State Highway 15 in Illinois: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 46 fatal crashes on State Highway 15 in Illinois killed 52 people, the 35th most of 212 numbered roads in Illinois. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 10 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 5 counties of Illinois. All fatal crashes in Illinois.
Deaths on State Highway 15 in Illinois by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 10 |
| 2023 | 4 | 4 |
| 2022 | 7 | 7 |
| 2021 | 2 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | 8 | 8 |
| 2017 | 6 | 9 |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 15 in Illinois: the counties with the most fatal crashes
St. Clair County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 15 from 2015 to 2024: 17, with 20 deaths. St. Clair, Washington and Jefferson counties together held 80% of fatal crashes on State Highway 15 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 98%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Clair County | 3 | 17 | 20 |
| 2 | Washington County | 2 | 11 | 14 |
| 3 | Jefferson County | 2 | 9 | 9 |
| 4 | Wayne County | 0 | 8 | 8 |
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 15 in Illinois
46 fatal crashes on State Highway 15 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 February.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 6.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan4.3%
- Feb15.2%
- Mar6.5%
- Apr8.7%
- May8.7%
- Jun4.3%
- Jul15.2%
- Aug8.7%
- Sep10.9%
- Oct4.3%
- Nov6.5%
- Dec6.5%
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 15 in Illinois first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 48%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 28%, a pedestrian in 11%, a rollover in 8.7%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 22 | 48% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 13 | 28% |
| Pedestrian | 5 | 11% |
| Rollover | 4 | 8.7% |
| Cyclist | 2 | 4.3% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other | 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 15 in Illinois compare with the state
The largest difference from Illinois: from 2015 to 2024, 48% of fatal crashes on State Highway 15 in Illinois were on rural roads, against 34% 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 46 crashes.
| State Highway 15 | Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 48% | 34% | above the Illinois share |
| At or near an intersection | 26% | 30% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 25% | 25% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A drinking driver | 33% | 27% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Speeding | 33% | 37% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 6.5% | 9.8% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 50% | 46% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Hit-and-run | 11% | 8.4% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A motorcycle involved | 20% | 14% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 14% | 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 15 in Illinois
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 15 in Illinois?
- 46 fatal crashes killed 52 people on State Highway 15 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 10 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 15 in Illinois do the most fatal crashes happen?
- St. Clair County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 15 from 2015 to 2024: 17, with 20 deaths. Washington County was second with 11.
Other roads in Illinois with a page
All fatal crashes in Illinois, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 15 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 15 in Illinois (filed under 15 spellings, such as "SR- 15", "SR-15", "SR-15 (FAIRFIELD RD)", "SR-15 BELT W RD"). 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.