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Arenac County

Residents 15,087Deaths 2024 5Deaths 2015–2024 43Latest 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, Arenac County (Michigan) had 4 fatal crashes with 5 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 38 fatal crashes and 43 deaths.

With 15,087 residents, that is 28.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 2.7 times the Michigan rate of 10.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 8% from 40 in 2005–2014 to 43 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 31.6% against 25.4% for Michigan.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Sunday was the most common day (24%).

5deaths in 20244 fatal crashes
25deaths, 2020–202443 over ten years
28.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 33.1
+171%vs Michigan ratestate 10.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0918197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 10 deaths1976: 18 deaths1977: 7 deaths1978: 10 deaths1979: 8 deaths1980: 5 deaths1981: 11 deaths1982: 7 deaths1983: 3 deaths1984: 7 deaths1985: 7 deaths1986: 6 deaths1987: 6 deaths1988: 9 deaths1989: 13 deaths1990: 6 deaths1991: 11 deaths1992: 6 deaths1993: 10 deaths1994: 13 deaths1995: 7 deaths1996: 14 deaths1997: 3 deaths1998: 6 deaths1999: 1–2 deaths2000: 1–2 deaths2001: 1–2 deaths2002: 4 deaths2003: 3 deaths2004: 9 deaths2005: 1–2 deaths2006: 9 deaths2007: 1–2 deaths2008: 1–2 deaths2009: 5 deaths2010: 6 deaths2011: 1–2 deaths2012: 3 deaths2013: 7 deaths2014: 1–2 deaths2015: 1–2 deaths2016: 1–2 deaths2017: 7 deaths2018: 1–2 deaths2019: 6 deaths2020: 6 deaths2021: 4 deaths2022: 4 deaths2023: 6 deaths2024: 5 deaths
People killed in crashes in Arenac County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 5 deaths.

Ten-year total up 8% (40 in 2005–2014, 43 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 Michigan and the nation

MeasureArenacMichiganUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202428.510.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202433.110.811.5
Deaths, 2015–20244310,567389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024389,800358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+8%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads97%41%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 15,087 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking28.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver31.6%
Pedestriansshare of people killed4.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed9.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used36.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark42.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads97.4%

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

By weekday

Sunday24%
Saturday24%
Thursday16%
Monday11%
Tuesday11%
Wednesday11%
Friday5%

Light condition

Daylight47%
Dark, not lighted37%
Dawn8%
Dark, lighted5%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Major collector29%
Other principal arterial26%
Minor arterial26%
Interstate11%
Local5%
Other freeways and expressways3%
Minor collector0%

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

Weather

Clear66%
Cloudy21%
Rain5%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain5%
Fog, smog or smoke3%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Arenac

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 23US highway88910823%23%
2Interstate 75Interstate422225028%28%
3State Route 13State highway3303613%20%
4US Route 2US highway2485817%19%

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
2024451–233.1MI 2024
202346039.8MI 2023
2022441–226.5MI 2022
2021441–226.5MI 2021
202066439.8MI 2020
2019561–239.8MI 2019
20181–21–20—MI 2018
2017671–246.4MI 2017
20161–21–20—MI 2016
20151–21–20—MI 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 Arenac County, Michigan?

5 people died in 4 fatal crashes in 2024; 25 over 2020–2024 and 43 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Arenac compare with Michigan?

28.5 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 10.5 for Michigan and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Arenac involved alcohol?

28.9% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 28.1% in Michigan. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 31.6%.

Which roads in Arenac see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 23 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 75 (4 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 13 (3 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Arenac?

Most often between noon to 6pm (34% of crashes) and on Sundays (24%); 42.1% 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.