Fatal Roads

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Ontario County

Residents 113,012Deaths 2024 10Deaths 2015–2024 115Latest 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 115 people killed in 104 fatal crashes in Ontario County, New York, between 2015 and 2024, 10 of them in 2024.

With 113,012 residents, that is 10.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 1.9 times the New York rate of 5.4 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 18% from 141 in 2005–2014 to 115 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 17.4% against 16.4% for New York.

38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Friday was the most common day (18%).

10deaths in 202410 fatal crashes
71deaths, 2020–2024115 over ten years
10.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 8.8
+91%vs New York ratestate 5.4 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01733197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 33 deaths1976: 29 deaths1977: 23 deaths1978: 33 deaths1979: 21 deaths1980: 26 deaths1981: 23 deaths1982: 19 deaths1983: 21 deaths1984: 21 deaths1985: 25 deaths1986: 25 deaths1987: 22 deaths1988: 20 deaths1989: 21 deaths1990: 22 deaths1991: 12 deaths1992: 13 deaths1993: 19 deaths1994: 19 deaths1995: 12 deaths1996: 17 deaths1997: 13 deaths1998: 18 deaths1999: 12 deaths2000: 15 deaths2001: 21 deaths2002: 17 deaths2003: 17 deaths2004: 20 deaths2005: 17 deaths2006: 12 deaths2007: 23 deaths2008: 10 deaths2009: 9 deaths2010: 7 deaths2011: 13 deaths2012: 23 deaths2013: 11 deaths2014: 16 deaths2015: 16 deaths2016: 9 deaths2017: 8 deaths2018: 8 deaths2019: 3 deaths2020: 17 deaths2021: 10 deaths2022: 13 deaths2023: 21 deaths2024: 10 deaths
People killed in crashes in Ontario County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 10 deaths.

Ten-year total down 18% (141 in 2005–2014, 115 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

MeasureOntarioNew YorkUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202410.35.411.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20248.85.511.5
Deaths, 2015–202411510,682389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202410410,008358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-18%-14%+7%
Crashes on rural roads64%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 113,012 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking21.2%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver25%
Pedestriansshare of people killed8.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed17.4%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used31.1%
In darknesscrashes after dark25%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads63.5%

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 Ontario County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 104 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday18%
Saturday18%
Thursday17%
Tuesday13%
Wednesday13%
Sunday13%
Monday7%

Light condition

Daylight67%
Dark, not lighted18%
Dark, lighted7%
Dawn4%
Dusk4%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Local34%
Other principal arterial27%
Minor arterial13%
Major collector12%
Interstate9%
Minor collector6%
Other freeways and expressways1%

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

Cloudy47%
Clear44%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain5%
Rain4%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Ontario

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 20US highway119710218%19%
2State Route 96State highway10333524%21%
3Interstate 90Interstate9901069%23%
4State Route 14State highway4232813%26%
5State Route 5State highway213514720%29%

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
2024101048.8NY 2024
202319211–218.6NY 2023
202213131–211.5NY 2022
2021101038.8NY 2021
20201317515.0NY 2020
2019331–22.7NY 2019
20188807.1NY 2018
2017681–27.1NY 2017
2016891–28.0NY 2016
20151416514.2NY 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 Ontario County, New York?

10 people died in 10 fatal crashes in 2024; 71 over 2020–2024 and 115 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Ontario compare with New York?

10.3 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 Ontario involved alcohol?

21.2% 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 motorcyclists at 17.4%.

Which roads in Ontario see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 20 (11 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 96 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 90 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Ontario?

Most often between noon to 6pm (38% of crashes) and on Fridays (18%); 25.0% 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.