Fatal Roads

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Sedgwick County

Residents 536,081Deaths 2024 61Deaths 2015–2024 611Latest 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.

Sedgwick County, Kansas, recorded 61 deaths in 57 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 611 deaths in 565 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 536,081 residents, that is 11.7 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 15% lower than the Kansas rate of 13.8 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 31% from 465 in 2005–2014 to 611 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 15.1% against 8.3% for Kansas.

35% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (18%).

61deaths in 202457 fatal crashes
318deaths, 2020–2024611 over ten years
11.7per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 11.4
-15%vs Kansas ratestate 13.8 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

03977197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 50 deaths1976: 58 deaths1977: 60 deaths1978: 70 deaths1979: 64 deaths1980: 77 deaths1981: 73 deaths1982: 65 deaths1983: 44 deaths1984: 54 deaths1985: 58 deaths1986: 44 deaths1987: 47 deaths1988: 51 deaths1989: 53 deaths1990: 50 deaths1991: 45 deaths1992: 57 deaths1993: 59 deaths1994: 42 deaths1995: 41 deaths1996: 53 deaths1997: 49 deaths1998: 64 deaths1999: 56 deaths2000: 39 deaths2001: 48 deaths2002: 68 deaths2003: 36 deaths2004: 47 deaths2005: 55 deaths2006: 61 deaths2007: 39 deaths2008: 32 deaths2009: 45 deaths2010: 57 deaths2011: 42 deaths2012: 39 deaths2013: 45 deaths2014: 50 deaths2015: 50 deaths2016: 57 deaths2017: 57 deaths2018: 72 deaths2019: 57 deaths2020: 65 deaths2021: 67 deaths2022: 71 deaths2023: 54 deaths2024: 61 deaths
People killed in crashes in Sedgwick County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 61 deaths.

Ten-year total up 31% (465 in 2005–2014, 611 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 Kansas and the nation

MeasureSedgwickKansasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202411.713.811.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.411.411.5
Deaths, 2015–20246114,045389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20245653,631358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+31%0%+7%
Crashes on rural roads17%63%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 536,081 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking19.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver29.2%
Pedestriansshare of people killed15.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed20.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used43.1%
In darknesscrashes after dark48.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads17.2%

tick marks the Kansas 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 Sedgwick County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 559 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday18%
Sunday15%
Friday15%
Wednesday14%
Monday14%
Tuesday12%
Thursday12%

Light condition

Daylight48%
Dark, lighted34%
Dark, not lighted14%
Dusk2%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial29%
Major collector24%
Local15%
Interstate12%
Other freeways and expressways8%
Other principal arterial7%
Minor collector5%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Kansas 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%
Rain12%
Cloudy11%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow3%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain3%
Fog, smog or smoke1%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Sedgwick

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 135Interstate33576323%37%
2US Route 54US highway2810413319%13%
3Interstate 235Interstate23232426%44%
4Interstate 35Interstate1412013419%23%
5State Route 254State highway11222614%9%
6State Route 15State highway9303717%17%
7State Route 96State highway9273022%15%
8US Route 81US highway5283314%4%
9US Route 400US highway1476323%17%

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
202457612111.4KS 2024
202351541610.1KS 2023
20226571713.2KS 2022
202163671212.5KS 2021
20205765812.1KS 2020
20195257410.6KS 2019
201865721213.4KS 2018
20175657910.6KS 2017
201655571110.6KS 2016
2015445089.3KS 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 Sedgwick County, Kansas?

61 people died in 57 fatal crashes in 2024; 318 over 2020–2024 and 611 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Sedgwick compare with Kansas?

11.7 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 13.8 for Kansas and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Sedgwick involved alcohol?

19.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 22.5% in Kansas. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 15.1%.

Which roads in Sedgwick see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 135 (33 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 54 (28 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 235 (23 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Sedgwick?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (35% of crashes) and on Saturdays (18%); 48.4% 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.