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Gratiot County

Residents 41,372Deaths 2024 12Deaths 2015–2024 61Latest 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, Gratiot County (Michigan) had 9 fatal crashes with 12 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 56 fatal crashes and 61 deaths.

With 41,372 residents, that is 14.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 41% higher than the Michigan rate of 10.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 7% from 57 in 2005–2014 to 61 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 14.3% against 25.4% for Michigan.

39% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6am to noon, and Monday was the most common day (18%).

12deaths in 20249 fatal crashes
35deaths, 2020–202461 over ten years
14.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 29.0
+41%vs Michigan ratestate 10.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01020197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 5 deaths1976: 11 deaths1977: 15 deaths1978: 12 deaths1979: 20 deaths1980: 8 deaths1981: 8 deaths1982: 11 deaths1983: 8 deaths1984: 11 deaths1985: 12 deaths1986: 4 deaths1987: 17 deaths1988: 14 deaths1989: 7 deaths1990: 18 deaths1991: 5 deaths1992: 10 deaths1993: 7 deaths1994: 12 deaths1995: 12 deaths1996: 10 deaths1997: 3 deaths1998: 12 deaths1999: 6 deaths2000: 7 deaths2001: 12 deaths2002: 6 deaths2003: 17 deaths2004: 4 deaths2005: 5 deaths2006: 9 deaths2007: 7 deaths2008: 6 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 6 deaths2011: 8 deaths2012: 3 deaths2013: 3 deaths2014: 4 deaths2015: 8 deaths2016: 1–2 deaths2017: 5 deaths2018: 3 deaths2019: 8 deaths2020: 6 deaths2021: 5 deaths2022: 5 deaths2023: 7 deaths2024: 12 deaths
People killed in crashes in Gratiot County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 12 deaths.

Ten-year total up 7% (57 in 2005–2014, 61 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

MeasureGratiotMichiganUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202414.810.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202429.010.811.5
Deaths, 2015–20246110,567389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024569,800358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+7%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads82%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 41,372 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking12.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver14.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed6.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed8.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used34.1%
In darknesscrashes after dark23.2%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads82.1%

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 Gratiot County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 56 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Monday18%
Friday18%
Thursday16%
Tuesday14%
Saturday14%
Wednesday13%
Sunday7%

Light condition

Daylight66%
Dark, not lighted21%
Dawn9%
Dark, lighted2%
Dusk2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Major collector34%
Other principal arterial25%
Other freeways and expressways14%
Minor arterial13%
Local11%
Minor collector4%
Interstate0%

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

Clear48%
Cloudy41%
Rain7%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain4%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Gratiot

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 127US highway11727618%24%
2State Route 46State highway9657319%14%
3State Route 57State highway6505916%8%

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
20249121–229.0MI 2024
2023771–216.9MI 2023
202255012.1MI 2022
202155012.1MI 2021
202066014.5MI 2020
201978019.3MI 2019
2018331–27.3MI 2018
2017551–212.1MI 2017
20161–21–20—MI 2016
2015781–219.3MI 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 Gratiot County, Michigan?

12 people died in 9 fatal crashes in 2024; 35 over 2020–2024 and 61 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Gratiot compare with Michigan?

14.8 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 Gratiot involved alcohol?

12.5% 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 14.3%.

Which roads in Gratiot see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 127 (11 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 46 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 57 (6 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Gratiot?

Most often between 6am to noon (39% of crashes) and on Mondays (18%); 23.2% 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.