Fatal Roads

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Cheshire County

Residents 78,078Deaths 2024 11Deaths 2015–2024 74Latest 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 74 people killed in 67 fatal crashes in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, between 2015 and 2024, 11 of them in 2024.

With 78,078 residents, that is 9.6 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the New Hampshire rate of 8.9 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 27% from 101 in 2005–2014 to 74 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 47.8% against 39.9% for New Hampshire.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Wednesday was the most common day (21%).

11deaths in 20249 fatal crashes
40deaths, 2020–202474 over ten years
9.6per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 14.1
+8%vs New Hampshire ratestate 8.9 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01122197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 10 deaths1976: 10 deaths1977: 17 deaths1978: 11 deaths1979: 12 deaths1980: 20 deaths1981: 18 deaths1982: 7 deaths1983: 9 deaths1984: 15 deaths1985: 22 deaths1986: 12 deaths1987: 11 deaths1988: 5 deaths1989: 15 deaths1990: 8 deaths1991: 5 deaths1992: 10 deaths1993: 1–2 deaths1994: 6 deaths1995: 7 deaths1996: 10 deaths1997: 7 deaths1998: 14 deaths1999: 9 deaths2000: 8 deaths2001: 7 deaths2002: 4 deaths2003: 5 deaths2004: 8 deaths2005: 10 deaths2006: 8 deaths2007: 15 deaths2008: 12 deaths2009: 7 deaths2010: 10 deaths2011: 8 deaths2012: 7 deaths2013: 17 deaths2014: 7 deaths2015: 1–2 deaths2016: 11 deaths2017: 10 deaths2018: 8 deaths2019: 3 deaths2020: 5 deaths2021: 7 deaths2022: 4 deaths2023: 13 deaths2024: 11 deaths
People killed in crashes in Cheshire County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 11 deaths.

Ten-year total down 27% (101 in 2005–2014, 74 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 New Hampshire and the nation

MeasureCheshireNew HampshireUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20249.68.911.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202414.19.411.5
Deaths, 2015–2024741,228389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024671,135358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-27%0%+7%
Crashes on rural roads87%53%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 78,078 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking37.3%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver47.8%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed5.4%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used71.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark40.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads86.6%

tick marks the New Hampshire 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 Cheshire County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 67 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Wednesday21%
Sunday18%
Saturday16%
Monday13%
Friday13%
Thursday12%
Tuesday6%

Light condition

Daylight54%
Dark, not lighted33%
Dark, lighted7%
Dawn3%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial34%
Major collector21%
Local21%
Minor arterial19%
Minor collector4%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Weather

Clear74%
Cloudy15%
Rain5%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain5%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Cheshire

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 9State highway10212643%52%
2State Route 101State highway5394431%36%

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
2024911414.1NH 2024
20231213416.7NH 2023
2022441–25.1NH 2022
20216739.0NH 2021
2020551–26.4NH 2020
2019331–23.8NH 2019
2018881–210.2NH 2018
2017810412.8NH 2017
20161011514.1NH 2016
20151–21–20—NH 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 Cheshire County, New Hampshire?

11 people died in 9 fatal crashes in 2024; 40 over 2020–2024 and 74 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Cheshire compare with New Hampshire?

9.6 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 8.9 for New Hampshire and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Cheshire involved alcohol?

37.3% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 32.7% in New Hampshire. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 47.8%.

Which roads in Cheshire see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 9 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 101 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Cheshire?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (33% of crashes) and on Wednesdays (21%); 40.3% 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.