Fatal Roads

States › Ohio › Franklin County

FIPS39049

Ohio · county

Franklin County

Residents 1,356,303Deaths 2024 89Deaths 2015–2024 1,057Latest 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.

Franklin County, Ohio, recorded 89 deaths in 83 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 1,057 deaths in 990 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 1,356,303 residents, that is 8.1 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 20% lower than the Ohio rate of 10.1 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 33% from 796 in 2005–2014 to 1,057 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 23.3% against 11.7% for Ohio.

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

89deaths in 202483 fatal crashes
591deaths, 2020–20241,057 over ten years
8.1per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 6.6
-20%vs Ohio ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

065129197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 98 deaths1976: 91 deaths1977: 103 deaths1978: 100 deaths1979: 122 deaths1980: 127 deaths1981: 117 deaths1982: 99 deaths1983: 95 deaths1984: 101 deaths1985: 86 deaths1986: 89 deaths1987: 97 deaths1988: 114 deaths1989: 92 deaths1990: 70 deaths1991: 99 deaths1992: 68 deaths1993: 76 deaths1994: 63 deaths1995: 84 deaths1996: 74 deaths1997: 88 deaths1998: 92 deaths1999: 91 deaths2000: 75 deaths2001: 90 deaths2002: 88 deaths2003: 81 deaths2004: 80 deaths2005: 83 deaths2006: 68 deaths2007: 80 deaths2008: 94 deaths2009: 75 deaths2010: 76 deaths2011: 82 deaths2012: 88 deaths2013: 76 deaths2014: 74 deaths2015: 85 deaths2016: 94 deaths2017: 88 deaths2018: 90 deaths2019: 109 deaths2020: 123 deaths2021: 125 deaths2022: 125 deaths2023: 129 deaths2024: 89 deaths
People killed in crashes in Franklin County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 89 deaths.

Ten-year total up 33% (796 in 2005–2014, 1,057 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

MeasureFranklinOhioUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20248.110.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20246.69.711.5
Deaths, 2015–20241,05711,899389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202499011,013358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+33%+6%+7%
Crashes on rural roads2%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 1,356,303 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking30%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver18%
Pedestriansshare of people killed23.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.7%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used52.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark59.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads2.4%

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 Franklin County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 990 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday18%
Friday17%
Sunday14%
Thursday14%
Wednesday13%
Monday13%
Tuesday12%

Light condition

Dark, lighted39%
Daylight35%
Dark, not lighted19%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Other principal arterial29%
Minor arterial27%
Interstate21%
Major collector11%
Local8%
Other freeways and expressways4%
Minor collector1%

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

Clear68%
Cloudy20%
Rain11%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Franklin

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 270Interstate87889938%21%
2Interstate 71Interstate5721424435%17%
3Interstate 70Interstate4515617531%21%
4US Route 40US highway4411111726%17%
5US Route 33US highway309811029%14%
6US Route 62US highway2511812632%16%
7US Route 23US highway2413714712%7%
8State Route 3State highway22596432%25%
9State Route 16State highway20525514%19%
10State Route 161State highway20262631%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
20248389246.6OH 2024
2023118129319.5OH 2023
2022118125309.2OH 2022
2021117125379.2OH 2021
2020117123339.1OH 2020
2019101109308.0OH 2019
20188490296.6OH 2018
20178588236.5OH 2017
20168894326.9OH 2016
20157985286.3OH 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 Franklin County, Ohio?

89 people died in 83 fatal crashes in 2024; 591 over 2020–2024 and 1,057 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Franklin compare with Ohio?

8.1 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 Franklin involved alcohol?

30.0% 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 23.3%.

Which roads in Franklin see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 270 (87 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 71 (57 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 70 (45 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Franklin?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (38% of crashes) and on Saturdays (18%); 59.3% 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.