Fatal Roads

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Modoc County

Residents 8,491Deaths 2024 4Deaths 2015–2024 30Latest 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 30 people killed in 28 fatal crashes in Modoc County, California, between 2015 and 2024, 4 of them in 2024.

With 8,491 residents, that is 34.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 3.4 times the California rate of 10.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (30) and 2015–2024 (30).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 25.0% against 27.9% for California.

48% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Sunday was the most common day (21%).

4deaths in 20244 fatal crashes
18deaths, 2020–202430 over ten years
34.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 47.1
+240%vs California ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0611197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 9 deaths1976: 11 deaths1977: 8 deaths1978: 5 deaths1979: 8 deaths1980: 8 deaths1981: 3 deaths1982: 9 deaths1983: 7 deaths1984: 3 deaths1985: 10 deaths1986: 8 deaths1987: 9 deaths1988: 8 deaths1989: 5 deaths1990: 7 deaths1991: 7 deaths1992: 4 deaths1993: 7 deaths1994: 1–2 deaths1995: 4 deaths1996: 6 deaths1997: 5 deaths1998: 3 deaths1999: 1–2 deaths2000: 1–2 deaths2001: 3 deaths2002: 3 deaths2003: 3 deaths2004: 3 deaths2005: 1–2 deaths2006: 7 deaths2007: 1–2 deaths2008: 4 deaths2009: 1–2 deaths2010: 1–2 deaths2011: 5 deaths2012: 1–2 deaths2013: 3 deaths2014: 3 deaths2015: 3 deaths2016: 1–2 deaths2017: 0 deaths2018: 1–2 deaths2019: 6 deaths2020: 7 deaths2021: 1–2 deaths2022: 3 deaths2023: 1–2 deaths2024: 4 deaths
People killed in crashes in Modoc County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 4 deaths.

Ten-year total up 0% (30 in 2005–2014, 30 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 California and the nation

MeasureModocCaliforniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202434.310.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202447.19.811.5
Deaths, 2015–20243039,702389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20242836,640358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years0%+17%+7%
Crashes on rural roads96%30%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 8,491 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking25%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver14.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed0%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed6.7%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used40%
In darknesscrashes after dark17.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads96.4%

tick marks the California 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 Modoc County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 27 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday21%
Saturday21%
Wednesday14%
Friday14%
Monday11%
Tuesday11%
Thursday7%

Light condition

Daylight79%
Dark, not lighted18%
Dawn4%
Dark, lighted0%
Dusk0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial46%
Major collector25%
Other freeways and expressways11%
Minor arterial11%
Minor collector4%
Local4%
Interstate0%

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

Weather

Clear56%
Cloudy33%
Rain4%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain4%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow4%
Fog, smog or smoke0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Modoc

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 299State highway910111326%16%
2US Route 395US highway216722029%20%

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
202444047.1CA 2024
20231–21–20—CA 2023
2022331–235.3CA 2022
20211–21–21–2—CA 2021
2020571–282.4CA 2020
201966070.7CA 2019
20181–21–20—CA 2018
2017000—CA 2017
20161–21–21–2—CA 2016
201533335.3CA 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 Modoc County, California?

4 people died in 4 fatal crashes in 2024; 18 over 2020–2024 and 30 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Modoc compare with California?

34.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 10.1 for California and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Modoc involved alcohol?

25.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 27.9% in California. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 25.0%.

Which roads in Modoc see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 299 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 395 (2 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Modoc?

Most often between noon to 6pm (48% of crashes) and on Sundays (21%); 17.9% 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.