Fatal Roads

States › Montana › Sweet Grass County

FIPS30097

Montana · county

Sweet Grass County

Residents 3,757Deaths 2024 1–2Deaths 2015–2024 14Latest 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.

Sweet Grass County, Montana, recorded fewer than three deaths in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 14 deaths in 14 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 3,757 residents, that is 37.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 2.0 times the Montana rate of 18.9 and above the national rate of 11.8. The rate rests on very few deaths and can double or halve with a single crash; through traffic on a route that passes a small population raises it further.

Counts this small move a lot from year to year, so the page shows ten-year totals and five-year bins rather than single years; 2005–2014 had 16 deaths.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 57.1% against 35.8% for Montana.

43% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Sunday was the most common day (21%).

1–2deaths in 20241–2 fatal crashes
9deaths, 2020–202414 over ten years
37.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 53.2
+101%vs Montana ratestate 18.9 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

091719751980198519901995200020052010201520201975: 17 deaths1980: 14 deaths1985: 11 deaths1990: 4 deaths1995: 7 deaths2000: 14 deaths2005: 9 deaths2010: 7 deaths2015: 5 deaths2020: 9 deaths
People killed in crashes in Sweet Grass County, five-year totals 1975–2024. Single years are not shown for counties with fewer than 20 deaths in the last ten years. Latest point: 2020, 9 deaths.

Ten-year total down 12% (16 in 2005–2014, 14 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

MeasureSweet GrassMontanaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202437.918.911.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202453.218.111.5
Deaths, 2015–2024142,046389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024141,864358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-12%-10%+7%
Crashes on rural roads100%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 3,757 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking42.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver57.1%
Pedestriansshare of people killed0%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed14.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used33.3%
In darknesscrashes after dark21.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads100%

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 Sweet Grass County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 14 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday21%
Tuesday21%
Wednesday21%
Friday21%
Monday7%
Saturday7%
Thursday0%

Light condition

Daylight79%
Dark, not lighted21%
Dark, lighted0%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate71%
Local29%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Other principal arterial0%
Minor arterial0%
Major collector0%
Minor collector0%

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

Clear71%
Cloudy14%
Fog, smog or smoke7%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow7%
Rain0%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Sweet Grass

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 90Interstate1019321432%34%

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.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Sweet Grass County, Montana?

fewer than three people died in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024; 9 over 2020–2024 and 14 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Sweet Grass compare with Montana?

37.9 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 Sweet Grass involved alcohol?

42.9% 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 57.1%.

Which roads in Sweet Grass see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 90 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Sweet Grass?

Most often between noon to 6pm (43% of crashes) and on Sundays (21%); 21.4% 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.