I-74 in Illinois: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 86 fatal crashes on I-74 in Illinois killed 95 people, the 15th most of 212 numbered roads in Illinois. In 2024 there were 11 fatal crashes and 12 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 12 counties of Illinois. All fatal crashes in Illinois. I-74 in every state.
Deaths on I-74 in Illinois by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11 | 12 |
| 2023 | 10 | 12 |
| 2022 | 8 | 9 |
| 2021 | 7 | 8 |
| 2020 | 6 | 7 |
| 2019 | 5 | 5 |
| 2018 | 9 | 10 |
| 2017 | 14 | 14 |
| 2016 | 9 | 10 |
| 2015 | 7 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-74 in Illinois: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Vermilion County had the most fatal crashes on I-74 from 2015 to 2024: 18, with 19 deaths. Vermilion, McLean and Peoria counties together held 44% of fatal crashes on I-74 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024; the 9 listed held 93%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermilion County | 2 | 18 | 19 |
| 2 | McLean County | 1 | 10 | 11 |
| 3 | Peoria County | 2 | 10 | 11 |
| 4 | Knox County | 3 | 9 | 11 |
| 5 | Tazewell County | 2 | 9 | 9 |
| 6 | Champaign County | 0 | 8 | 9 |
| 7 | De Witt County | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 8 | Henry County | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| 9 | Woodford County | 1 | 5 | 6 |
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-74 in Illinois
85 fatal crashes on I-74 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 2 pm to 3 pm; the worst month is March.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 5.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 5.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Sat | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan5.8%
- Feb9.3%
- Mar11.6%
- Apr2.3%
- May10.5%
- Jun9.3%
- Jul10.5%
- Aug7.0%
- Sep4.7%
- Oct10.5%
- Nov8.1%
- Dec10.5%
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-74 in Illinois
4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 215 miles of I-74 in Illinois, against 7.2 for all interstates in Illinois. That ranks 7 of 8 interstates in Illinois and 150 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-74 in Illinois first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 38%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 26%, a rollover in 19%, a pedestrian in 7.0%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 33 | 38% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 22 | 26% |
| Rollover | 16 | 19% |
| Pedestrian | 6 | 7.0% |
| Other | 6 | 7.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 2 | 2.3% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.2% |
| 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-74 in Illinois compare with the state
The largest difference from Illinois: from 2015 to 2024, 74% of fatal crashes on I-74 in Illinois were on rural roads, against 34% across Illinois. Below the Illinois share: intersections and hit-and-runs. 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 86 crashes.
| I-74 | Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 74% | 34% | above the Illinois share |
| At or near an intersection | 1.2% | 30% | below the Illinois share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 33% | 25% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A drinking driver | 26% | 27% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Speeding | 37% | 37% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 7.0% | 9.8% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 42% | 46% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Hit-and-run | 2.3% | 8.4% | below the Illinois share |
| A motorcycle involved | 7.0% | 14% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 11% | 16% | about the same as 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-74 in Illinois
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-74 in Illinois?
- 86 fatal crashes killed 95 people on I-74 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 11 fatal crashes and 12 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-74 in Illinois do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Vermilion County had the most fatal crashes on I-74 from 2015 to 2024: 18, with 19 deaths. McLean County was second with 10.
- How dangerous is I-74 in Illinois per mile?
- 4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 215 miles of road, against 7.2 for all interstates in Illinois. That ranks 7 of 8 interstates in Illinois and 150 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-74 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-74 in Illinois (filed under 8 spellings, such as "I- 74", "I-74", "I-74 (SR-110)", "I-74 PURPLE HEART 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.