Fatal Roads

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Carroll County

Residents 177,108Deaths 2024 16Deaths 2015–2024 147Latest 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.

Carroll County, Maryland, recorded 16 deaths in 16 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 147 deaths in 134 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 177,108 residents, that is 8.6 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Maryland rate of 9.1 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 21% from 185 in 2005–2014 to 147 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): 25.4% against 27.9% for Maryland.

31% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Friday was the most common day (19%).

16deaths in 202416 fatal crashes
60deaths, 2020–2024147 over ten years
8.6per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 9.0
-5%vs Maryland ratestate 9.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01733197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 18 deaths1976: 20 deaths1977: 29 deaths1978: 16 deaths1979: 27 deaths1980: 15 deaths1981: 28 deaths1982: 19 deaths1983: 20 deaths1984: 19 deaths1985: 18 deaths1986: 28 deaths1987: 21 deaths1988: 24 deaths1989: 24 deaths1990: 23 deaths1991: 21 deaths1992: 31 deaths1993: 24 deaths1994: 17 deaths1995: 33 deaths1996: 28 deaths1997: 19 deaths1998: 28 deaths1999: 18 deaths2000: 8 deaths2001: 19 deaths2002: 21 deaths2003: 26 deaths2004: 19 deaths2005: 21 deaths2006: 25 deaths2007: 21 deaths2008: 21 deaths2009: 15 deaths2010: 18 deaths2011: 13 deaths2012: 20 deaths2013: 20 deaths2014: 11 deaths2015: 16 deaths2016: 21 deaths2017: 25 deaths2018: 11 deaths2019: 14 deaths2020: 16 deaths2021: 7 deaths2022: 9 deaths2023: 12 deaths2024: 16 deaths
People killed in crashes in Carroll County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 16 deaths.

Ten-year total down 21% (185 in 2005–2014, 147 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 Maryland and the nation

MeasureCarrollMarylandUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20248.69.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20249.09.211.5
Deaths, 2015–20241475,548389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241345,195358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-21%+2%+7%
Crashes on rural roads29%19%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 177,108 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking25.4%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver15.7%
Pedestriansshare of people killed17%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed10.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used27.1%
In darknesscrashes after dark45.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads28.6%

tick marks the Maryland 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 Carroll County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 134 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday19%
Saturday16%
Sunday16%
Monday16%
Wednesday15%
Tuesday13%
Thursday6%

Light condition

Daylight49%
Dark, not lighted37%
Dark, lighted7%
Dusk4%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Other principal arterial38%
Minor arterial37%
Local11%
Major collector9%
Interstate3%
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 Maryland share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear74%
Rain13%
Cloudy10%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Carroll

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 140State highway25596417%22%
2State Route 27State highway16262915%15%
3State Route 97State highway15444523%18%
4State Route 32State highway9282818%14%
5State Route 26State highway7586117%31%
6Interstate 70Interstate410911417%21%
7State Route 4State highway1727938%32%
8State Route 7State highway1242442%25%

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
2024161649.0MD 2024
202391236.8MD 2023
2022791–25.1MD 2022
20215744.0MD 2021
2020151649.0MD 2020
2019141447.9MD 2019
2018111136.2MD 2018
20172125414.1MD 2017
20162021411.9MD 2016
2015161639.0MD 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 Carroll County, Maryland?

16 people died in 16 fatal crashes in 2024; 60 over 2020–2024 and 147 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Carroll compare with Maryland?

8.6 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 9.1 for Maryland and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Carroll involved alcohol?

25.4% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 27.9% in Maryland. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 25.4%.

Which roads in Carroll see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 140 (25 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 27 (16 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 97 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Carroll?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (31% of crashes) and on Fridays (19%); 45.5% 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.