Fatal Roads

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Gallatin County

Residents 126,984Deaths 2024 21Deaths 2015–2024 108Latest 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.

Gallatin County, Montana, recorded 21 deaths in 19 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 108 deaths in 99 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 126,984 residents, that is 9.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 51% lower than the Montana rate of 18.9 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 8% from 117 in 2005–2014 to 108 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 42.4% against 35.8% for Montana.

40% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (22%).

21deaths in 202419 fatal crashes
63deaths, 2020–2024108 over ten years
9.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 16.5
-51%vs Montana ratestate 18.9 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01122197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 8 deaths1976: 9 deaths1977: 10 deaths1978: 12 deaths1979: 10 deaths1980: 8 deaths1981: 15 deaths1982: 12 deaths1983: 7 deaths1984: 9 deaths1985: 13 deaths1986: 4 deaths1987: 13 deaths1988: 5 deaths1989: 1–2 deaths1990: 5 deaths1991: 22 deaths1992: 16 deaths1993: 6 deaths1994: 5 deaths1995: 6 deaths1996: 12 deaths1997: 17 deaths1998: 14 deaths1999: 9 deaths2000: 15 deaths2001: 14 deaths2002: 17 deaths2003: 22 deaths2004: 16 deaths2005: 11 deaths2006: 22 deaths2007: 15 deaths2008: 13 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 10 deaths2011: 10 deaths2012: 12 deaths2013: 9 deaths2014: 9 deaths2015: 10 deaths2016: 10 deaths2017: 9 deaths2018: 9 deaths2019: 7 deaths2020: 6 deaths2021: 12 deaths2022: 7 deaths2023: 17 deaths2024: 21 deaths
People killed in crashes in Gallatin County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 21 deaths.

Ten-year total down 8% (117 in 2005–2014, 108 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 Montana and the nation

MeasureGallatinMontanaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20249.318.911.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202416.518.111.5
Deaths, 2015–20241082,046389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024991,864358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-8%-10%+7%
Crashes on rural roads78%84%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 126,984 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking48.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver42.4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed6.5%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed13.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used62.2%
In darknesscrashes after dark37.8%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads77.8%

tick marks the Montana 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 Gallatin County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 97 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday22%
Sunday17%
Friday15%
Tuesday14%
Monday12%
Thursday11%
Wednesday8%

Light condition

Daylight57%
Dark, not lighted31%
Dark, lighted7%
Dusk4%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate29%
Other principal arterial22%
Local18%
Major collector15%
Minor arterial9%
Minor collector6%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Weather

Clear53%
Cloudy34%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain6%
Rain4%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow2%
Fog, smog or smoke1%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Gallatin

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 90Interstate2719321432%34%
2US Route 191US highway14242538%33%
3State Route MTState highway1232552%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
20241921916.5MT 2024
20231517513.4MT 2023
2022671–25.5MT 2022
2021111239.5MT 2021
2020561–24.7MT 2020
20197745.5MT 2019
20187967.1MT 2018
20179967.1MT 2017
2016101067.9MT 2016
2015101057.9MT 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 Gallatin County, Montana?

21 people died in 19 fatal crashes in 2024; 63 over 2020–2024 and 108 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Gallatin compare with Montana?

9.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 18.9 for Montana and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Gallatin involved alcohol?

48.5% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 43.9% in Montana. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 42.4%.

Which roads in Gallatin see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 90 (27 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 191 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route MT (1 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Gallatin?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (40% of crashes) and on Saturdays (22%); 37.8% 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.