Illinois’s Deadliest Roads and Fatal Accident Statistics

MoneyGeek analyzed the 2,976 motor vehicle accidents that resulted in fatalities in Illinois between 2018 and 2020. Our study covered 1,812 roads out of the state's 306,658 miles of road.

In addition to finding the deadliest stretches of road in the state, the analysis examined how driving behaviors, such as speeding, drunk driving and distracted driving, contributed to fatal accidents in Illinois. The study also considered environmental factors like time of year and winter weather, and it presents crash information for all counties in Illinois, highlighting the deadliest road in each.

• Ashland Ave. from W. 74th St. to W. 47th St. in Chicago is Illinois’ deadliest stretch of road. Between 2018 and 2020, nine fatal accidents occurred here.
• Speeding was involved in 38.9% of accidents, making it the most common contributor to fatal crashes in Illinois. That’s 1,159 fatal accidents from 2018 to 2020. Drunk driving was the second-biggest contributor, involved in 26.5% of deadly accidents.
• Distracted driving was involved in 12.2% of accidents, lower than other measured factors. But MoneyGeek's distracted driving study ranked Illinois as the eighth-worst state for distracted driving.
• From 2018 to 2020, July had 312 fatal accidents, the most of any month. August (296) and September (291) have the next two highest counts of deadly crashes. Despite having the 10th-highest number of winter driving fatalities in the U.S., the summer and fall months are Illinois’ deadliest for driving.
• Cook had the most fatal accidents of any county. The majority of these crashes happened on I-57.

MoneyGeek looked at the 2,976 fatal crashes in Illinois from 2018 to 2020 and found that 26.5% involved drunk driving. Drunk driving was the second-most common factor present in these accidents.

A blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% makes you legally intoxicated in Illinois. But a BAC of 0.02% already diminishes your driving ability. About two alcoholic drinks alter your mood and make you more relaxed. They also make tracking moving objects and multitasking harder. Both are dangerous behind the wheel.

Drunk driving costs extend beyond fatal accidents. You'll face serious and lasting consequences after a DUI charge. Cheap car insurance in Illinois becomes much harder to find. You'll need to carry SR-22 car insurance in Illinois, which costs more than standard policies. Consequences include restricted driving privileges, fines and jail time.

The leading factor contributing to fatal accidents in Illinois from 2018 to 2020 was speeding. It was involved in 38.9% of crashes — that’s 1,159 of 2,976.

The dangers of speeding reach beyond breaking the law. You’ll have difficulty controlling your car, leading to more crashes. It also increases the force of any potential impact, making safety equipment like airbags and seatbelts less effective.

Distracted driving contributed to 12.2% of all fatal crashes in Illinois; that translates to 362 accidents resulting in death between 2018 and 2020. Although the state doesn’t allow drivers to use mobile phones or other electronic devices while driving, it remains the eighth-worst state for distracted driving in the U.S., according to MoneyGeek’s distracted driving study.

MoneyGeek analyzed which time of the year most fatal accidents in Illinois occur. Between 2018 and 2020, 312 happened in July, the most of any month. That's 10.5% of all deadly crashes recorded.

July falls within the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, or the months between Memorial Day and Labor Day when motor crashes increase sharply, especially for teen drivers. August and September have the next-highest numbers of fatal crashes.

While most crashes in Illinois occur during the summer and early fall months, MoneyGeek’s winter driving study ranked the state as the 10th most dangerous in the country for winter driving.

Safe driving in Illinois keeps roads safer and saves you money. But accidents can happen despite careful driving. When they do, insurance coverage protects you and your family from financial stress after a collision. An affordable full coverage car insurance policy provides this protection without expensive premiums.

The average cost of car insurance in Illinois is $1,134 for a full coverage policy. You'll pay the same amount for full coverage auto insurance in Chicago. But your annual premium varies depending on where you live. For example, car insurance in Aurora costs $837 annually, $297 less than the state average.

These figures are only averages. Insurers consider other factors, such as your age, driving history and car make and model, when setting your rate. Compare quotes from multiple providers to find the cheapest car insurance.

MoneyGeek’s analysis shows that the five counties in Illinois with the highest number of fatal accidents make up 46% of all recorded incidents between 2018 and 2020. That translates to 1,362 deadly crashes. Cook County had 869 accidents, the most of any county. Most of these happened along I-57 and involved speeding and distracted driving.

MoneyGeek analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatal Accident Reporting System database using fatality data from 2018, 2019 and 2020. Currently, 2020 is the latest data available in the system.