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Wright County

Residents 154,593Deaths 2024 15Deaths 2015–2024 91Latest 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, Wright County (Minnesota) had 13 fatal crashes with 15 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 88 fatal crashes and 91 deaths.

With 154,593 residents, that is 6.4 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Minnesota rate of 7.3 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 32% from 134 in 2005–2014 to 91 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): 33.0% against 30.3% for Minnesota.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (23%).

15deaths in 202413 fatal crashes
60deaths, 2020–202491 over ten years
6.4per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 9.7
-12%vs Minnesota ratestate 7.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01428197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 10 deaths1976: 10 deaths1977: 17 deaths1978: 18 deaths1979: 15 deaths1980: 13 deaths1981: 19 deaths1982: 16 deaths1983: 19 deaths1984: 13 deaths1985: 20 deaths1986: 16 deaths1987: 22 deaths1988: 28 deaths1989: 14 deaths1990: 11 deaths1991: 17 deaths1992: 16 deaths1993: 17 deaths1994: 15 deaths1995: 14 deaths1996: 13 deaths1997: 25 deaths1998: 11 deaths1999: 16 deaths2000: 8 deaths2001: 8 deaths2002: 17 deaths2003: 20 deaths2004: 15 deaths2005: 16 deaths2006: 11 deaths2007: 20 deaths2008: 17 deaths2009: 14 deaths2010: 6 deaths2011: 6 deaths2012: 12 deaths2013: 16 deaths2014: 16 deaths2015: 8 deaths2016: 7 deaths2017: 8 deaths2018: 4 deaths2019: 4 deaths2020: 8 deaths2021: 14 deaths2022: 11 deaths2023: 12 deaths2024: 15 deaths
People killed in crashes in Wright County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 15 deaths.

Ten-year total down 32% (134 in 2005–2014, 91 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 Minnesota and the nation

MeasureWrightMinnesotaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20246.47.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20249.78.211.5
Deaths, 2015–2024914,111389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024883,788358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-32%-6%+7%
Crashes on rural roads71%58%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 154,593 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking33%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver20.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed6.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed14.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used34.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark34.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads70.9%

tick marks the Minnesota 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 Wright County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 88 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday23%
Friday17%
Wednesday16%
Tuesday14%
Sunday10%
Monday10%
Thursday10%

Light condition

Daylight60%
Dark, not lighted26%
Dark, lighted9%
Dusk5%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial23%
Other principal arterial20%
Major collector19%
Interstate16%
Local14%
Minor collector8%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Weather

Clear64%
Cloudy19%
Rain9%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain6%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow1%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Wright

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 94Interstate129710826%25%
2State Route 55State highway9576421%21%
3State Route 25State highway7242525%25%
4US Route 12US highway6333524%30%

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
2024131569.7MN 2024
2023121237.8MN 2023
2022101147.1MN 2022
2021141449.1MN 2021
20208835.2MN 2020
2019441–22.6MN 2019
2018441–22.6MN 2018
20178835.2MN 2017
20167734.5MN 2016
2015881–25.2MN 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 Wright County, Minnesota?

15 people died in 13 fatal crashes in 2024; 60 over 2020–2024 and 91 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Wright compare with Minnesota?

6.4 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 7.3 for Minnesota and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Wright involved alcohol?

33.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 30.3% in Minnesota. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 33.0%.

Which roads in Wright see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 94 (12 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 55 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 25 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Wright?

Most often between noon to 6pm (36% of crashes) and on Saturdays (23%); 34.9% 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.