I-94 in Illinois: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 154 fatal crashes on I-94 in Illinois killed 164 people, the 3rd most of 212 numbered roads in Illinois. In 2024 there were 14 fatal crashes and 14 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 2 counties of Illinois. All fatal crashes in Illinois. I-94 in every state.
Deaths on I-94 in Illinois by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14 | 14 |
| 2023 | 16 | 17 |
| 2022 | 24 | 25 |
| 2021 | 25 | 28 |
| 2020 | 25 | 26 |
| 2019 | 13 | 15 |
| 2018 | 9 | 10 |
| 2017 | 10 | 10 |
| 2016 | 9 | 10 |
| 2015 | 9 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-94 in Illinois: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Cook County had the most fatal crashes on I-94 from 2015 to 2024: 132, with 140 deaths. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cook County | 13 | 132 | 140 |
| 2 | Lake County | 1 | 22 | 24 |
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-94 in Illinois
The heaviest slot is Saturday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Friday), with 13 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 1 am to 2 am; 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 | 7.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 5.8 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 5.8 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 6.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 8.4 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.4%
- Feb8.4%
- Mar4.5%
- Apr5.8%
- May9.7%
- Jun11.0%
- Jul13.0%
- Aug5.2%
- Sep8.4%
- Oct9.7%
- Nov5.8%
- Dec9.7%
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-94 in Illinois
25.9 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 60 miles of I-94 in Illinois, against 7.2 for all interstates in Illinois. That ranks 1 of 8 interstates in Illinois and 3 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-94 in Illinois first hit
The first harmful event was a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 38%; a collision with another vehicle in 35%, a pedestrian in 13%, a parked vehicle in 4.5%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 58 | 38% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 54 | 35% |
| Pedestrian | 20 | 13% |
| Other | 8 | 5.2% |
| Parked vehicle | 7 | 4.5% |
| Rollover | 6 | 3.9% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 0.6% |
| 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-94 in Illinois compare with the state
The largest difference from Illinois: from 2015 to 2024, 0.6% of fatal crashes on I-94 in Illinois were on rural roads, against 34% across Illinois. Also above the Illinois share: speeding, unbelted occupants and hit-and-runs. Below it: intersections, unlit roads at night and distracted drivers. 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 154 crashes.
| I-94 | Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 0.6% | 34% | below the Illinois share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 30% | below the Illinois share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 3.9% | 25% | below the Illinois share |
| A drinking driver | 31% | 27% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Speeding | 59% | 37% | above the Illinois share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 2.6% | 9.8% | below the Illinois share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 63% | 46% | above the Illinois share |
| Hit-and-run | 13% | 8.4% | above the Illinois share |
| A motorcycle involved | 12% | 14% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 15% | 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-94 in Illinois
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-94 in Illinois?
- 154 fatal crashes killed 164 people on I-94 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 14 fatal crashes and 14 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-94 in Illinois do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Cook County had the most fatal crashes on I-94 from 2015 to 2024: 132, with 140 deaths. Lake County was second with 22.
- When do fatal crashes on I-94 in Illinois happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Friday), with 13 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-94 in Illinois per mile?
- 25.9 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 60 miles of road, against 7.2 for all interstates in Illinois. That ranks 1 of 8 interstates in Illinois and 3 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-94 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-94 in Illinois (filed under 40 spellings, such as "I- 94", "I- 94 S/B", "I- 94 SB", "I- 94 TO I80"). 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.