Fatal Roads

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Hancock County

Residents 88,810Deaths 2024 9Deaths 2015–2024 95Latest 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 95 people killed in 91 fatal crashes in Hancock County, Indiana, between 2015 and 2024, 9 of them in 2024.

With 88,810 residents, that is 11.9 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 rose 16% from 82 in 2005–2014 to 95 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 24.2% against 19.6% for Indiana.

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

9deaths in 20249 fatal crashes
48deaths, 2020–202495 over ten years
11.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 10.1
-8%vs Indiana ratestate 13.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0816197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 7 deaths1976: 11 deaths1977: 16 deaths1978: 12 deaths1979: 7 deaths1980: 10 deaths1981: 9 deaths1982: 5 deaths1983: 7 deaths1984: 12 deaths1985: 14 deaths1986: 10 deaths1987: 7 deaths1988: 12 deaths1989: 8 deaths1990: 11 deaths1991: 3 deaths1992: 5 deaths1993: 10 deaths1994: 9 deaths1995: 9 deaths1996: 5 deaths1997: 11 deaths1998: 9 deaths1999: 11 deaths2000: 13 deaths2001: 7 deaths2002: 13 deaths2003: 6 deaths2004: 8 deaths2005: 15 deaths2006: 6 deaths2007: 13 deaths2008: 8 deaths2009: 11 deaths2010: 8 deaths2011: 4 deaths2012: 7 deaths2013: 5 deaths2014: 5 deaths2015: 6 deaths2016: 7 deaths2017: 16 deaths2018: 6 deaths2019: 12 deaths2020: 8 deaths2021: 7 deaths2022: 13 deaths2023: 11 deaths2024: 9 deaths
People killed in crashes in Hancock County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 9 deaths.

Ten-year total up 16% (82 in 2005–2014, 95 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

MeasureHancockIndianaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202411.913.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202410.112.011.5
Deaths, 2015–2024958,773389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024918,116358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+16%+9%+7%
Crashes on rural roads69%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 88,810 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking24.2%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver18.7%
Pedestriansshare of people killed6.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed17.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used40.6%
In darknesscrashes after dark41.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads69.2%

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 Hancock County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 91 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday20%
Saturday20%
Thursday16%
Wednesday13%
Tuesday12%
Friday12%
Monday7%

Light condition

Daylight50%
Dark, not lighted33%
Dark, lighted8%
Dusk7%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial32%
Major collector30%
Interstate18%
Local11%
Other principal arterial9%
Minor collector1%
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

Clear70%
Cloudy12%
Rain11%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain3%
Fog, smog or smoke3%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Hancock

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 70Interstate139611112%32%
2State Route 9State highway10454816%16%
3US Route 40US highway8566018%16%
4US Route 52US highway5353620%26%
5US Route 36US highway2353617%26%
6Interstate 70EInterstate124258%46%

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
2024991–210.1IN 2024
20231111412.4IN 2023
202212131–214.6IN 2022
2021771–27.9IN 2021
2020781–29.0IN 2020
201911121–213.5IN 2019
2018661–26.8IN 2018
20171516418.0IN 2017
2016771–27.9IN 2016
2015661–26.8IN 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 Hancock County, Indiana?

9 people died in 9 fatal crashes in 2024; 48 over 2020–2024 and 95 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Hancock compare with Indiana?

11.9 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 Hancock involved alcohol?

24.2% 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 alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 24.2%.

Which roads in Hancock see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 70 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 9 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 40 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Hancock?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (36% of crashes) and on Sundays (20%); 41.1% 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.