State Highway 50 in Illinois: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 106 fatal crashes on State Highway 50 in Illinois killed 112 people, the 8th most of 212 numbered roads in Illinois. In 2024 there were 13 fatal crashes and 15 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 4 counties of Illinois. All fatal crashes in Illinois.
Deaths on State Highway 50 in Illinois by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 15 |
| 2023 | 10 | 10 |
| 2022 | 19 | 19 |
| 2021 | 6 | 6 |
| 2020 | 16 | 18 |
| 2019 | 8 | 8 |
| 2018 | 10 | 10 |
| 2017 | 14 | 15 |
| 2016 | 5 | 6 |
| 2015 | 5 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 50 in Illinois: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Cook County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 50 from 2015 to 2024: 88, with 89 deaths. Cook, Kankakee and Will counties together held 99% of fatal crashes on State Highway 50 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cook County | 9 | 88 | 89 |
| 2 | Kankakee County | 3 | 10 | 11 |
| 3 | Will County | 1 | 7 | 11 |
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 50 in Illinois
106 fatal crashes on State Highway 50 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 pm to 10 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 | 7.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 7.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 5.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 6.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.6%
- Feb4.7%
- Mar8.5%
- Apr8.5%
- May6.6%
- Jun11.3%
- Jul6.6%
- Aug8.5%
- Sep14.2%
- Oct5.7%
- Nov7.5%
- Dec11.3%
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 50 in Illinois first hit
The first harmful event was a pedestrian in 37%; a collision with another vehicle in 36%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 18%, a cyclist in 1.9%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pedestrian | 39 | 37% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 38 | 36% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 19 | 18% |
| Other | 6 | 5.7% |
| Cyclist | 2 | 1.9% |
| Rollover | 2 | 1.9% |
| 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 50 in Illinois compare with the state
The largest difference from Illinois: from 2015 to 2024, 3.8% of fatal crashes on State Highway 50 in Illinois were on rural roads, against 34% across Illinois. Also above the Illinois share: intersections, distracted drivers, hit-and-runs and pedestrians. Below it: unlit roads at night, drinking drivers and unbelted occupants. 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 106 crashes.
| State Highway 50 | Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 3.8% | 34% | below the Illinois share |
| At or near an intersection | 44% | 30% | above the Illinois share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 12% | 25% | below the Illinois share |
| A drinking driver | 13% | 27% | below the Illinois share |
| Speeding | 33% | 37% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 19% | 9.8% | above the Illinois share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 28% | 46% | below the Illinois share |
| Hit-and-run | 17% | 8.4% | above the Illinois share |
| A motorcycle involved | 19% | 14% | about the same as the Illinois share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 37% | 16% | above 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 50 in Illinois
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 50 in Illinois?
- 106 fatal crashes killed 112 people on State Highway 50 in Illinois from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 13 fatal crashes and 15 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 50 in Illinois do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Cook County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 50 from 2015 to 2024: 88, with 89 deaths. Kankakee County was second with 10.
Other roads in Illinois with a page
All fatal crashes in Illinois, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 50 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 50 in Illinois (filed under 23 spellings, such as "SR- 50", "SR-50", "SR-50 (CICERO AVE)", "SR-50 CICERO 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.