Fatal Roads

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Arkansas · county

Pulaski County

Residents 401,209Deaths 2024 91Deaths 2015–2024 714Latest 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.

Pulaski County, Arkansas, recorded 91 deaths in 89 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 714 deaths in 672 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 401,209 residents, that is 18.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Arkansas rate of 19.3 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 26% from 567 in 2005–2014 to 714 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 28.0% against 11.0% for Arkansas.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (19%).

91deaths in 202489 fatal crashes
426deaths, 2020–2024714 over ten years
18.0per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 22.7
-7%vs Arkansas ratestate 19.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

04692197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 43 deaths1976: 46 deaths1977: 50 deaths1978: 40 deaths1979: 53 deaths1980: 52 deaths1981: 54 deaths1982: 40 deaths1983: 43 deaths1984: 42 deaths1985: 34 deaths1986: 49 deaths1987: 51 deaths1988: 56 deaths1989: 56 deaths1990: 52 deaths1991: 57 deaths1992: 47 deaths1993: 40 deaths1994: 53 deaths1995: 61 deaths1996: 61 deaths1997: 41 deaths1998: 53 deaths1999: 56 deaths2000: 55 deaths2001: 53 deaths2002: 42 deaths2003: 37 deaths2004: 57 deaths2005: 53 deaths2006: 66 deaths2007: 64 deaths2008: 67 deaths2009: 57 deaths2010: 47 deaths2011: 58 deaths2012: 56 deaths2013: 59 deaths2014: 40 deaths2015: 53 deaths2016: 43 deaths2017: 60 deaths2018: 70 deaths2019: 62 deaths2020: 85 deaths2021: 70 deaths2022: 92 deaths2023: 88 deaths2024: 91 deaths
People killed in crashes in Pulaski County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 91 deaths.

Ten-year total up 26% (567 in 2005–2014, 714 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

MeasurePulaskiArkansasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202418.019.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202422.719.511.5
Deaths, 2015–20247145,846389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20246725,324358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+26%+1%+7%
Crashes on rural roads19%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 401,209 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking28%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver18.8%
Pedestriansshare of people killed28%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed13%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used56.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark61.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads18.6%

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 Pulaski County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 672 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday19%
Friday16%
Sunday15%
Thursday13%
Tuesday13%
Monday13%
Wednesday11%

Light condition

Dark, not lighted38%
Daylight35%
Dark, lighted22%
Dark, lighting unknown2%
Dusk2%
Dawn1%

Road type

Interstate32%
Other principal arterial20%
Minor arterial19%
Local18%
Other freeways and expressways5%
Major collector5%
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

Clear82%
Rain10%
Cloudy8%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Pulaski

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 30Interstate18636814%13%
2US Route 70US highway18465226%13%
3Interstate 40Interstate14667724%20%
4US Route 67US highway9424933%10%
5State Route 5State highway6323528%16%

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
202489912922.7AR 2024
202385882421.9AR 2023
202283922322.9AR 2022
202168702217.4AR 2021
202081851921.2AR 2020
201959621815.5AR 2019
201865702017.4AR 2018
201757601115.0AR 2017
201640431210.7AR 2016
201545531013.2AR 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 Pulaski County, Arkansas?

91 people died in 89 fatal crashes in 2024; 426 over 2020–2024 and 714 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Pulaski compare with Arkansas?

18.0 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 Pulaski involved alcohol?

28.0% 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 pedestrians at 28.0%.

Which roads in Pulaski see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 30 (18 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 70 (18 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 40 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Pulaski?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (36% of crashes) and on Saturdays (19%); 61.3% 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.