Fatal Roads

States › Maine › Knox County

FIPS23013

Maine · county

Knox County

Residents 40,981Deaths 2024 3Deaths 2015–2024 44Latest 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.

Knox County, Maine, recorded 3 deaths in 3 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 44 deaths in 38 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 40,981 residents, that is 10.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Maine rate of 11.7 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 5% from 42 in 2005–2014 to 44 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 13.6% against 10.0% for Maine.

42% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Tuesday was the most common day (24%).

3deaths in 20243 fatal crashes
22deaths, 2020–202444 over ten years
10.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 7.3
-7%vs Maine ratestate 11.7 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0713197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 6 deaths1976: 13 deaths1977: 11 deaths1978: 10 deaths1979: 3 deaths1980: 7 deaths1981: 3 deaths1982: 3 deaths1983: 7 deaths1984: 7 deaths1985: 3 deaths1986: 8 deaths1987: 5 deaths1988: 10 deaths1989: 8 deaths1990: 6 deaths1991: 4 deaths1992: 11 deaths1993: 8 deaths1994: 5 deaths1995: 4 deaths1996: 5 deaths1997: 6 deaths1998: 3 deaths1999: 5 deaths2000: 4 deaths2001: 8 deaths2002: 7 deaths2003: 8 deaths2004: 7 deaths2005: 1–2 deaths2006: 6 deaths2007: 4 deaths2008: 3 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 7 deaths2011: 3 deaths2012: 1–2 deaths2013: 6 deaths2014: 4 deaths2015: 4 deaths2016: 3 deaths2017: 10 deaths2018: 1–2 deaths2019: 4 deaths2020: 6 deaths2021: 5 deaths2022: 6 deaths2023: 1–2 deaths2024: 3 deaths
People killed in crashes in Knox County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 3 deaths.

Ten-year total up 5% (42 in 2005–2014, 44 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 Maine and the nation

MeasureKnoxMaineUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202410.911.711.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20247.312.611.5
Deaths, 2015–2024441,593389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024381,478358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+5%0%+7%
Crashes on rural roads87%81%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 40,981 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking28.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver26.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed13.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed13.6%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used38.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark32.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads86.8%

tick marks the Maine 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 Knox County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 38 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Tuesday24%
Wednesday24%
Thursday16%
Saturday13%
Monday11%
Friday8%
Sunday5%

Light condition

Daylight59%
Dark, not lighted27%
Dark, lighted5%
Dawn5%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial32%
Minor arterial26%
Local18%
Minor collector13%
Major collector11%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Maine share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear71%
Rain16%
Cloudy11%
Fog, smog or smoke3%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Knox

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 1US highway99110226%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
2024331–27.3ME 2024
20231–21–21–2—ME 2023
2022661–214.6ME 2022
2021451–212.2ME 2021
2020561–214.6ME 2020
2019441–29.8ME 2019
20181–21–20—ME 2018
2017810324.4ME 2017
20161–231–27.3ME 2016
2015341–29.8ME 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 Knox County, Maine?

3 people died in 3 fatal crashes in 2024; 22 over 2020–2024 and 44 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Knox compare with Maine?

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

What share of fatal crashes in Knox involved alcohol?

28.9% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 36.9% in Maine. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 13.6%.

Which roads in Knox see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 1 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Knox?

Most often between noon to 6pm (42% of crashes) and on Tuesdays (24%); 32.4% 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.