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Vanderburgh County

Residents 180,387Deaths 2024 21Deaths 2015–2024 180Latest 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.

Vanderburgh County, Indiana, recorded 21 deaths in 20 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 180 deaths in 171 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 180,387 residents, that is 10.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 23% lower than the Indiana rate of 13.0 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 10% from 164 in 2005–2014 to 180 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 15.6% against 11.3% for Indiana.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Tuesday was the most common day (19%).

21deaths in 202420 fatal crashes
102deaths, 2020–2024180 over ten years
10.0per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 11.6
-23%vs Indiana ratestate 13.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01733197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 22 deaths1976: 33 deaths1977: 18 deaths1978: 27 deaths1979: 29 deaths1980: 31 deaths1981: 27 deaths1982: 27 deaths1983: 31 deaths1984: 9 deaths1985: 16 deaths1986: 20 deaths1987: 19 deaths1988: 21 deaths1989: 18 deaths1990: 17 deaths1991: 19 deaths1992: 17 deaths1993: 11 deaths1994: 17 deaths1995: 22 deaths1996: 12 deaths1997: 16 deaths1998: 17 deaths1999: 10 deaths2000: 9 deaths2001: 11 deaths2002: 16 deaths2003: 20 deaths2004: 18 deaths2005: 10 deaths2006: 24 deaths2007: 16 deaths2008: 15 deaths2009: 17 deaths2010: 6 deaths2011: 17 deaths2012: 18 deaths2013: 21 deaths2014: 20 deaths2015: 15 deaths2016: 16 deaths2017: 21 deaths2018: 14 deaths2019: 12 deaths2020: 20 deaths2021: 18 deaths2022: 19 deaths2023: 24 deaths2024: 21 deaths
People killed in crashes in Vanderburgh County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 21 deaths.

Ten-year total up 10% (164 in 2005–2014, 180 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

MeasureVanderburghIndianaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202410.013.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.612.011.5
Deaths, 2015–20241808,773389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241718,116358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+10%+9%+7%
Crashes on rural roads29%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 180,387 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking19.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver17%
Pedestriansshare of people killed15.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed19.4%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used25.3%
In darknesscrashes after dark44.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads28.7%

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 Vanderburgh County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 171 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Tuesday19%
Thursday16%
Saturday16%
Friday15%
Monday12%
Wednesday11%
Sunday10%

Light condition

Daylight51%
Dark, not lighted22%
Dark, lighted22%
Dusk4%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Minor arterial27%
Other principal arterial26%
Local22%
Major collector15%
Interstate8%
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

Clear75%
Cloudy13%
Rain9%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Vanderburgh

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 41US highway14889714%23%
2Interstate 69Interstate98810115%22%
3State Route 62State highway9474813%23%
4State Route 66State highway9282818%14%
5Interstate 64Interstate226284%12%
6US Route 41NUS highway1202240%15%

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
20242021711.6IN 2024
202324241113.3IN 2023
202219191–210.5IN 2022
20211818410.0IN 2021
20201520011.1IN 2020
201912121–26.7IN 2019
201814141–27.8IN 2018
20171921311.6IN 2017
201615161–28.9IN 2016
201515151–28.3IN 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 Vanderburgh County, Indiana?

21 people died in 20 fatal crashes in 2024; 102 over 2020–2024 and 180 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Vanderburgh compare with Indiana?

10.0 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 Vanderburgh involved alcohol?

19.9% 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 15.6%.

Which roads in Vanderburgh see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 41 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 69 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 62 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Vanderburgh?

Most often between noon to 6pm (33% of crashes) and on Tuesdays (19%); 44.4% 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.