I-70 in Illinois: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 70 fatal crashes on I-70 in Illinois killed 78 people, the 20th most of 212 numbered roads in Illinois. In 2024 there were 8 fatal crashes and 8 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 7 counties of Illinois. All fatal crashes in Illinois. I-70 in every state.
Deaths on I-70 in Illinois by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8 | 8 |
| 2023 | 9 | 9 |
| 2022 | 6 | 6 |
| 2021 | 9 | 12 |
| 2020 | 4 | 4 |
| 2019 | 9 | 11 |
| 2018 | 8 | 9 |
| 2017 | 5 | 6 |
| 2016 | 7 | 7 |
| 2015 | 5 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-70 in Illinois: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Effingham County had the most fatal crashes on I-70 from 2015 to 2024: 17, with 20 deaths. Effingham, Fayette and Clark counties together held 59% of fatal crashes on I-70 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 96%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Effingham County | 0 | 17 | 20 |
| 2 | Fayette County | 0 | 13 | 15 |
| 3 | Clark County | 2 | 11 | 12 |
| 4 | Madison County | 2 | 11 | 11 |
| 5 | Bond County | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 6 | Cumberland County | 0 | 7 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-70 in Illinois
70 fatal crashes on I-70 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 4 pm to 5 pm; the worst month is June.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 7.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 5.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 5.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 7.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 8.6 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Sat | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
By hour
By month
- Jan4.3%
- Feb8.6%
- Mar7.1%
- Apr2.9%
- May11.4%
- Jun17.1%
- Jul5.7%
- Aug11.4%
- Sep7.1%
- Oct17.1%
- Nov2.9%
- Dec4.3%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-70 in Illinois
5 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 139 miles of I-70 in Illinois, against 7.2 for all interstates in Illinois. That ranks 6 of 8 interstates in Illinois and 130 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-70 in Illinois first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 66%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 14%, a parked vehicle in 8.6%, a rollover in 7.1%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 46 | 66% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 10 | 14% |
| Parked vehicle | 6 | 8.6% |
| Rollover | 5 | 7.1% |
| Other | 2 | 2.9% |
| Pedestrian | 1 | 1.4% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on I-70 in Illinois compare with the state
The largest difference from Illinois: from 2015 to 2024, 80% of fatal crashes on I-70 in Illinois were on rural roads, against 34% across Illinois. Below the Illinois share: intersections, motorcycles and pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Illinois. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 70 crashes.
| I-70 | Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 80% | 34% | above the Illinois share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 30% | below the Illinois share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 30% | 25% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A drinking driver | 17% | 27% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Speeding | 43% | 37% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 14% | 9.8% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 44% | 46% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Hit-and-run | 2.9% | 8.4% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A motorcycle involved | 1.4% | 14% | below the Illinois share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 1.3% | 16% | below the Illinois share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-70 in Illinois
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-70 in Illinois?
- 70 fatal crashes killed 78 people on I-70 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 8 fatal crashes and 8 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-70 in Illinois do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Effingham County had the most fatal crashes on I-70 from 2015 to 2024: 17, with 20 deaths. Fayette County was second with 13.
- How dangerous is I-70 in Illinois per mile?
- 5 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 139 miles of road, against 7.2 for all interstates in Illinois. That ranks 6 of 8 interstates in Illinois and 130 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Illinois with a page
All fatal crashes in Illinois, with every road ranked.
Where the I-70 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-70 in Illinois (filed under 15 spellings, such as "I- 70", "I-70", "I-70 (US-40)", "I-70 LEWIS AND CLARK MEMORIAL"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.