Fatal Roads

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Indiana · county

Marion County

Residents 981,628Deaths 2024 128Deaths 2015–2024 1,218Latest 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, Marion County (Indiana) had 125 fatal crashes with 128 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 1,152 fatal crashes and 1,218 deaths.

With 981,628 residents, that is 12.6 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 53% from 795 in 2005–2014 to 1,218 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 25.0% against 11.3% for Indiana.

40% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (18%).

128deaths in 2024125 fatal crashes
698deaths, 2020–20241,218 over ten years
12.6per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 13.0
-3%vs Indiana ratestate 13.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

075149197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 99 deaths1976: 108 deaths1977: 115 deaths1978: 120 deaths1979: 133 deaths1980: 123 deaths1981: 112 deaths1982: 95 deaths1983: 86 deaths1984: 105 deaths1985: 104 deaths1986: 118 deaths1987: 107 deaths1988: 99 deaths1989: 88 deaths1990: 99 deaths1991: 73 deaths1992: 82 deaths1993: 79 deaths1994: 78 deaths1995: 92 deaths1996: 107 deaths1997: 84 deaths1998: 93 deaths1999: 94 deaths2000: 72 deaths2001: 92 deaths2002: 66 deaths2003: 86 deaths2004: 96 deaths2005: 82 deaths2006: 86 deaths2007: 79 deaths2008: 92 deaths2009: 56 deaths2010: 73 deaths2011: 86 deaths2012: 78 deaths2013: 80 deaths2014: 83 deaths2015: 97 deaths2016: 104 deaths2017: 102 deaths2018: 110 deaths2019: 107 deaths2020: 146 deaths2021: 149 deaths2022: 144 deaths2023: 131 deaths2024: 128 deaths
People killed in crashes in Marion County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 128 deaths.

Ten-year total up 53% (795 in 2005–2014, 1,218 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

MeasureMarionIndianaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202412.613.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202413.012.011.5
Deaths, 2015–20241,2188,773389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241,1528,116358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+53%+9%+7%
Crashes on rural roads2%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 981,628 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking23.8%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver26.1%
Pedestriansshare of people killed25%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used54.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark60.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads1.7%

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 Marion County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 1,152 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday18%
Sunday17%
Friday15%
Monday14%
Thursday13%
Wednesday13%
Tuesday11%

Light condition

Daylight37%
Dark, lighted37%
Dark, not lighted24%
Dusk2%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial31%
Minor arterial29%
Interstate16%
Local11%
Major collector10%
Minor collector2%
Other freeways and expressways1%

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

Clear69%
Cloudy20%
Rain10%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Marion

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 465Interstate64657012%46%
2Interstate 70Interstate309611112%32%
3Interstate 65Interstate2716918813%41%
4US Route 40US highway23566018%16%
5US Route 36US highway15353617%26%
6State Route 67State highway8475319%9%
7US Route 31US highway710110516%21%
8Interstate 65SInterstate7252712%36%
9Interstate 70EInterstate724258%46%
10Interstate 74Interstate547499%30%

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
20241251282513.0IN 2024
20231251313013.3IN 2023
20221391443714.7IN 2022
20211411494215.2IN 2021
20201351463114.9IN 2020
20191031072610.9IN 2019
20181011102211.2IN 2018
2017981022410.4IN 2017
2016971042510.6IN 2016
20158897129.9IN 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 Marion County, Indiana?

128 people died in 125 fatal crashes in 2024; 698 over 2020–2024 and 1,218 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Marion compare with Indiana?

12.6 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 Marion involved alcohol?

23.8% 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 25.0%.

Which roads in Marion see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 465 (64 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 70 (30 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 65 (27 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Marion?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (40% of crashes) and on Saturdays (18%); 60.3% 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.