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Litchfield County

Residents 179,610Deaths 2024 14Deaths 2015–2024 204Latest 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 204 people killed in 194 fatal crashes in Litchfield County, Connecticut, between 2015 and 2024, 14 of them in 2024.

With 179,610 residents, that is 11.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 36% higher than the Connecticut rate of 8.3 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 19% from 172 in 2005–2014 to 204 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 23.5% against 19.6% for Connecticut.

38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Friday was the most common day (19%).

14deaths in 202414 fatal crashes
104deaths, 2020–2024204 over ten years
11.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 7.8
+36%vs Connecticut ratestate 8.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02142197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 23 deaths1976: 17 deaths1977: 29 deaths1978: 28 deaths1979: 41 deaths1980: 32 deaths1981: 42 deaths1982: 41 deaths1983: 32 deaths1984: 35 deaths1985: 38 deaths1986: 26 deaths1987: 22 deaths1988: 34 deaths1989: 36 deaths1990: 24 deaths1991: 17 deaths1992: 21 deaths1993: 19 deaths1994: 18 deaths1995: 22 deaths1996: 18 deaths1997: 19 deaths1998: 31 deaths1999: 22 deaths2000: 20 deaths2001: 20 deaths2002: 19 deaths2003: 14 deaths2004: 28 deaths2005: 20 deaths2006: 17 deaths2007: 19 deaths2008: 16 deaths2009: 7 deaths2010: 25 deaths2011: 14 deaths2012: 19 deaths2013: 19 deaths2014: 16 deaths2015: 22 deaths2016: 16 deaths2017: 20 deaths2018: 25 deaths2019: 17 deaths2020: 21 deaths2021: 18 deaths2022: 25 deaths2023: 26 deaths2024: 14 deaths
People killed in crashes in Litchfield County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 14 deaths.

Ten-year total up 19% (172 in 2005–2014, 204 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 Connecticut and the nation

MeasureLitchfieldConnecticutUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202411.38.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20247.88.411.5
Deaths, 2015–20242042,983389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241942,798358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+19%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads47%14%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 179,610 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking37.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver31.4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed8.8%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed23.5%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used54.2%
In darknesscrashes after dark39.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads47.4%

tick marks the Connecticut 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 Litchfield County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 191 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday19%
Sunday17%
Saturday16%
Tuesday14%
Monday11%
Wednesday11%
Thursday11%

Light condition

Daylight58%
Dark, not lighted27%
Dark, lighted11%
Dusk2%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Other principal arterial32%
Minor arterial25%
Major collector18%
Other freeways and expressways14%
Local9%
Minor collector2%
Interstate0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Connecticut 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%
Rain10%
Cloudy5%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Litchfield

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 8State highway28879836%25%
2US Route 7US highway25414137%37%
3US Route 202US highway20202130%30%
4US Route 44US highway19606430%22%
5US Route 6US highway7869431%24%
6State Route 63State highway6222323%23%

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
2024141447.8CT 2024
202325261114.5CT 2023
20222525413.9CT 2022
20211818710.0CT 2021
20201921811.7CT 2020
2019161769.5CT 2019
201823251013.9CT 2018
20171720611.1CT 2017
2016161658.9CT 2016
201521221112.2CT 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 Litchfield County, Connecticut?

14 people died in 14 fatal crashes in 2024; 104 over 2020–2024 and 204 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Litchfield compare with Connecticut?

11.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 8.3 for Connecticut and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Litchfield involved alcohol?

37.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 34.3% in Connecticut. The factor furthest above the state share was motorcyclists at 23.5%.

Which roads in Litchfield see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 8 (28 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 7 (25 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 202 (20 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Litchfield?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (38% of crashes) and on Fridays (19%); 39.7% 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.