17 of 602 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Tazewell County compares with Illinois
Tazewell County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Tazewell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Tazewell County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.4 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 28% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 2.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.9% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.6% | 24.3% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.0% | 17.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.8% | 42.0% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 14.6% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 40% below the state |
Compared with Illinois, Tazewell County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, winter months (nov–mar) and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Tazewell County at a glance: 1 in 34 garbage-truck share of crashes is 2.9%, against 1.4% for Illinois.
Overview
Police reported 602 crashes involving commercial trucks in Tazewell County since 2015: 290 people were injured and 18 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
With 86 truck crashes reported in Pekin since 2015, this page uses Tazewell County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 12.6% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (5.0%).
November through March accounts for 38.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.0% in Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (9.8%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.9% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-74 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). Next come I-474 (2), SR-29 (2) and Baker Lane (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 17 crashes, 2.8% of the total, against 1.4% across Illinois.
Route planning tips for Pekin fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-74, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 29.6% of truck crashes here, more than Illinois; adjust start times where you can.
- 10.9% 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 Tazewell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-74 | 4 |
| I-474 | 2 |
| SR-29 | 2 |
| Baker Lane | 1 |
| I- 74 | 1 |
| Morton Ave | 1 |
| US-24 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Tazewell County) |
|---|---|
| I-74 | 105 |
| I-155 | 34 |
| Il-29 | 26 |
| I-474 | 17 |
| Il-116 | 17 |
| N Main St | 15 |
| Washington Rd | 13 |
| Il-9 | 10 |
Pekin at a glance
| Population | 31,266 |
| Land area | 15.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,989 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Tazewell 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 | 20 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 38 | +91% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 52 | +35% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 50 | -4% | 1.6 |
In the 1990s about 20 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 50. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Pekin
How many truck crashes happen in Pekin?
602 truck crashes have been reported in Tazewell County since 2015, with 18 deaths and 290 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Pekin?
Since 2015, I-74 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Pekin: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in Pekin?
October has the most truck crashes in Tazewell County, 12.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Pekin?
Garbage trucks were involved in 17 reported crashes in Tazewell County since 2015 (2.8% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Pekin compared with Illinois?
The yearly rate is 40.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Tazewell County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Pekin?
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.