Fatal Roads

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North Dakota · county

Cass County

Residents 200,945Deaths 2024 7Deaths 2015–2024 88Latest 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, Cass County (North Dakota) had 7 fatal crashes with 7 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 82 fatal crashes and 88 deaths.

With 200,945 residents, that is 4.7 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 66% lower than the North Dakota rate of 13.7 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 17% from 75 in 2005–2014 to 88 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 21.6% against 13.1% for North Dakota.

37% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Wednesday was the most common day (21%).

7deaths in 20247 fatal crashes
50deaths, 2020–202488 over ten years
4.7per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 3.5
-66%vs North Dakota ratestate 13.7 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0815197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 10 deaths1976: 14 deaths1977: 9 deaths1978: 14 deaths1979: 13 deaths1980: 6 deaths1981: 13 deaths1982: 15 deaths1983: 9 deaths1984: 9 deaths1985: 8 deaths1986: 6 deaths1987: 5 deaths1988: 9 deaths1989: 4 deaths1990: 8 deaths1991: 9 deaths1992: 11 deaths1993: 8 deaths1994: 8 deaths1995: 8 deaths1996: 7 deaths1997: 10 deaths1998: 5 deaths1999: 8 deaths2000: 3 deaths2001: 3 deaths2002: 6 deaths2003: 5 deaths2004: 5 deaths2005: 14 deaths2006: 6 deaths2007: 7 deaths2008: 5 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 12 deaths2011: 10 deaths2012: 7 deaths2013: 1–2 deaths2014: 6 deaths2015: 6 deaths2016: 5 deaths2017: 8 deaths2018: 10 deaths2019: 9 deaths2020: 11 deaths2021: 11 deaths2022: 10 deaths2023: 11 deaths2024: 7 deaths
People killed in crashes in Cass County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 7 deaths.

Ten-year total up 17% (75 in 2005–2014, 88 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 North Dakota and the nation

MeasureCassNorth DakotaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20244.713.711.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20243.511.311.5
Deaths, 2015–2024881,060389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202482962358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+17%-18%+7%
Crashes on rural roads42%85%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 200,945 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking39%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver26.8%
Pedestriansshare of people killed10.2%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed21.6%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used58%
In darknesscrashes after dark37.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads41.5%

tick marks the North Dakota 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 Cass County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 79 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Wednesday21%
Sunday20%
Saturday17%
Friday16%
Monday10%
Tuesday10%
Thursday7%

Light condition

Daylight54%
Dark, lighted20%
Dark, not lighted16%
Dusk6%
Dawn3%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Interstate24%
Minor arterial23%
Major collector20%
Other principal arterial18%
Local15%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor collector0%

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

Weather

Clear72%
Cloudy16%
Rain5%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow4%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Fog, smog or smoke1%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Cass

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 94Interstate10697313%23%
2Interstate 29Interstate10283332%18%

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
2024771–23.5ND 2024
2023111155.5ND 2023
2022101035.0ND 2022
202191145.5ND 2021
202091145.5ND 2020
20197934.5ND 2019
201810101–25.0ND 2018
20178854.0ND 2017
20165532.5ND 2016
2015661–23.0ND 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 Cass County, North Dakota?

7 people died in 7 fatal crashes in 2024; 50 over 2020–2024 and 88 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Cass compare with North Dakota?

4.7 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 13.7 for North Dakota and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Cass involved alcohol?

39.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 39.7% in North Dakota. The factor furthest above the state share was motorcyclists at 21.6%.

Which roads in Cass see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 94 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 29 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Cass?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (37% of crashes) and on Wednesdays (21%); 37.5% 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.