Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics, 1997

NHTSA · 1997 · ROSA P / Illinois. Division of Traffic Safety

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Summary

This document, published by the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety, presents a comprehensive statistical analysis of motor vehicle crashes in Illinois for the year 1997. The report aims to provide data for researchers, media, and safety advocates to support efforts in reducing traffic deaths and injuries through education and enforcement. The data primarily covers crashes on state-maintained roadways and all fatal crashes, excluding non-fatal crashes within the City of Chicago. The report aggregates data from law enforcement agencies, coroners, and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. It details crash frequencies, severity, and economic costs, alongside demographic breakdowns by driver age, vehicle type, roadway location, and time of day. The methodology includes comparative analysis against previous years (1993–1996) and long-term trends from 1978 to 1997. Specific sections analyze holiday traffic patterns, pedestrian and pedalcycle incidents, motorcycle and tractor-trailer crashes, and work zone safety. In 1997, 1,397 persons died in 1,261 fatal crashes, and 58,111 were injured. The total estimated economic cost of these crashes was $3.0 billion. Despite a 2.3 percent increase in vehicle miles traveled, the mileage-death rate decreased from 1.5 in 1996 to 1.4 in 1997. Alcohol was a significant factor, with 40.8 percent of fatally injured drivers who were tested having a positive Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). Fatal crashes peaked on Saturdays and between 4:00 p.m. and 3:59 a.m. Young drivers (16–20 years) were over-represented in crashes relative to their licensing rates, while senior drivers (65+) were under-represented. Pedestrian fatalities totaled 200, with 90.5 percent occurring in urban areas. Motorcycle crashes increased by 5.7 percent, yet motorcyclist fatalities dropped by 22.9 percent. No school-age passengers were killed in school bus crashes. The findings indicate that improvements in roadway engineering, enforcement, and occupant restraint usage contributed to the decline in the mileage-death rate despite increased travel. The report highlights specific vulnerabilities, such as the high involvement of young drivers and the prevalence of alcohol in fatal crashes during weekend evenings. It serves as a baseline for evaluating the effectiveness of safety programs, including seat belt and DUI laws, and informs future policy decisions aimed at mitigating the economic and human toll of traffic crashes in Illinois.

Key finding

The mileage-death rate in Illinois decreased from 1.5 in 1996 to 1.4 in 1997 despite a 2.3 percent increase in travel.

Methodology

dataset

Provenance

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Topics

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• incidence prevalence
• fatality injury trends
• demographic disparities
• comparative international
• vru crash typology

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes, observational prevalence