Fatal Roads

States › Michigan › St. Clair County

FIPS26147

Michigan · county

St. Clair County

Residents 160,308Deaths 2024 18Deaths 2015–2024 208Latest 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, St. Clair County (Michigan) had 17 fatal crashes with 18 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 192 fatal crashes and 208 deaths.

With 160,308 residents, that is 13.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 24% higher than the Michigan rate of 10.5 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 16% from 179 in 2005–2014 to 208 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 18.8% against 15.2% for Michigan.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Thursday was the most common day (17%).

18deaths in 202417 fatal crashes
116deaths, 2020–2024208 over ten years
13.0per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 11.2
+24%vs Michigan ratestate 10.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02549197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 39 deaths1976: 49 deaths1977: 41 deaths1978: 44 deaths1979: 35 deaths1980: 30 deaths1981: 27 deaths1982: 37 deaths1983: 23 deaths1984: 40 deaths1985: 41 deaths1986: 37 deaths1987: 26 deaths1988: 22 deaths1989: 44 deaths1990: 25 deaths1991: 24 deaths1992: 22 deaths1993: 26 deaths1994: 25 deaths1995: 27 deaths1996: 36 deaths1997: 30 deaths1998: 22 deaths1999: 28 deaths2000: 21 deaths2001: 22 deaths2002: 26 deaths2003: 26 deaths2004: 21 deaths2005: 19 deaths2006: 18 deaths2007: 17 deaths2008: 17 deaths2009: 15 deaths2010: 24 deaths2011: 16 deaths2012: 22 deaths2013: 14 deaths2014: 17 deaths2015: 18 deaths2016: 22 deaths2017: 14 deaths2018: 16 deaths2019: 22 deaths2020: 24 deaths2021: 19 deaths2022: 33 deaths2023: 22 deaths2024: 18 deaths
People killed in crashes in St. Clair County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 18 deaths.

Ten-year total up 16% (179 in 2005–2014, 208 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

MeasureSt. ClairMichiganUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202413.010.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.210.811.5
Deaths, 2015–202420810,567389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241929,800358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+16%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads50%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 160,308 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking24.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver21.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed9.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed18.8%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used47.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark43.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads50%

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 St. Clair County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 192 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Thursday17%
Tuesday16%
Saturday16%
Sunday16%
Wednesday14%
Monday11%
Friday10%

Light condition

Daylight52%
Dark, not lighted32%
Dark, lighted12%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Major collector31%
Minor arterial28%
Local16%
Other principal arterial14%
Interstate9%
Minor collector1%
Other freeways and expressways1%

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

Clear70%
Cloudy22%
Rain4%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain4%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in St. Clair

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 25State highway22394221%28%
2Interstate 94Interstate828832125%33%
3Interstate 69Interstate8626924%32%
4Interstate 96Interstate117319725%39%
5State Route 21State highway1404120%23%

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
20241718511.2MI 2024
20232122513.7MI 2023
20223133820.6MI 2022
20211719711.9MI 2021
20202024815.0MI 2020
20191922413.7MI 2019
201816161–210.0MI 2018
201713141–28.7MI 2017
20162022313.7MI 2016
20151818511.2MI 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 St. Clair County, Michigan?

18 people died in 17 fatal crashes in 2024; 116 over 2020–2024 and 208 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does St. Clair compare with Michigan?

13.0 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 St. Clair involved alcohol?

24.5% 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 motorcyclists at 18.8%.

Which roads in St. Clair see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 25 (22 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 94 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 69 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in St. Clair?

Most often between noon to 6pm (33% of crashes) and on Thursdays (17%); 43.7% 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.