Fatal Roads

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Mississippi · county

Union County

Residents 28,363Deaths 2024 5Deaths 2015–2024 70Latest 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.

NHTSA's FARS file lists 70 people killed in 60 fatal crashes in Union County, Mississippi, between 2015 and 2024, 5 of them in 2024.

With 28,363 residents, that is 24.7 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Mississippi rate of 23.8 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 10% from 78 in 2005–2014 to 70 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 12.9% against 11.6% for Mississippi.

38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Sunday was the most common day (25%).

5deaths in 20245 fatal crashes
36deaths, 2020–202470 over ten years
24.7per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 17.6
+4%vs Mississippi ratestate 23.8 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0917197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 5 deaths1976: 6 deaths1977: 9 deaths1978: 5 deaths1979: 7 deaths1980: 4 deaths1981: 4 deaths1982: 1–2 deaths1983: 6 deaths1984: 3 deaths1985: 3 deaths1986: 4 deaths1987: 8 deaths1988: 11 deaths1989: 10 deaths1990: 7 deaths1991: 10 deaths1992: 17 deaths1993: 11 deaths1994: 9 deaths1995: 12 deaths1996: 6 deaths1997: 1–2 deaths1998: 4 deaths1999: 8 deaths2000: 14 deaths2001: 4 deaths2002: 7 deaths2003: 4 deaths2004: 9 deaths2005: 12 deaths2006: 6 deaths2007: 11 deaths2008: 13 deaths2009: 7 deaths2010: 4 deaths2011: 4 deaths2012: 5 deaths2013: 8 deaths2014: 8 deaths2015: 9 deaths2016: 5 deaths2017: 4 deaths2018: 7 deaths2019: 9 deaths2020: 1–2 deaths2021: 13 deaths2022: 7 deaths2023: 9 deaths2024: 5 deaths
People killed in crashes in Union County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 5 deaths.

Ten-year total down 10% (78 in 2005–2014, 70 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 Mississippi and the nation

MeasureUnionMississippiUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202424.723.811.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202417.625.611.5
Deaths, 2015–2024707,057389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024606,385358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-10%-3%+7%
Crashes on rural roads71%70%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 28,363 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking10%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver10%
Pedestriansshare of people killed12.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed7.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used57.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark40%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads71.2%

tick marks the Mississippi 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 Union County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 60 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday25%
Friday18%
Monday15%
Thursday15%
Tuesday13%
Wednesday10%
Saturday3%

Light condition

Daylight60%
Dark, not lighted35%
Dark, lighted3%
Dark, lighting unknown2%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%

Road type

Major collector31%
Minor arterial27%
Other principal arterial20%
Interstate12%
Local7%
Minor collector3%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Weather

Clear76%
Cloudy12%
Rain10%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Union

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 30State highway12303317%3%
2State Route 15State highway710111513%14%
3Interstate 22Interstate7526110%10%
4US Route 78US highway536416%17%
5State Route 178State highway4313219%13%
6State Route 9State highway1313419%10%

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
202455017.6MS 2024
2023891–231.7MS 2023
202267024.7MS 2022
202111131–245.8MS 2021
20201–21–20—MS 2020
201969031.7MS 2019
2018671–224.7MS 2018
2017441–214.1MS 2017
201655017.6MS 2016
2015791–231.7MS 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 Union County, Mississippi?

5 people died in 5 fatal crashes in 2024; 36 over 2020–2024 and 70 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Union compare with Mississippi?

24.7 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 23.8 for Mississippi and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Union involved alcohol?

10.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 18.5% in Mississippi. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 12.9%.

Which roads in Union see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 30 (12 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 15 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 22 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Union?

Most often between noon to 6pm (38% of crashes) and on Sundays (25%); 40.0% 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.