Fatal Roads

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Alaska · county

Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Residents 117,613Deaths 2024 18Deaths 2015–2024 186Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Matanuska-Susitna Borough (Alaska) had 14 fatal crashes with 18 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 164 fatal crashes and 186 deaths.

With 117,613 residents, that is 17.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 73% higher than the Alaska rate of 9.8 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 46% from 127 in 2005–2014 to 186 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 37.8% against 33.6% for Alaska.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (18%).

18deaths in 202414 fatal crashes
86deaths, 2020–2024186 over ten years
17.0per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 15.3
+73%vs Alaska ratestate 9.8 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01529197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 9 deaths1976: 5 deaths1977: 14 deaths1978: 17 deaths1979: 7 deaths1980: 9 deaths1981: 8 deaths1982: 14 deaths1983: 18 deaths1984: 22 deaths1985: 15 deaths1986: 19 deaths1987: 20 deaths1988: 16 deaths1989: 13 deaths1990: 13 deaths1991: 11 deaths1992: 17 deaths1993: 20 deaths1994: 21 deaths1995: 13 deaths1996: 19 deaths1997: 8 deaths1998: 10 deaths1999: 16 deaths2000: 10 deaths2001: 18 deaths2002: 13 deaths2003: 29 deaths2004: 20 deaths2005: 18 deaths2006: 11 deaths2007: 11 deaths2008: 14 deaths2009: 10 deaths2010: 14 deaths2011: 13 deaths2012: 11 deaths2013: 11 deaths2014: 14 deaths2015: 15 deaths2016: 20 deaths2017: 21 deaths2018: 24 deaths2019: 20 deaths2020: 13 deaths2021: 15 deaths2022: 27 deaths2023: 13 deaths2024: 18 deaths
People killed in crashes in Matanuska-Susitna Borough by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 18 deaths.

Ten-year total up 46% (127 in 2005–2014, 186 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with Alaska and the nation

MeasureMatanuska-SusitnaAlaskaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202417.09.811.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202415.39.511.5
Deaths, 2015–2024186722389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024164654358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+46%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads59%53%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 117,613 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking37.8%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver40.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed9.7%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used50.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark39.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads58.9%

tick marks the Alaska share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Matanuska-Susitna Borough by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 159 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday18%
Friday17%
Thursday16%
Monday14%
Tuesday13%
Sunday12%
Wednesday11%

Light condition

Daylight55%
Dark, not lighted32%
Dark, lighted7%
Dusk4%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Interstate48%
Major collector16%
Other principal arterial15%
Minor arterial10%
Minor collector6%
Local6%
Other freeways and expressways0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Alaska share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear61%
Cloudy23%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain9%
Rain7%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow1%
Fog, smog or smoke0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Matanuska-Susitna

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 3State highway45647925%31%
2State Route 1State highway2410912217%27%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
20241418315.3AK 2024
20231213611.1AK 2023
20222527923.0AK 2022
20211315512.8AK 2021
202011131–211.1AK 2020
20192020917.0AK 2019
20181724720.4AK 2018
20172021617.9AK 2017
201620201017.0AK 2016
20151215512.8AK 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska?

18 people died in 14 fatal crashes in 2024; 86 over 2020–2024 and 186 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Matanuska-Susitna compare with Alaska?

17.0 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 9.8 for Alaska and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Matanuska-Susitna involved alcohol?

37.8% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 33.6% in Alaska. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 37.8%.

Which roads in Matanuska-Susitna see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 3 (45 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 1 (24 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Matanuska-Susitna?

Most often between noon to 6pm (34% of crashes) and on Saturdays (18%); 39.5% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.