Fatal Roads

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San Joaquin County

Residents 816,108Deaths 2024 139Deaths 2015–2024 1,237Latest 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 1,237 people killed in 1,128 fatal crashes in San Joaquin County, California, between 2015 and 2024, 139 of them in 2024.

With 816,108 residents, that is 16.1 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 59% higher than the California rate of 10.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 37% from 905 in 2005–2014 to 1,237 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): 30.9% against 27.9% for California.

37% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Sunday was the most common day (18%).

139deaths in 2024123 fatal crashes
669deaths, 2020–20241,237 over ten years
16.1per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 17.0
+59%vs California ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

079158197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 107 deaths1976: 95 deaths1977: 99 deaths1978: 119 deaths1979: 142 deaths1980: 117 deaths1981: 114 deaths1982: 108 deaths1983: 102 deaths1984: 114 deaths1985: 94 deaths1986: 139 deaths1987: 133 deaths1988: 132 deaths1989: 158 deaths1990: 134 deaths1991: 140 deaths1992: 93 deaths1993: 113 deaths1994: 119 deaths1995: 133 deaths1996: 105 deaths1997: 88 deaths1998: 91 deaths1999: 94 deaths2000: 107 deaths2001: 119 deaths2002: 155 deaths2003: 101 deaths2004: 124 deaths2005: 124 deaths2006: 118 deaths2007: 107 deaths2008: 89 deaths2009: 63 deaths2010: 81 deaths2011: 84 deaths2012: 63 deaths2013: 93 deaths2014: 83 deaths2015: 98 deaths2016: 119 deaths2017: 121 deaths2018: 111 deaths2019: 119 deaths2020: 118 deaths2021: 143 deaths2022: 134 deaths2023: 135 deaths2024: 139 deaths
People killed in crashes in San Joaquin County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 139 deaths.

Ten-year total up 37% (905 in 2005–2014, 1,237 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

MeasureSan JoaquinCaliforniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202416.110.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202417.09.811.5
Deaths, 2015–20241,23739,702389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241,12836,640358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+37%+17%+7%
Crashes on rural roads40%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 816,108 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking30.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver31.8%
Pedestriansshare of people killed20.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed10%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used42.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark57.6%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads40.1%

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 San Joaquin County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 1,104 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday18%
Saturday17%
Friday15%
Thursday14%
Tuesday13%
Monday12%
Wednesday11%

Light condition

Daylight37%
Dark, not lighted31%
Dark, lighted27%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial32%
Major collector20%
Other freeways and expressways15%
Interstate15%
Minor arterial9%
Local8%
Minor collector2%

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

Clear84%
Cloudy9%
Rain5%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in San Joaquin

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 5Interstate1181,3371,52628%32%
2State Route 99State highway10175484529%27%
3State Route 4State highway7022625535%29%
4State Route 120State highway408910227%32%
5State Route 88State highway33707937%30%
6State Route 12State highway3210813224%32%
7Interstate 205Interstate2526304%23%
8State Route 26State highway21374338%16%
9Interstate 580Interstate1816317229%44%
10State Route 132State highway13829732%22%

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
20241231393817.0CA 2024
20231191354216.5CA 2023
20221281345116.4CA 2022
20211291433717.5CA 2021
20201101184314.5CA 2020
20191101192514.6CA 2019
20181031112513.6CA 2018
20171061212914.8CA 2017
20161101193914.6CA 2016
201590982012.0CA 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 San Joaquin County, California?

139 people died in 123 fatal crashes in 2024; 669 over 2020–2024 and 1,237 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does San Joaquin compare with California?

16.1 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 San Joaquin involved alcohol?

30.9% 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 30.9%.

Which roads in San Joaquin see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 5 (118 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 99 (101 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 4 (70 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in San Joaquin?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (37% of crashes) and on Sundays (18%); 57.6% 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.