Fatal Roads

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FIPS05131

Arkansas · county

Sebastian County

Residents 130,035Deaths 2024 15Deaths 2015–2024 151Latest 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 151 people killed in 144 fatal crashes in Sebastian County, Arkansas, between 2015 and 2024, 15 of them in 2024.

With 130,035 residents, that is 11.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 39% lower than the Arkansas rate of 19.3 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 24% from 122 in 2005–2014 to 151 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 28.5% against 13.7% for Arkansas.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (19%).

15deaths in 202414 fatal crashes
92deaths, 2020–2024151 over ten years
11.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 11.5
-39%vs Arkansas ratestate 19.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01122197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 10 deaths1976: 19 deaths1977: 12 deaths1978: 14 deaths1979: 15 deaths1980: 12 deaths1981: 8 deaths1982: 10 deaths1983: 5 deaths1984: 11 deaths1985: 16 deaths1986: 19 deaths1987: 15 deaths1988: 14 deaths1989: 13 deaths1990: 13 deaths1991: 15 deaths1992: 13 deaths1993: 12 deaths1994: 12 deaths1995: 8 deaths1996: 11 deaths1997: 17 deaths1998: 16 deaths1999: 14 deaths2000: 8 deaths2001: 13 deaths2002: 11 deaths2003: 19 deaths2004: 9 deaths2005: 9 deaths2006: 16 deaths2007: 18 deaths2008: 19 deaths2009: 17 deaths2010: 14 deaths2011: 10 deaths2012: 4 deaths2013: 10 deaths2014: 5 deaths2015: 6 deaths2016: 15 deaths2017: 14 deaths2018: 15 deaths2019: 9 deaths2020: 15 deaths2021: 20 deaths2022: 22 deaths2023: 20 deaths2024: 15 deaths
People killed in crashes in Sebastian County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 15 deaths.

Ten-year total up 24% (122 in 2005–2014, 151 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

MeasureSebastianArkansasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202411.819.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.519.511.5
Deaths, 2015–20241515,846389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241445,324358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+24%+1%+7%
Crashes on rural roads22%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 130,035 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking28.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver29.2%
Pedestriansshare of people killed13.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed28.5%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used55.3%
In darknesscrashes after dark47.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads21.5%

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 Sebastian County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 144 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday19%
Thursday17%
Friday15%
Tuesday15%
Wednesday14%
Sunday11%
Monday8%

Light condition

Daylight47%
Dark, not lighted32%
Dark, lighted15%
Dawn3%
Dusk2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial39%
Local31%
Minor arterial15%
Major collector9%
Interstate4%
Other freeways and expressways1%
Minor collector1%

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%
Cloudy7%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Sebastian

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 71US highway11465015%13%
2US Route 64US highway2242821%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
20241415311.5AR 2024
20232020815.4AR 2023
20221922716.9AR 2022
20211920615.4AR 2021
202014151–211.5AR 2020
2019991–26.9AR 2019
20181415511.5AR 2018
20171414310.8AR 2017
20161515611.5AR 2016
2015661–24.6AR 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 Sebastian County, Arkansas?

15 people died in 14 fatal crashes in 2024; 92 over 2020–2024 and 151 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Sebastian compare with Arkansas?

11.8 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 Sebastian involved alcohol?

28.5% 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 motorcyclists at 28.5%.

Which roads in Sebastian see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 71 (11 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 64 (2 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Sebastian?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (34% of crashes) and on Saturdays (19%); 47.9% 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.