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Champaign County

Residents 212,374Deaths 2024 10Deaths 2015–2024 163Latest 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 163 people killed in 151 fatal crashes in Champaign County, Illinois, between 2015 and 2024, 10 of them in 2024.

With 212,374 residents, that is 7.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 13% lower than the Illinois rate of 9.0 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (166) and 2015–2024 (163).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 31.1% against 27.2% for Illinois.

35% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Thursday was the most common day (25%).

10deaths in 202410 fatal crashes
86deaths, 2020–2024163 over ten years
7.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 4.7
-13%vs Illinois ratestate 9.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01836197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 36 deaths1976: 16 deaths1977: 28 deaths1978: 34 deaths1979: 29 deaths1980: 35 deaths1981: 19 deaths1982: 24 deaths1983: 25 deaths1984: 21 deaths1985: 21 deaths1986: 35 deaths1987: 20 deaths1988: 30 deaths1989: 25 deaths1990: 31 deaths1991: 26 deaths1992: 32 deaths1993: 15 deaths1994: 14 deaths1995: 35 deaths1996: 16 deaths1997: 12 deaths1998: 20 deaths1999: 17 deaths2000: 22 deaths2001: 26 deaths2002: 24 deaths2003: 25 deaths2004: 24 deaths2005: 18 deaths2006: 16 deaths2007: 19 deaths2008: 23 deaths2009: 12 deaths2010: 19 deaths2011: 12 deaths2012: 12 deaths2013: 18 deaths2014: 17 deaths2015: 15 deaths2016: 23 deaths2017: 14 deaths2018: 19 deaths2019: 6 deaths2020: 15 deaths2021: 22 deaths2022: 22 deaths2023: 17 deaths2024: 10 deaths
People killed in crashes in Champaign County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 10 deaths.

Ten-year total down 2% (166 in 2005–2014, 163 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 Illinois and the nation

MeasureChampaignIllinoisUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20247.89.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20244.79.311.5
Deaths, 2015–202416311,423389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202415110,472358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-2%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads53%34%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 212,374 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking31.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver33.1%
Pedestriansshare of people killed12.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed9.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used49.1%
In darknesscrashes after dark44.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads53.3%

tick marks the Illinois 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 Champaign County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 150 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Thursday25%
Saturday17%
Friday15%
Wednesday13%
Sunday11%
Monday11%
Tuesday9%

Light condition

Daylight50%
Dark, not lighted30%
Dark, lighted14%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Minor arterial23%
Major collector21%
Interstate19%
Other principal arterial18%
Local17%
Minor collector3%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Weather

Clear86%
Rain7%
Fog, smog or smoke3%
Cloudy2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow1%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Champaign

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 57Interstate1721926024%45%
2US Route 45US highway1612214016%31%
3US Route 150US highway9646638%31%
4Interstate 74Interstate8869424%40%
5State Route 47State highway5505530%38%
6State Route 130State highway5293317%31%
7Interstate 72Interstate3293431%31%
8US Route 136US highway3272933%41%

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
2024101044.7IL 2024
2023141768.0IL 2023
20221922910.4IL 2022
20212222610.4IL 2021
202013151–27.1IL 2020
2019661–22.8IL 2019
2018181968.9IL 2018
2017131436.6IL 2017
20162223710.8IL 2016
201514151–27.1IL 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 Champaign County, Illinois?

10 people died in 10 fatal crashes in 2024; 86 over 2020–2024 and 163 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Champaign compare with Illinois?

7.8 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 9.0 for Illinois and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Champaign involved alcohol?

31.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 27.2% in Illinois. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 31.1%.

Which roads in Champaign see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 57 (17 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 45 (16 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 150 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Champaign?

Most often between noon to 6pm (35% of crashes) and on Thursdays (25%); 44.7% 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.