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Sutter County

Residents 98,545Deaths 2024 20Deaths 2015–2024 190Latest 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.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Sutter County (California) had 16 fatal crashes with 20 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 161 fatal crashes and 190 deaths.

With 98,545 residents, that is 19.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 1.9 times the California rate of 10.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 33% from 143 in 2005–2014 to 190 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): 32.3% against 27.9% for California.

29% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Sunday was the most common day (22%).

20deaths in 202416 fatal crashes
89deaths, 2020–2024190 over ten years
19.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 20.3
+93%vs California ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01937197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 14 deaths1976: 12 deaths1977: 23 deaths1978: 21 deaths1979: 30 deaths1980: 12 deaths1981: 29 deaths1982: 21 deaths1983: 13 deaths1984: 15 deaths1985: 12 deaths1986: 20 deaths1987: 16 deaths1988: 37 deaths1989: 26 deaths1990: 22 deaths1991: 20 deaths1992: 20 deaths1993: 13 deaths1994: 18 deaths1995: 14 deaths1996: 15 deaths1997: 22 deaths1998: 14 deaths1999: 19 deaths2000: 21 deaths2001: 14 deaths2002: 22 deaths2003: 17 deaths2004: 23 deaths2005: 24 deaths2006: 17 deaths2007: 18 deaths2008: 17 deaths2009: 8 deaths2010: 13 deaths2011: 13 deaths2012: 8 deaths2013: 14 deaths2014: 11 deaths2015: 17 deaths2016: 8 deaths2017: 23 deaths2018: 24 deaths2019: 29 deaths2020: 16 deaths2021: 15 deaths2022: 15 deaths2023: 23 deaths2024: 20 deaths
People killed in crashes in Sutter County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 20 deaths.

Ten-year total up 33% (143 in 2005–2014, 190 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

MeasureSutterCaliforniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202419.510.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202420.39.811.5
Deaths, 2015–202419039,702389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202416136,640358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+33%+17%+7%
Crashes on rural roads67%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 98,545 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking32.3%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver26.1%
Pedestriansshare of people killed13.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed5.8%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used23.1%
In darknesscrashes after dark48.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads66.5%

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 Sutter County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 159 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday22%
Monday16%
Saturday16%
Friday14%
Wednesday13%
Thursday10%
Tuesday9%

Light condition

Daylight47%
Dark, not lighted30%
Dark, lighted19%
Dusk2%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial32%
Minor arterial26%
Other freeways and expressways19%
Local9%
Major collector7%
Minor collector6%
Interstate1%

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

Clear81%
Cloudy11%
Fog, smog or smoke5%
Rain3%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Sutter

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 99State highway5475484529%27%
2State Route 20State highway1817219328%23%
3State Route 113State highway10243033%8%
4State Route 70State highway610212433%36%

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
20241620420.3CA 2024
20231823523.3CA 2023
20221515815.2CA 2022
20211415415.2CA 2021
20201416416.2CA 2020
20192229829.4CA 2019
20181924524.4CA 2018
20172023623.3CA 2017
20168838.1CA 2016
20151517517.3CA 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 Sutter County, California?

20 people died in 16 fatal crashes in 2024; 89 over 2020–2024 and 190 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Sutter compare with California?

19.5 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 Sutter involved alcohol?

32.3% 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 32.3%.

Which roads in Sutter see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 99 (54 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 20 (18 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 113 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Sutter?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (29% of crashes) and on Sundays (22%); 48.4% 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.