Joliet Road Safety Overview
Joliet may not be as large of a city as Chicago, but that doesn’t mean it does not experience its share of car accidents. The Illinois Department of Transportation reported a total of 3,251 traffic crashes in the city in 2022 alone.
If you find yourself living, working, or sightseeing in Joliet, IL, understanding how and why these accidents occurred can help keep you and your loved ones safe on the road.
Joliet Car Accidents By the Numbers
Of the 3,251 traffic accidents that happened in Joliet in 2022, 6,413 vehicles were involved. Twelve crashes resulted in at least one fatality, and 820 wrecks resulted in an injury to at least one person. The remaining 2,419 collisions left one or more of the vehicles with property damage.
The Illinois Department of Transportation’s statistics further reveal:
Driver Fatalities and Injuries
Altogether, 5,997 drivers were affected by Joliet car accidents in 2022. Among these accidents, 23 drivers lost their lives, and another 1,601 suffered some type of injury. The remaining 4,373 drivers were involved in a wreck that resulted in only property damage.
Passenger Safety
In addition to the over 5,000 drivers involved in car accidents, 1,718 passengers were involved in collisions in Joliet in 2022. Three passengers were killed, and 610 suffered injuries. Those killed included a male between the ages of 25 and 29, a male of 18 years old, and a female passenger between the ages of 10 and 14 years.
Common Types of Crashes in Joliet
The most common type of collision that happened in Joliet occurred when one or more of the vehicles involved was making or attempting to make a turn. These accidents can happen at both intersections and as vehicles are attempting to turn into businesses and private property.
This scenario accounted for 892 of the total 3,251 traffic accidents in 2022. It also accounted for 285 crashes only involving property damage.
The next most common accident scenario was a front-to-rear collision, also known as a rear-end collision. These accidents occur when a car hits the rear end of the vehicle in front of it. Distracted driving is a common reason why this type of collision occurs.
The remaining traffic accidents were of the following types:
- 415 were collisions with animals like deer or dogs
- 328 crashes involved collisions with parked vehicles
- 308 were sideswipe crashes, most commonly happening due to improper lane changes
- 291 were front-end collisions
- 47 crashes were collisions between vehicles and pedestrians or bicyclists
There was only one crash in 2022 in Joliet involving a collision between a vehicle and a train. Thankfully, this crash only resulted in property damage.
Status of the Driver
Most of the drivers who were involved in collisions in Joliet were not impaired. This means they were not considered ill, intoxicated, or tired. The number of drivers who were found to be in this category totaled 5,096. An additional 753 were of an indeterminable condition, in that responding officers or others could not establish the condition of the driver at the scene.
On the other hand, 58 drivers were impaired in some way. This includes 56 drivers who were intoxicated at the time of the crash and two who were impaired by drugs. Additionally, five more drivers were determined to have been drinking at some point in the recent past prior to the crash. One additional driver was under the influence of lawful medications.
Other driver conditions contributing to these accidents included:
- 27 drivers who were fatigued
- 22 drivers who were emotional, having been crying or under emotional stress
- 2 drivers who had consumed both alcohol and drugs and were under the influence at the time of the crash
Finally, three individuals were suffering from an illness at the time of their accident, and this may have contributed to the accident’s occurrence.
Time and Day of the Week
Most vehicle accidents happened in the afternoon and early evening hours of the day, with the fewest number of collisions occurring between 1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. This should be expected, as there may not be much traffic on the roads of Joliet during those hours.
The 3 p.m. hour saw the most accidents at 307, followed by 271 accidents that happened between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The top five days of the week in terms of total number of accidents in 2022 included:
- 573 crashes on Fridays
- 499 accidents on Thursday
- 484 crashes on Saturday
- 470 wrecks on Wednesdays
Mondays and Tuesdays each saw 458 traffic accidents during 2022. Sunday was the least frequent day for an accident in that only 309 collisions occurred on this day.
Joliet Traffic Fatalities Compared To Will County, IL
Joliet is located in Will County, and the Will County Coroner’s Office prepares an annual report on deaths that occur in the county. According to the coroner’s office, 43 drivers and passengers lost their lives in traffic accidents in 2022.
This means that Joliet, which saw 28 drivers and 3 passengers killed in crashes, accounted for nearly 75% of all driver-passenger deaths in 2022.
Additionally, eight pedestrians in the county were killed in traffic crashes. Only one of these deaths happened in Joliet, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Traffic Safety in Joliet, Illinois
With over 5,000 traffic crashes happening in Joliet in 2022 alone, drivers will want to keep this risk in mind when traveling through the city. However, it is encouraging to note that only a small fraction of the total number of traffic accidents in Joliet — less than 1% — resulted in the death of a driver or passenger. The majority of these accidents resulted in only damage to vehicles.
As is the case with any city in Illinois, it is vital for drivers in Joliet to stay alert and practice defensive driving at all times to ensure a safe journey.