Illinois, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Illinois: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Illinois and Nelson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Nelson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 49 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Nelson County compares with North Dakota
Nelson County against North Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Nelson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Nelson County | North Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 148.1 | 73.9 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 51% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.33 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 30.6% | 34.4% | 6.2% | 11% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 14.3% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 37% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.2% | 16.2% | 13.8% | 24% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.7% | 47.2% | 41.9% | 22% below the state |
| After dark | 22.4% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Nelson County has lower values than North Dakota for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above North Dakota on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in Nelson County: October the month with the most truck crashes: 20.4% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 49 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Nelson County. They injured 17 people and killed 1.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 82 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Illinois since 2015; patterns below come from Nelson County as a whole.
84% of truck crash reports in Nelson County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 20.4% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (2.0%).
November through March accounts for 36.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 47.2% in North Dakota.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 16.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 30.6% of truck crashes, compared with 34.4% in North Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Illinois.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Nelson County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Illinois fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Nelson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Nelson County) |
|---|---|
| 110Th Ave Ne | 1 |
| 34Th St Ne | 1 |
| US-2 | 1 |
Illinois at a glance
| Population | 32 |
| Land area | 35.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 58344) | $66,957 |
| Median home value (ZIP 58344) | $146,553 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Nelson 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 | 4 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 1 | -85% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 4 | +550% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 5 | +28% | 0.0 |
In the 1990s about 4 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 5. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Illinois
How common are truck crashes in Illinois?
49 truck crashes have been reported in Nelson County since 2015, with 1 deaths and 17 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Illinois?
The worst month is October: 20.4% of truck crashes in Nelson County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Illinois?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Nelson County since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Illinois compare with North Dakota?
Per 100,000 residents, Nelson County has 148.1 truck crashes a year; North Dakota has 73.9.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Illinois?
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.