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Putnam County

Residents 98,409Deaths 2024 9Deaths 2015–2024 67Latest 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, Putnam County (New York) had 9 fatal crashes with 9 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 65 fatal crashes and 67 deaths.

With 98,409 residents, that is 6.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 26% higher than the New York rate of 5.4 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 32% from 99 in 2005–2014 to 67 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 27.7% against 20.2% for New York.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Monday was the most common day (22%).

9deaths in 20249 fatal crashes
36deaths, 2020–202467 over ten years
6.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 9.1
+26%vs New York ratestate 5.4 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01427197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 11 deaths1976: 20 deaths1977: 18 deaths1978: 27 deaths1979: 22 deaths1980: 23 deaths1981: 19 deaths1982: 21 deaths1983: 20 deaths1984: 19 deaths1985: 17 deaths1986: 24 deaths1987: 16 deaths1988: 15 deaths1989: 15 deaths1990: 11 deaths1991: 15 deaths1992: 10 deaths1993: 13 deaths1994: 20 deaths1995: 14 deaths1996: 18 deaths1997: 15 deaths1998: 11 deaths1999: 16 deaths2000: 9 deaths2001: 11 deaths2002: 13 deaths2003: 13 deaths2004: 8 deaths2005: 11 deaths2006: 15 deaths2007: 15 deaths2008: 10 deaths2009: 12 deaths2010: 3 deaths2011: 11 deaths2012: 11 deaths2013: 4 deaths2014: 7 deaths2015: 9 deaths2016: 5 deaths2017: 7 deaths2018: 4 deaths2019: 6 deaths2020: 5 deaths2021: 6 deaths2022: 12 deaths2023: 4 deaths2024: 9 deaths
People killed in crashes in Putnam County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 9 deaths.

Ten-year total down 32% (99 in 2005–2014, 67 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

MeasurePutnamNew YorkUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20246.85.411.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20249.15.511.5
Deaths, 2015–20246710,682389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20246510,008358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-32%-14%+7%
Crashes on rural roads43%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 98,409 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking27.7%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver41.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed13.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed14.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used30.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark41.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads43.1%

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 Putnam County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 65 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Monday22%
Saturday15%
Sunday14%
Tuesday14%
Wednesday12%
Thursday12%
Friday11%

Light condition

Daylight52%
Dark, not lighted35%
Dark, lighted6%
Dawn3%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial34%
Other principal arterial25%
Local17%
Interstate15%
Other freeways and expressways6%
Major collector3%
Minor collector0%

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

Clear68%
Cloudy22%
Rain11%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Putnam

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 84Interstate843499%37%
2State Route 22State highway7535721%17%
3US Route 6US highway7414629%44%
4US Route 9US highway611812418%23%
5State Route 987GState highway5424524%52%
6State Route 52State highway3303220%17%

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
2024991–29.1NY 2024
2023441–24.1NY 2023
20221112312.2NY 2022
2021561–26.1NY 2021
2020551–25.1NY 2020
2019661–26.1NY 2019
2018441–24.1NY 2018
2017771–27.1NY 2017
20165505.1NY 2016
20159969.1NY 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 Putnam County, New York?

9 people died in 9 fatal crashes in 2024; 36 over 2020–2024 and 67 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Putnam compare with New York?

6.8 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 Putnam involved alcohol?

27.7% 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 27.7%.

Which roads in Putnam see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 84 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 22 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 6 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Putnam?

Most often between noon to 6pm (34% of crashes) and on Mondays (22%); 41.5% 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.