Joliet, IL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Joliet: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
20 of 1,875 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Joliet compares with Illinois
Joliet against Illinois and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Joliet stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Joliet | Illinois | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 105.6 | 56.0 | 49.7 | 1.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 54% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 20% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 25% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.6% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 49% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.5% | 24.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.7% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 29% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.2% | 42.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.5% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 19% below the state |
Compared with Illinois, Joliet is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Illinois on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
The headline for Joliet: +120% change in yearly reported truck crashes from the 2000s (62) to the 2010s (137).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,875 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Joliet. They injured 760 people and killed 25.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 9.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.6%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.2% of truck crashes, against 42.0% across Illinois.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 4.6% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Illinois.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 15 miles of Joliet is I-80, with 19 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-55 (17), SR-53 (8) and US-30 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 20 crashes, 1.1% of the total, against 1.4% across Illinois.
Their busiest month is May, with 20% of garbage-truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Joliet fleets
- Build extra time into May routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Joliet
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 19 |
| I-55 | 17 |
| SR-53 | 8 |
| US-30 | 3 |
| US-6 | 3 |
| I-355 | 2 |
| SR-171 | 2 |
| US-52 | 2 |
| CR-17 Arsenal Rd | 1 |
| CR-29 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Joliet) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 405 |
| S Chicago St | 76 |
| Il-53 | 54 |
| Centerpoint Way | 45 |
| W Laraway Rd | 24 |
| Houbolt Rd | 22 |
| W Jefferson St | 19 |
| S Richards St | 18 |
Joliet at a glance
| Population | 151,837 |
| Land area | 66.3 sq mi |
| Density | 2,291 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 60435) | $76,369 |
| Median home value (ZIP 60435) | $234,423 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Joliet 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 | 23 | — | 9.8 |
| 2000s | 58 | +159% | 7.6 |
| 2010s | 129 | +121% | 8.1 |
| 2020s | 162 | +26% | 8.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 23 to 162. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 8.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 8.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Joliet
How many truck crashes happen in Joliet?
Joliet has had 1,875 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 760 people and killing 25.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Joliet?
I-80 had 19 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of Joliet since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Joliet?
Truck crashes in Joliet peak in May, with 9.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Joliet?
20 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Joliet since 2015, 1.1% of all truck crashes.
How does Joliet compare with Illinois for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 105.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Joliet, vs 56.0 for Illinois.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Joliet?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.