Fatal Roads

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Clark County

Residents 15,076Deaths 2024 3Deaths 2015–2024 37Latest 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 37 people killed in 34 fatal crashes in Clark County, Illinois, between 2015 and 2024, 3 of them in 2024.

With 15,076 residents, that is 23.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 2.7 times the Illinois rate of 9.0 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 21% from 47 in 2005–2014 to 37 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 13.5% against 13.3% for Illinois.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (24%).

3deaths in 20243 fatal crashes
21deaths, 2020–202437 over ten years
23.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 19.9
+166%vs Illinois ratestate 9.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0714197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 3 deaths1976: 14 deaths1977: 7 deaths1978: 5 deaths1979: 7 deaths1980: 3 deaths1981: 5 deaths1982: 3 deaths1983: 4 deaths1984: 3 deaths1985: 10 deaths1986: 3 deaths1987: 7 deaths1988: 5 deaths1989: 1–2 deaths1990: 5 deaths1991: 3 deaths1992: 6 deaths1993: 5 deaths1994: 4 deaths1995: 6 deaths1996: 1–2 deaths1997: 8 deaths1998: 8 deaths1999: 3 deaths2000: 5 deaths2001: 6 deaths2002: 4 deaths2003: 5 deaths2004: 4 deaths2005: 6 deaths2006: 6 deaths2007: 4 deaths2008: 4 deaths2009: 5 deaths2010: 6 deaths2011: 1–2 deaths2012: 7 deaths2013: 5 deaths2014: 3 deaths2015: 0 deaths2016: 7 deaths2017: 3 deaths2018: 4 deaths2019: 1–2 deaths2020: 7 deaths2021: 1–2 deaths2022: 6 deaths2023: 4 deaths2024: 3 deaths
People killed in crashes in Clark County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 3 deaths.

Ten-year total down 21% (47 in 2005–2014, 37 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

MeasureClarkIllinoisUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202423.99.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202419.99.311.5
Deaths, 2015–20243711,423389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20243410,472358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-21%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads100%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 15,076 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking17.6%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver32.4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed2.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed13.5%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used44.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark41.2%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads100%

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 Clark County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 33 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday24%
Wednesday21%
Sunday18%
Friday18%
Monday9%
Tuesday9%
Thursday3%

Light condition

Daylight59%
Dark, not lighted32%
Dark, lighting unknown6%
Dark, lighted3%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%

Road type

Interstate32%
Major collector29%
Local21%
Other principal arterial18%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor arterial0%
Minor collector0%

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

Clear94%
Rain3%
Fog, smog or smoke3%
Cloudy0%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Clark

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 70Interstate10728215%40%
2State Route 1State highway610612227%37%
3US Route 40US highway4344315%38%

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
202433019.9IL 2024
2023441–226.5IL 2023
202266039.8IL 2022
20211–21–20—IL 2021
202077346.4IL 2020
20191–21–20—IL 2019
201844026.5IL 2018
20171–23019.9IL 2017
2016571–246.4IL 2016
2015000—IL 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 Clark County, Illinois?

3 people died in 3 fatal crashes in 2024; 21 over 2020–2024 and 37 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Clark compare with Illinois?

23.9 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 Clark involved alcohol?

17.6% 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 motorcyclists at 13.5%.

Which roads in Clark see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 70 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 1 (6 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 40 (4 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Clark?

Most often between noon to 6pm (36% of crashes) and on Saturdays (24%); 41.2% 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.