Fatal Roads

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New London County

Residents 264,999Deaths 2024 35Deaths 2015–2024 281Latest 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, New London County (Connecticut) had 33 fatal crashes with 35 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 261 fatal crashes and 281 deaths.

With 264,999 residents, that is 10.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 27% higher than the Connecticut rate of 8.3 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (287) and 2015–2024 (281).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 41.0% against 34.3% for Connecticut.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (17%).

35deaths in 202433 fatal crashes
139deaths, 2020–2024281 over ten years
10.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 13.2
+27%vs Connecticut ratestate 8.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

03468197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 47 deaths1976: 42 deaths1977: 43 deaths1978: 51 deaths1979: 68 deaths1980: 58 deaths1981: 54 deaths1982: 57 deaths1983: 47 deaths1984: 61 deaths1985: 43 deaths1986: 46 deaths1987: 43 deaths1988: 58 deaths1989: 26 deaths1990: 34 deaths1991: 31 deaths1992: 27 deaths1993: 34 deaths1994: 31 deaths1995: 26 deaths1996: 38 deaths1997: 41 deaths1998: 26 deaths1999: 28 deaths2000: 44 deaths2001: 26 deaths2002: 35 deaths2003: 37 deaths2004: 48 deaths2005: 25 deaths2006: 40 deaths2007: 39 deaths2008: 21 deaths2009: 25 deaths2010: 33 deaths2011: 20 deaths2012: 24 deaths2013: 29 deaths2014: 31 deaths2015: 29 deaths2016: 27 deaths2017: 28 deaths2018: 24 deaths2019: 34 deaths2020: 22 deaths2021: 27 deaths2022: 27 deaths2023: 28 deaths2024: 35 deaths
People killed in crashes in New London County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 35 deaths.

Ten-year total down 2% (287 in 2005–2014, 281 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

MeasureNew LondonConnecticutUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202410.58.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202413.28.411.5
Deaths, 2015–20242812,983389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20242612,798358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-2%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads36%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 264,999 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking41%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver34.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed8.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed21.7%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used48.5%
In darknesscrashes after dark46.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads36.4%

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 New London County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 259 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday17%
Friday16%
Monday14%
Sunday14%
Thursday14%
Tuesday13%
Wednesday13%

Light condition

Daylight47%
Dark, not lighted27%
Dark, lighted20%
Dawn3%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial26%
Major collector22%
Interstate21%
Other principal arterial15%
Local10%
Other freeways and expressways4%
Minor collector2%

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

Clear82%
Rain9%
Cloudy7%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in New London

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 95Interstate3415517840%32%
2Interstate 395Interstate19343735%29%
3State Route 2State highway16363647%39%
4US Route 1US highway15909228%31%
5State Route 32State highway13313345%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
202433351313.2CT 2024
20232728910.6CT 2023
202225271210.2CT 2022
202125271210.2CT 2021
2020212298.3CT 2020
201929341112.8CT 2019
20182324129.1CT 2018
20172628810.6CT 2017
20162527910.2CT 2016
201527291210.9CT 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 New London County, Connecticut?

35 people died in 33 fatal crashes in 2024; 139 over 2020–2024 and 281 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does New London compare with Connecticut?

10.5 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 New London involved alcohol?

41.0% 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 alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 41.0%.

Which roads in New London see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 95 (34 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 395 (19 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 2 (16 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in New London?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (36% of crashes) and on Saturdays (17%); 46.9% 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.