State Highway 3 in Illinois: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 90 fatal crashes on State Highway 3 in Illinois killed 99 people, the 14th most of 212 numbered roads in Illinois. In 2024 there were 13 fatal crashes and 14 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 8 counties of Illinois. All fatal crashes in Illinois.
Deaths on State Highway 3 in Illinois by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 14 |
| 2023 | 7 | 9 |
| 2022 | 15 | 18 |
| 2021 | 10 | 11 |
| 2020 | 7 | 7 |
| 2019 | 10 | 11 |
| 2018 | 9 | 10 |
| 2017 | 6 | 6 |
| 2016 | 7 | 7 |
| 2015 | 6 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 3 in Illinois: the counties with the most fatal crashes
St. Clair County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 3 from 2015 to 2024: 26, with 27 deaths. St. Clair, Madison and Monroe counties together held 71% of fatal crashes on State Highway 3 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024; the 5 listed held 91%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Clair County | 6 | 26 | 27 |
| 2 | Madison County | 3 | 25 | 27 |
| 3 | Monroe County | 1 | 13 | 14 |
| 4 | Alexander County | 1 | 9 | 12 |
| 5 | Randolph County | 1 | 9 | 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 State Highway 3 in Illinois
90 fatal crashes on State Highway 3 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 8 pm to 9 pm; the worst month is September.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 4.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.8%
- Feb6.7%
- Mar7.8%
- Apr10.0%
- May10.0%
- Jun10.0%
- Jul5.6%
- Aug6.7%
- Sep11.1%
- Oct8.9%
- Nov11.1%
- Dec4.4%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on State Highway 3 in Illinois first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 51%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 22%, a pedestrian in 12%, a rollover in 7.8%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 46 | 51% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 20 | 22% |
| Pedestrian | 11 | 12% |
| Rollover | 7 | 7.8% |
| Other | 4 | 4.4% |
| Cyclist | 2 | 2.2% |
| Parked vehicle | 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 State Highway 3 in Illinois compare with the state
The largest difference from Illinois: from 2015 to 2024, 37% of fatal crashes on State Highway 3 in Illinois were with a drinking driver, against 27% across Illinois. 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 90 crashes.
| State Highway 3 | Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 31% | 34% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| At or near an intersection | 30% | 30% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 30% | 25% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A drinking driver | 37% | 27% | above the Illinois share |
| Speeding | 33% | 37% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 7.8% | 9.8% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 48% | 46% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.6% | 8.4% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A motorcycle involved | 16% | 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 State Highway 3 in Illinois
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 3 in Illinois?
- 90 fatal crashes killed 99 people on State Highway 3 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 13 fatal crashes and 14 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 3 in Illinois do the most fatal crashes happen?
- St. Clair County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 3 from 2015 to 2024: 26, with 27 deaths. Madison County was second with 25.
Other roads in Illinois with a page
All fatal crashes in Illinois, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 3 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as State Highway 3 in Illinois (filed under 27 spellings, such as "SR- 3", "SR-3", "SR-3 (4TH ST)", "SR-3 (MISSISSIPPI AVE)"). 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.