Fatal Roads

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Dearborn County

Residents 51,435Deaths 2024 8Deaths 2015–2024 66Latest 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, Dearborn County (Indiana) had 7 fatal crashes with 8 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 64 fatal crashes and 66 deaths.

With 51,435 residents, that is 13.1 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Indiana rate of 13.0 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 8% from 72 in 2005–2014 to 66 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 13.6% against 11.3% for Indiana.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Thursday was the most common day (20%).

8deaths in 20247 fatal crashes
31deaths, 2020–202466 over ten years
13.1per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 15.6
+1%vs Indiana ratestate 13.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0714197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 9 deaths1976: 8 deaths1977: 8 deaths1978: 12 deaths1979: 11 deaths1980: 9 deaths1981: 13 deaths1982: 3 deaths1983: 5 deaths1984: 3 deaths1985: 7 deaths1986: 6 deaths1987: 14 deaths1988: 10 deaths1989: 9 deaths1990: 4 deaths1991: 9 deaths1992: 10 deaths1993: 4 deaths1994: 7 deaths1995: 10 deaths1996: 9 deaths1997: 8 deaths1998: 8 deaths1999: 8 deaths2000: 14 deaths2001: 12 deaths2002: 3 deaths2003: 11 deaths2004: 9 deaths2005: 5 deaths2006: 10 deaths2007: 10 deaths2008: 3 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 9 deaths2011: 7 deaths2012: 13 deaths2013: 8 deaths2014: 1–2 deaths2015: 8 deaths2016: 5 deaths2017: 7 deaths2018: 7 deaths2019: 8 deaths2020: 9 deaths2021: 3 deaths2022: 5 deaths2023: 6 deaths2024: 8 deaths
People killed in crashes in Dearborn County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 8 deaths.

Ten-year total down 8% (72 in 2005–2014, 66 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 Indiana and the nation

MeasureDearbornIndianaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202413.113.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202415.612.011.5
Deaths, 2015–2024668,773389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024648,116358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-8%+9%+7%
Crashes on rural roads91%58%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 51,435 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking20.3%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver23.4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed13.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used69.2%
In darknesscrashes after dark41%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads90.6%

tick marks the Indiana 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 Dearborn County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 64 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Thursday20%
Tuesday19%
Sunday16%
Saturday14%
Wednesday11%
Friday11%
Monday9%

Light condition

Daylight49%
Dark, not lighted30%
Dark, lighted11%
Dawn7%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial30%
Major collector30%
Minor arterial19%
Interstate13%
Local8%
Minor collector2%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Weather

Clear73%
Cloudy16%
Rain6%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain3%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Dearborn

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 50US highway1257639%16%
2Interstate 74Interstate547499%30%
3US Route 52US highway4353620%26%
4State Route 1State highway3343815%12%

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
202478315.6IN 2024
2023661–211.7IN 2023
20225509.7IN 2022
20213305.8IN 2021
2020991–217.5IN 2020
2019881–215.6IN 2019
2018771–213.6IN 2018
2017771–213.6IN 2017
2016551–29.7IN 2016
201578315.6IN 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 Dearborn County, Indiana?

8 people died in 7 fatal crashes in 2024; 31 over 2020–2024 and 66 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Dearborn compare with Indiana?

13.1 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 13.0 for Indiana and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Dearborn involved alcohol?

20.3% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 19.6% in Indiana. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 13.6%.

Which roads in Dearborn see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 50 (12 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 74 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 52 (4 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Dearborn?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (36% of crashes) and on Thursdays (20%); 41.0% 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.