Sterling, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sterling: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sterling and Whiteside County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Whiteside County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 390 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Whiteside County compares with Illinois
Whiteside County against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Whiteside County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Whiteside County | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 60.7 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.1 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.5% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 2.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.9% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 24.9% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.8% | 42.0% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 28.0% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
It runs above Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Whiteside County: 20.5% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.0% in Illinois.
Overview
Whiteside County has recorded 390 truck crashes since 2015, with 188 people injured and 15 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 11 days in fully reported years.
With 52 truck crashes reported in Sterling since 2015, this page uses Whiteside County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 12.1% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (4.6%).
November through March accounts for 48.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.0% in Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (9.5%).
Road surface: 20.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Illinois: 9.0%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Sterling is SR-40, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-88 (1), Prophet Rd (1) and US-30 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 1.8% of the total, against 1.4% across Illinois.
Route planning tips for Sterling fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Whiteside County.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-40; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- With 20.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Illinois), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Whiteside County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-40 | 3 |
| I-88 | 1 |
| Prophet Rd | 1 |
| US-30 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Whiteside County) |
|---|---|
| I-88 | 133 |
| Us Route 30 | 19 |
| US-30 | 17 |
| U.S. Route 30 | 8 |
| Il-40 | 7 |
| Lincoln Rd | 7 |
| 1St Ave | 7 |
| Us Rt 30 | 5 |
Sterling at a glance
| Population | 14,535 |
| Land area | 5.9 sq mi |
| Density | 2,445 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 61037) | $70,357 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Whiteside 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 | 15 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 21 | +35% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 32 | +56% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 34 | +6% | 1.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 15 a year in the 1990s and 34 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sterling
How common are truck crashes in Sterling?
390 truck crashes have been reported in Whiteside County since 2015, with 15 deaths and 188 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Sterling?
SR-40 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Sterling since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Sterling?
The worst month is January: 12.1% of truck crashes in Whiteside County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Sterling?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Whiteside County since 2015 (1.8% of truck crashes).
How does Sterling compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 60.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Whiteside County, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Sterling?
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.