Car accident statistics for Lake County, Illinois (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Lake County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 46 in 2020 to 29 in 2021, then rose to 53 in 2022. The count fell to 51 in 2023 and 46 in 2024. The highest count was 53 in 2022; the lowest was 29 in 2021. The 2020 and 2024 counts were the same, with a change of 0 deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths numbered 50 in 2020, 37 in 2021, 60 in 2022, 60 in 2023 and 50 in 2024. Car accident deaths represented 92.0% of traffic deaths in 2020, 78.4% in 2021, 88.3% in 2022, 85.0% in 2023 and 92.0% in 2024. These annual shares use each year's all-traffic death count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Lake County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 159 deaths, or 70.7% of car accident deaths in Lake County from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 26 deaths, or 11.6%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 40 deaths, or 17.8%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category describes deaths in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes, rather than a separate count of crashes. The Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) label follows the FARS classification and is not a literal test of a person's position outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

By manner of collision, Angle (side impact) accounted for 58 deaths (25.8%), Head-on for 31 (13.8%), Rear-end for 19 (8.4%) and Sideswipe for 18 (8.0%). Other recorded 2 deaths (0.9%), and Unknown recorded 1 (0.4%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 96 deaths (42.7%). This describes the first harmful event: examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. It does not mean another vehicle had to be physically moving. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic. These are death counts within the selected car accident crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) accounted for 94 car accident deaths, or 41.8%, from 2020 through 2024. Nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 131 deaths, or 58.2%. Nighttime had the larger death count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 221 deaths as Urban (98.2%), 3 as Rural (1.3%) and 1 as Unknown (0.4%). These classifications describe crash locations. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 40 car accident deaths, or 17.8%. The large-truck figure counts deaths in qualifying crashes, rather than the number of trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Illinois and the United States

Lake County's car accident death rate was 6.3 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. The Illinois rate was 8.4, and the United States rate was 10.5. Lake County's rate was lower than both. Among the listed neighboring counties, Cook County had a rate of 6.6, compared with Lake County's 6.3.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The corresponding death counts were 225 for Lake County, 5,355 for Illinois, 176,219 for the United States and 1,706 for Cook County. Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The county's separately displayed 2024 population estimate of 718,490 is not the denominator used for this rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Lake County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident crashes. Deaths and shares of all traffic deaths were: Speeding-related, 86 (33.5%); Roadway departure, 103 (40.1%); At an intersection, 94 (36.6%); Pedestrian involved, 41 (16.0%); Motorcycle involved, 40 (15.6%); Hit-and-run, 19 (7.4%); Driver distraction reported, 13 (5.1%); and In a work zone, 1 (0.4%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so these rows overlap and do not add to 100%. The entries describe recorded characteristics and are not findings of fault or cause.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is NHTSA's census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. Counts follow the crash county, not the deceased person's residence. Readers searching for a car accident lawyer should keep that location-based grouping in mind when reading these counts.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates use deaths divided by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, multiplied by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustment for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 estimate is not the rate denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Cook County, Illinois (2020-2024)
• Illinois car accident statistics (2020-2024)