Fatal Roads

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Arkansas · county

Franklin County

Residents 17,586Deaths 2024 11Deaths 2015–2024 63Latest 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.

NHTSA's FARS file lists 63 people killed in 55 fatal crashes in Franklin County, Arkansas, between 2015 and 2024, 11 of them in 2024.

With 17,586 residents, that is 35.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 86% higher than the Arkansas rate of 19.3 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 54% from 41 in 2005–2014 to 63 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 34.5% against 22.2% for Arkansas.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6am to noon, and Monday was the most common day (20%).

11deaths in 20247 fatal crashes
38deaths, 2020–202463 over ten years
35.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 62.5
+86%vs Arkansas ratestate 19.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0611197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 7 deaths1976: 9 deaths1977: 1–2 deaths1978: 5 deaths1979: 5 deaths1980: 7 deaths1981: 6 deaths1982: 4 deaths1983: 3 deaths1984: 4 deaths1985: 1–2 deaths1986: 9 deaths1987: 10 deaths1988: 6 deaths1989: 7 deaths1990: 4 deaths1991: 1–2 deaths1992: 6 deaths1993: 9 deaths1994: 5 deaths1995: 10 deaths1996: 3 deaths1997: 3 deaths1998: 3 deaths1999: 3 deaths2000: 4 deaths2001: 1–2 deaths2002: 4 deaths2003: 5 deaths2004: 7 deaths2005: 7 deaths2006: 1–2 deaths2007: 1–2 deaths2008: 5 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 1–2 deaths2011: 5 deaths2012: 6 deaths2013: 3 deaths2014: 5 deaths2015: 5 deaths2016: 6 deaths2017: 7 deaths2018: 4 deaths2019: 3 deaths2020: 10 deaths2021: 9 deaths2022: 3 deaths2023: 5 deaths2024: 11 deaths
People killed in crashes in Franklin County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 11 deaths.

Ten-year total up 54% (41 in 2005–2014, 63 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 Arkansas and the nation

MeasureFranklinArkansasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202435.919.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202462.519.511.5
Deaths, 2015–2024635,846389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024555,324358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+54%+1%+7%
Crashes on rural roads98%63%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 17,586 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking14.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver34.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed7.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used63.6%
In darknesscrashes after dark47.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads98.2%

tick marks the Arkansas 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 Franklin County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 55 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Monday20%
Wednesday18%
Friday18%
Thursday13%
Sunday11%
Tuesday11%
Saturday9%

Light condition

Daylight49%
Dark, not lighted42%
Dark, lighted5%
Dawn2%
Dusk2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate36%
Minor arterial31%
Major collector25%
Local5%
Other principal arterial2%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor collector0%

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

Weather

Clear53%
Rain22%
Cloudy18%
Fog, smog or smoke7%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Franklin

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 40Interstate4667724%20%
2US Route 64US highway1242821%4%

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
20247111–262.5AR 2024
2023551–228.4AR 2023
202233017.1AR 2022
2021891–251.2AR 2021
2020910056.9AR 2020
201933017.1AR 2019
2018441–222.7AR 2018
2017571–239.8AR 2017
201666034.1AR 2016
2015551–228.4AR 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 Franklin County, Arkansas?

11 people died in 7 fatal crashes in 2024; 38 over 2020–2024 and 63 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Franklin compare with Arkansas?

35.9 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 19.3 for Arkansas and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Franklin involved alcohol?

14.5% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 26.5% in Arkansas. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 34.5%.

Which roads in Franklin see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 40 (4 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 64 (1 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Franklin?

Most often between 6am to noon (33% of crashes) and on Mondays (20%); 47.3% 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.