Fatal Roads

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North Dakota · county

Ransom County

Residents 5,590Deaths 2024 6Deaths 2015–2024 12Latest 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.

Ransom County, North Dakota, recorded 6 deaths in 4 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 12 deaths in 10 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 5,590 residents, that is 21.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 60% higher than the North Dakota rate of 13.7 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 8 deaths.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 8.3% against 6.5% for North Dakota.

44% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Tuesday was the most common day (30%).

6deaths in 20244 fatal crashes
8deaths, 2020–202412 over ten years
21.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 107.3
+60%vs North Dakota ratestate 13.7 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

061119751980198519901995200020052010201520201975: 11 deaths1980: 4 deaths1985: 3 deaths1990: 1–2 deaths1995: 4 deaths2000: 6 deaths2005: 4 deaths2010: 4 deaths2015: 4 deaths2020: 8 deaths
People killed in crashes in Ransom 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, 8 deaths.

Ten-year total up 50% (8 in 2005–2014, 12 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

MeasureRansomNorth DakotaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202421.913.711.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024107.311.311.5
Deaths, 2015–2024121,060389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202410962358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+50%-18%+7%
Crashes on rural roads100%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 5,590 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking40%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver20%
Pedestriansshare of people killed8.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed8.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used71.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark22.2%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads100%

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 Ransom County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 9 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Tuesday30%
Friday30%
Sunday20%
Thursday10%
Saturday10%
Monday0%
Wednesday0%

Light condition

Daylight67%
Dark, not lighted22%
Dusk11%
Dark, lighted0%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial60%
Local30%
Other principal arterial10%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Major collector0%
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

Clear100%
Cloudy0%
Rain0%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Ransom

No signed route in the county reached 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024, the threshold for a route page. Crashes on local streets and county roads are included in the county totals above.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Ransom County, North Dakota?

6 people died in 4 fatal crashes in 2024; 8 over 2020–2024 and 12 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Ransom compare with North Dakota?

21.9 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 Ransom involved alcohol?

40.0% 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 pedestrians at 8.3%.

Which roads in Ransom see the most fatal crashes?

No signed route in the county reached 20 fatal crashes over 2015–2024, the threshold for a route page.

When do fatal crashes happen in Ransom?

Most often between noon to 6pm (44% of crashes) and on Tuesdays (30%); 22.2% 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.