Fatal Roads

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Butler County

Residents 399,542Deaths 2024 35Deaths 2015–2024 295Latest 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, Butler County (Ohio) had 32 fatal crashes with 35 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 281 fatal crashes and 295 deaths.

With 399,542 residents, that is 7.6 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 25% lower than the Ohio rate of 10.1 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (286) and 2015–2024 (295).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 14.6% against 11.7% for Ohio.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (17%).

35deaths in 202432 fatal crashes
161deaths, 2020–2024295 over ten years
7.6per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 8.8
-25%vs Ohio ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

03059197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 43 deaths1976: 48 deaths1977: 47 deaths1978: 59 deaths1979: 49 deaths1980: 56 deaths1981: 40 deaths1982: 44 deaths1983: 26 deaths1984: 24 deaths1985: 49 deaths1986: 51 deaths1987: 39 deaths1988: 47 deaths1989: 51 deaths1990: 38 deaths1991: 36 deaths1992: 41 deaths1993: 32 deaths1994: 29 deaths1995: 33 deaths1996: 38 deaths1997: 25 deaths1998: 40 deaths1999: 26 deaths2000: 25 deaths2001: 36 deaths2002: 27 deaths2003: 32 deaths2004: 32 deaths2005: 37 deaths2006: 40 deaths2007: 27 deaths2008: 29 deaths2009: 27 deaths2010: 32 deaths2011: 21 deaths2012: 25 deaths2013: 19 deaths2014: 29 deaths2015: 29 deaths2016: 23 deaths2017: 31 deaths2018: 30 deaths2019: 21 deaths2020: 24 deaths2021: 35 deaths2022: 34 deaths2023: 33 deaths2024: 35 deaths
People killed in crashes in Butler County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 35 deaths.

Ten-year total up 3% (286 in 2005–2014, 295 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 Ohio and the nation

MeasureButlerOhioUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20247.610.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20248.89.711.5
Deaths, 2015–202429511,899389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202428111,013358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+3%+6%+7%
Crashes on rural roads26%42%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 399,542 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking29.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver15.7%
Pedestriansshare of people killed14.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed18.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used53.6%
In darknesscrashes after dark45.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads25.6%

tick marks the Ohio 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 Butler County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 281 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday17%
Friday17%
Tuesday15%
Sunday15%
Monday13%
Wednesday13%
Thursday10%

Light condition

Daylight49%
Dark, not lighted24%
Dark, lighted21%
Dusk4%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Major collector33%
Other principal arterial23%
Minor arterial17%
Local17%
Interstate4%
Minor collector4%
Other freeways and expressways2%

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

Weather

Clear62%
Cloudy27%
Rain9%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Butler

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 4State highway23879923%16%
2US Route 127US highway14697625%9%
3State Route 73State highway12566320%20%
4Interstate 75Interstate1021324628%20%
5US Route 27US highway6282921%25%
6US Route 42US highway3909629%20%

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
20243235108.8OH 2024
20233033128.3OH 2023
2022343478.5OH 2022
20213335108.8OH 2021
2020232476.0OH 2020
2019202155.3OH 2019
2018283087.5OH 2018
20173131107.8OH 2017
2016222375.8OH 2016
2015282977.3OH 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 Butler County, Ohio?

35 people died in 32 fatal crashes in 2024; 161 over 2020–2024 and 295 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Butler compare with Ohio?

7.6 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 10.1 for Ohio and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Butler involved alcohol?

29.5% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 31.7% in Ohio. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 14.6%.

Which roads in Butler see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 4 (23 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 127 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 73 (12 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Butler?

Most often between noon to 6pm (34% of crashes) and on Saturdays (17%); 45.7% 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.