Fatal crashes in Illinois
In 2024, 1,177 people died in 1,085 fatal crashes on Illinois roads, 5.2% fewer than in 2023. That is about 3 deaths a day, and 3% of all road deaths in the United States.
Illinois ranks 8th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 38th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Illinois since 1975
Road deaths in Illinois peaked in 1978 at 2,140; 2024's 1,177 is 45% below that. The lowest year was 2009 with 911. 2024 is 17% below 2000 and 42% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,177 | 1,085 | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 1,241 | 1,143 | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 1,268 | 1,147 | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 1,334 | 1,210 | +11.8% |
| 2020 | 1,193 | 1,086 | +18.2% |
| 2019 | 1,009 | 938 | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 1,035 | 951 | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 1,090 | 998 | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 1,078 | 1,000 | +8.0% |
| 2015 | 998 | 914 | +8.0% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 924 | 845 | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 991 | 895 | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 956 | 886 | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 918 | 835 | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 927 | 858 | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 911 | 832 | -12.7% |
| 2008 | 1,043 | 950 | -16.4% |
| 2007 | 1,248 | 1,126 | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 1,254 | 1,136 | -8.0% |
| 2005 | 1,363 | 1,233 | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 1,355 | 1,224 | -6.8% |
| 2003 | 1,454 | 1,308 | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 1,420 | 1,273 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 1,414 | 1,274 | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 1,418 | 1,274 | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 1,456 | 1,295 | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 1,393 | 1,241 | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 1,397 | 1,261 | -5.4% |
| 1996 | 1,477 | 1,312 | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 1,586 | 1,402 | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 1,554 | 1,395 | +11.6% |
| 1993 | 1,392 | 1,250 | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 1,384 | 1,249 | -4.4% |
| 1991 | 1,448 | 1,289 | -8.9% |
| 1990 | 1,589 | 1,430 | -9.1% |
| 1989 | 1,748 | 1,545 | -4.8% |
| 1988 | 1,837 | 1,666 | +11.1% |
| 1987 | 1,654 | 1,483 | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 1,596 | 1,449 | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 1,534 | 1,364 | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 1,547 | 1,385 | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 1,526 | 1,379 | -7.6% |
| 1982 | 1,651 | 1,475 | -9.3% |
| 1981 | 1,821 | 1,642 | -7.8% |
| 1980 | 1,975 | 1,776 | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 2,017 | 1,777 | -5.7% |
| 1978 | 2,140 | 1,877 | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 2,126 | 1,873 | +4.7% |
| 1976 | 2,031 | 1,781 | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 2,041 | 1,823 | No data |
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads and most dangerous highways in Illinois
I-55 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Illinois from 2015 to 2024: 251, with 285 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 22% of all fatal crashes in Illinois from 2015 to 2024; 8 are interstates, 6 US routes, 6 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (97 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Illinois, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-55 | 251 | 285 | 83 | Will, Cook, McLean |
| 2 | I-57 | 216 | 257 | 64 | Cook, Champaign, Jefferson |
| 3 | I-94 | 154 | 164 | 54 | Cook, Lake |
| 4 | US 45 | 130 | 148 | 49 | Kankakee, Champaign, Saline |
| 5 | I-80 | 127 | 149 | 28 | Will, Cook, Grundy |
| 6 | State Highway 83 | 119 | 128 | 39 | Cook, DuPage, Lake |
| 7 | State Highway 1 | 111 | 129 | 42 | Cook, Kankakee, Will |
| 8 | State Highway 50 | 106 | 112 | 42 | Cook, Kankakee, Will |
| 9 | US 20 | 105 | 118 | 32 | Winnebago, Cook, Jo Daviess |
| 10 | US 30 | 101 | 114 | 40 | Cook, Will, Whiteside |
| 11 | I-90 | 101 | 112 | 45 | Cook, Kane, Boone |
| 12 | US 41 | 96 | 104 | 36 | Cook, Lake |
| 13 | US 12 | 90 | 100 | 28 | Cook, Lake, McHenry |
| 14 | State Highway 3 | 90 | 99 | 35 | St. Clair, Madison, Monroe |
| 15 | I-74 | 86 | 95 | 29 | Vermilion, Peoria, McLean |
| 16 | I-290 | 82 | 98 | 20 | Cook, DuPage |
| 17 | US 6 | 75 | 80 | 22 | Cook, Will, LaSalle |
| 18 | State Highway 43 | 71 | 80 | 23 | Cook, Lake |
| 19 | State Highway 64 | 71 | 75 | 25 | Cook, DuPage, Kane |
| 20 | I-70 | 70 | 78 | 23 | Effingham, Fayette, Madison |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every numbered road in Illinois as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/illinois/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Illinois
Cook County had the most fatal crashes in Illinois from 2015 to 2024: 3,087, with 3,325 deaths. Cook, Will and Lake counties together held 39% of fatal crashes in Illinois from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 71%. 102 counties in Illinois recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, Washington County has the highest rate in Illinois: 41.9 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 9.0 for the state as a whole. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents are hatched rather than shaded: a few crashes on a highway through a small county make a rate that says more about its population than its roads.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | Deaths per 100,000100K, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cook County | 333 | 3,087 | 3,325 | 7.0 |
| 2 | Will County | 54 | 508 | 563 | 8.2 |
| 3 | Lake County | 48 | 439 | 472 | 7.0 |
| 4 | DuPage County | 54 | 399 | 424 | 6.0 |
| 5 | St. Clair County | 40 | 346 | 371 | 17.9 |
| 6 | Madison County | 37 | 319 | 344 | 14.8 |
| 7 | Kane County | 29 | 318 | 344 | 5.8 |
| 8 | Winnebago County | 26 | 289 | 308 | 9.5 |
| 9 | Sangamon County | 20 | 203 | 212 | 10.8 |
| 10 | McHenry County | 24 | 196 | 228 | 8.5 |
| 11 | LaSalle County | 27 | 171 | 186 | 26.8 |
| 12 | Peoria County | 16 | 166 | 180 | 11.1 |
| 13 | Kankakee County | 19 | 156 | 166 | 21.6 |
| 14 | Champaign County | 10 | 151 | 163 | 4.7 |
| 15 | McLean County | 11 | 139 | 144 | 6.4 |
| 16 | Macon County | 13 | 128 | 136 | 12.9 |
| 17 | Tazewell County | 16 | 106 | 116 | 12.3 |
| 18 | Vermilion County | 8 | 105 | 115 | Not enough data |
| 19 | DeKalb County | 8 | 101 | 109 | Not enough data |
| 20 | Williamson County | 10 | 95 | 106 | 14.9 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/illinois/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Illinois
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 449 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 6 pm to 7 pm; the worst month is July.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.3 percent, 449 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 217 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 159 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 261 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 361 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 314 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.9 percent, 197 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 187 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 187 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 277 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 312 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 229 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.2 percent, 124 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 156 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 154 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 237 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 274 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 232 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.3 percent, 133 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 167 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 199 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 244 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 280 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 250 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.2 percent, 126 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 174 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 193 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 272 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 311 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 294 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.8 percent, 190 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 178 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 193 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 310 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 325 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 374 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.8 percent, 400 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 223 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 206 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 263 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 345 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 447 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.8%
- Feb5.9%
- Mar6.9%
- Apr7.5%
- May9.1%
- Jun9.4%
- Jul9.8%
- Aug9.7%
- Sep9.6%
- Oct9.6%
- Nov8.3%
- Dec7.5%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in Illinois: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
34% of fatal crashes in Illinois from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, below the US share of 43%; 30% happened at or near an intersection, above the US share of 25%; 25% in the dark on unlit roads, below the US share of 28%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Illinois | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 34% | 43% | below the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 30% | 25% | above the US share |
| In daylight | 47% | 46% | about the same as the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 23% | 21% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 25% | 28% | below the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on Illinois roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 65% of the 1,177 people killed on Illinois roads in 2024; pedestrians 18% (213), motorcyclists 13% (150), cyclists 3.1% (37).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 767 | 65% |
| Pedestrians | 213 | 18% |
| Motorcyclists | 150 | 13% |
| Cyclists | 37 | 3.1% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 10 | 0.8% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in Illinois: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 27% of fatal crashes in Illinois from 2015 to 2024, about the US share; speeding in 37%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 8.4%, above the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 9.8%, above the US share of 8.7%; 46% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, below the US share of 49%.
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (5,853 in Illinois).
| Illinois | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 27% | 26% | about the same as the US share |
| Speeding | 37% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 9.8% | 8.7% | above the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 46% | 49% | below the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 8.4% | 6.5% | above the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 14% | 16% | below the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 42%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 28%, a pedestrian in 16%, a rollover in 5.9%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 4,368 | 42% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 2,882 | 28% |
| Pedestrian | 1,653 | 16% |
| Rollover | 620 | 5.9% |
| Other | 484 | 4.6% |
| Cyclist | 283 | 2.7% |
| Parked vehicle | 180 | 1.7% |
| Not reported | 2 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in Illinois
Cars were 42% of the 15,808 vehicles in fatal crashes in Illinois from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 21%, pickups 11%, motorcycles 9.8%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 6,690 | 42% |
| SUVs | 3,277 | 21% |
| Pickups | 1,804 | 11% |
| Motorcycles | 1,544 | 9.8% |
| Truck-tractors | 1,137 | 7.2% |
| Vans | 794 | 5.0% |
| Other trucks | 495 | 3.1% |
| Buses | 67 | 0.4% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Illinois per resident and per mile driven
| Illinois | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 9.3 | 11.5 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 9.0 | 11.8 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.13 | 1.19 | below the US rate |
Population 12,710,158 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 104,290 million vehicle-miles (FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-2). The only figures on this page not counted from FARS.
Questions about fatal crashes in Illinois
- How many people died in car accidents in Illinois in 2024?
- 1,177 people died in 1,085 fatal crashes on Illinois roads in 2024, 5.2% fewer than in 2023. That is 9.3 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in Illinois?
- I-55 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Illinois from 2015 to 2024: 251, with 285 deaths. I-57 was second with 216.
- Which county in Illinois has the most fatal crashes?
- Cook County, with 3,087 fatal crashes and 3,325 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 333 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Illinois happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 449 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Illinois involved a drinking driver?
- 2,847 of 10,472 fatal crashes in Illinois from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 27%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Illinois
Every county in Illinois with 30 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, roads, hour and weekday, and deaths per 100,000 residents.
- Cook County 3,087
- Will County 508
- Lake County 439
- DuPage County 399
- St. Clair County 346
- Madison County 319
- Kane County 318
- Winnebago County 289
- Sangamon County 203
- McHenry County 196
- LaSalle County 171
- Peoria County 166
- Kankakee County 156
- Champaign County 151
- McLean County 139
- Macon County 128
- Tazewell County 106
- Vermilion County 105
- DeKalb County 101
- Williamson County 95
- Rock Island County 94
- Kendall County 89
- Jackson County 87
- Grundy County 83
- Iroquois County 81
- Bureau County 77
- Livingston County 76
- Jefferson County 71
- Ogle County 70
- Whiteside County 68
- Coles County 66
- Effingham County 66
- Franklin County 65
- Marion County 63
- Boone County 62
- Montgomery County 61
- Knox County 60
- Randolph County 59
- Adams County 58
- Macoupin County 54
- Clinton County 53
- Washington County 53
- Fulton County 52
- Christian County 50
- Stephenson County 49
- Fayette County 47
- Henry County 47
- Woodford County 46
- Logan County 46
- Morgan County 42
- Saline County 40
- Shelby County 40
- Lee County 40
- Jersey County 38
- Pike County 36
- Jo Daviess County 35
- Bond County 34
- Clark County 34
- Monroe County 33
- Ford County 32
- Union County 32
- Wayne County 31
- Lawrence County 30
Road pages for Illinois
Every numbered road in Illinois with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
- I-290
- I-294
- I-55
- I-57
- I-70
- I-74
- I-80
- I-88
- I-90
- I-94
- State Highway 1
- State Highway 13
- State Highway 15
- State Highway 171
- State Highway 23
- State Highway 29
- State Highway 3
- State Highway 37
- State Highway 43
- State Highway 47
- State Highway 50
- State Highway 53
- State Highway 64
- State Highway 83
- US 12
- US 14
- US 150
- US 20
- US 24
- US 30
- US 34
- US 41
- US 45
- US 50
- US 51
- US 6
Where the Illinois numbers come from
Every figure on this page except the rates is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I-35", "I 35" and "I-35/PURPLE HEART TRL" are the same road); frontage roads and ramps ("I35 FRONTAGE") are left out of road counts. Totals from the state highway department and news reports can differ by a few: they count from the state's own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked and revised once a year. Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". Rates per resident and per mile use Census Bureau population estimates and FHWA vehicle-miles, the only figures not counted from FARS. The full method.