Fatal Crash Data

I-90 in Illinois: fatal crashes

From 2015 to 2024, 101 fatal crashes on I-90 in Illinois killed 112 people, the 11th most of 212 numbered roads in Illinois. In 2024 there were 21 fatal crashes and 22 deaths on the road.

An interstate running through 5 counties of Illinois. All fatal crashes in Illinois. I-90 in every state.

Deaths on I-90 in Illinois by year

1020201620182020202220242022: 232024: 22
YearFatal crashesDeaths
20242122
202399
20221523
2021910
202099
20191010
201844
201777
201689
201599

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count

Where on I-90 in Illinois: the counties with the most fatal crashes

Cook County had the most fatal crashes on I-90 from 2015 to 2024: 76, with 78 deaths. Cook, Kane and Boone counties together held 91% of fatal crashes on I-90 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 96%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.

One fatal crash, 2015 to 2024Darker where crashes clusterNot on the map: 1 crash has no location in the file.
County20242015 to 2024Deaths
1Cook County177678
2Kane County299
3Boone County077
4Winnebago County256

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-90 in Illinois

101 fatal crashes on I-90 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 9 am to 10 am; the worst month is June.

Share of fatal crashes on I-90 in Illinois by weekday and time of day, 2015 to 2024, in percent
Midnight to 44 to 8 am8 to noonNoon to 44 to 8 pm8 to midnight
Sun7.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes4.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes
Mon1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes4.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes4.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes
Tue1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash
Wed1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash
Thu2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes
Fri3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes4.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes6.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes
Sat5.0 percent, 5 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes3.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes

By hour

By month

  • Jan5.9%
  • Feb5.9%
  • Mar8.9%
  • Apr9.9%
  • May7.9%
  • Jun15.8%
  • Jul7.9%
  • Aug5.0%
  • Sep7.9%
  • Oct10.9%
  • Nov5.9%
  • Dec7.9%

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-90 in Illinois

11.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 91 miles of I-90 in Illinois, against 7.2 for all interstates in Illinois. That ranks 2 of 8 interstates in Illinois and 60 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-90 in Illinois first hit

The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 42%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 29%, a pedestrian in 12%, a rollover in 5.9%.

First harmful eventFatal crashesShare
Collision with another vehicle4242%
Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch)2929%
Pedestrian1212%
Other76.9%
Rollover65.9%
Parked vehicle55.0%
Cyclist00.0%
Not reported00.0%

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-90 in Illinois compare with the state

The largest difference from Illinois: from 2015 to 2024, 0.0% of fatal crashes on I-90 in Illinois were at or near an intersection, against 30% across Illinois. Also above the Illinois share: speeding. Below it: rural roads and unlit roads at night. 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 101 crashes.

I-90Illinois
On rural stretches11%34%below the Illinois share
At or near an intersection0.0%30%below the Illinois share
In the dark, road unlit4.0%25%below the Illinois share
A drinking driver26%27%about the same as the Illinois share
Speeding55%37%above the Illinois share
A distracted driver (as recorded)8.9%9.8%about the same as the Illinois share
Occupants killed unbelted48%46%about the same as the Illinois share
Hit-and-run11%8.4%about the same as the Illinois share
A motorcycle involved12%14%about the same as the Illinois share
Pedestrians among the dead13%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-90 in Illinois

How many fatal crashes have there been on I-90 in Illinois?
101 fatal crashes killed 112 people on I-90 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 21 fatal crashes and 22 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Where on I-90 in Illinois do the most fatal crashes happen?
Cook County had the most fatal crashes on I-90 from 2015 to 2024: 76, with 78 deaths. Kane County was second with 9.
How dangerous is I-90 in Illinois per mile?
11.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 91 miles of road, against 7.2 for all interstates in Illinois. That ranks 2 of 8 interstates in Illinois and 60 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-90 numbers come from

Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-90 in Illinois (filed under 36 spellings, such as "I- 90", "I-90", "I-90 I-94 DAN RYAN EXPWY", "I-90 JANE ADAMS MEMORIAL TOLL"). 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.