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Albany County

Residents 319,964Deaths 2024 17Deaths 2015–2024 197Latest 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, Albany County (New York) had 16 fatal crashes with 17 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 191 fatal crashes and 197 deaths.

With 319,964 residents, that is 6.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 17% higher than the New York rate of 5.4 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (190) and 2015–2024 (197).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 27.2% against 20.2% for New York.

35% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Thursday was the most common day (21%).

17deaths in 202416 fatal crashes
101deaths, 2020–2024197 over ten years
6.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 5.3
+17%vs New York ratestate 5.4 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02550197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 50 deaths1976: 35 deaths1977: 42 deaths1978: 37 deaths1979: 36 deaths1980: 38 deaths1981: 34 deaths1982: 34 deaths1983: 27 deaths1984: 30 deaths1985: 41 deaths1986: 28 deaths1987: 38 deaths1988: 39 deaths1989: 35 deaths1990: 31 deaths1991: 27 deaths1992: 22 deaths1993: 12 deaths1994: 28 deaths1995: 16 deaths1996: 13 deaths1997: 23 deaths1998: 20 deaths1999: 16 deaths2000: 27 deaths2001: 20 deaths2002: 17 deaths2003: 18 deaths2004: 17 deaths2005: 13 deaths2006: 25 deaths2007: 25 deaths2008: 15 deaths2009: 21 deaths2010: 16 deaths2011: 22 deaths2012: 18 deaths2013: 10 deaths2014: 25 deaths2015: 22 deaths2016: 24 deaths2017: 19 deaths2018: 15 deaths2019: 16 deaths2020: 18 deaths2021: 19 deaths2022: 23 deaths2023: 24 deaths2024: 17 deaths
People killed in crashes in Albany County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 17 deaths.

Ten-year total up 4% (190 in 2005–2014, 197 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 York and the nation

MeasureAlbanyNew YorkUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20246.35.411.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20245.35.511.5
Deaths, 2015–202419710,682389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202419110,008358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+4%-14%+7%
Crashes on rural roads16%30%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 319,964 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking27.2%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver30.4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed28.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed17.8%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used34%
In darknesscrashes after dark50.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads15.8%

tick marks the New York 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 Albany County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 191 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Thursday21%
Sunday18%
Wednesday15%
Saturday14%
Friday12%
Tuesday12%
Monday9%

Light condition

Daylight46%
Dark, lighted27%
Dark, not lighted23%
Dawn2%
Dusk2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial39%
Interstate19%
Local16%
Minor arterial14%
Major collector5%
Other freeways and expressways5%
Minor collector2%

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

Weather

Clear58%
Cloudy31%
Rain6%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain3%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Albany

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 5State highway2413514720%29%
2Interstate 87Interstate1514215617%36%
3US Route 20US highway109710218%19%
4US Route 9US highway911812418%23%
5Interstate 90Interstate9901069%23%
6State Route 7State highway7454813%20%
7State Route 32State highway7424810%24%
8US Route 9WUS highway1656819%23%

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
2024161735.3NY 2024
2023242467.5NY 2023
20222223107.2NY 2022
2021191945.9NY 2021
2020171865.6NY 2020
2019161655.0NY 2019
2018151534.7NY 2018
2017191945.9NY 2017
2016232447.5NY 2016
2015202276.9NY 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 Albany County, New York?

17 people died in 16 fatal crashes in 2024; 101 over 2020–2024 and 197 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Albany compare with New York?

6.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 5.4 for New York and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Albany involved alcohol?

27.2% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 20.2% in New York. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 27.2%.

Which roads in Albany see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 5 (24 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 87 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 20 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Albany?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (35% of crashes) and on Thursdays (21%); 50.3% 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.