Fatal Roads

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Ada County

Residents 535,799Deaths 2024 29Deaths 2015–2024 259Latest 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 259 people killed in 240 fatal crashes in Ada County, Idaho, between 2015 and 2024, 29 of them in 2024.

With 535,799 residents, that is 5.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 60% lower than the Idaho rate of 13.1 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 37% from 189 in 2005–2014 to 259 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 18.9% against 6.9% for Idaho.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Tuesday was the most common day (15%).

29deaths in 202429 fatal crashes
122deaths, 2020–2024259 over ten years
5.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 5.4
-60%vs Idaho ratestate 13.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02243197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 21 deaths1976: 26 deaths1977: 28 deaths1978: 30 deaths1979: 43 deaths1980: 26 deaths1981: 26 deaths1982: 15 deaths1983: 21 deaths1984: 21 deaths1985: 27 deaths1986: 21 deaths1987: 21 deaths1988: 23 deaths1989: 25 deaths1990: 24 deaths1991: 17 deaths1992: 22 deaths1993: 27 deaths1994: 29 deaths1995: 28 deaths1996: 17 deaths1997: 27 deaths1998: 14 deaths1999: 13 deaths2000: 14 deaths2001: 19 deaths2002: 22 deaths2003: 22 deaths2004: 23 deaths2005: 26 deaths2006: 31 deaths2007: 23 deaths2008: 16 deaths2009: 18 deaths2010: 17 deaths2011: 9 deaths2012: 18 deaths2013: 16 deaths2014: 15 deaths2015: 23 deaths2016: 24 deaths2017: 30 deaths2018: 31 deaths2019: 29 deaths2020: 20 deaths2021: 21 deaths2022: 21 deaths2023: 31 deaths2024: 29 deaths
People killed in crashes in Ada County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 29 deaths.

Ten-year total up 37% (189 in 2005–2014, 259 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 Idaho and the nation

MeasureAdaIdahoUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20245.313.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20245.411.911.5
Deaths, 2015–20242592,387389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20242402,159358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+37%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads25%75%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 535,799 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking34.2%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver27.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed18.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed21.6%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used43.2%
In darknesscrashes after dark45.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads25.1%

tick marks the Idaho 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 Ada County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 240 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Tuesday15%
Friday15%
Wednesday15%
Saturday15%
Monday14%
Thursday13%
Sunday13%

Light condition

Daylight49%
Dark, lighted27%
Dark, not lighted18%
Dusk4%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Other principal arterial40%
Minor arterial23%
Interstate19%
Major collector10%
Local7%
Other freeways and expressways1%
Minor collector0%

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

Weather

Clear74%
Cloudy18%
Rain5%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Ada

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 84Interstate4320021721%21%
2US Route 20US highway1410011720%16%
3State Route 21State highway11272933%48%
4State Route 55State highway10657017%12%
5US Route 26US highway1404423%18%

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
20242929125.4ID 2024
2023313175.8ID 2023
2022192193.9ID 2022
2021212173.9ID 2021
2020172073.7ID 2020
2019212995.4ID 2019
2018283175.8ID 2018
2017293085.6ID 2017
2016232464.5ID 2016
20152223104.3ID 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 Ada County, Idaho?

29 people died in 29 fatal crashes in 2024; 122 over 2020–2024 and 259 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Ada compare with Idaho?

5.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 13.1 for Idaho and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Ada involved alcohol?

34.2% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 31.2% in Idaho. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 18.9%.

Which roads in Ada see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 84 (43 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 20 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 21 (11 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Ada?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (33% of crashes) and on Tuesdays (15%); 45.4% 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.