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Preble County

Residents 40,801Deaths 2024 4Deaths 2015–2024 95Latest 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 95 people killed in 84 fatal crashes in Preble County, Ohio, between 2015 and 2024, 4 of them in 2024.

With 40,801 residents, that is 23.2 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 2.3 times the Ohio rate of 10.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (93) and 2015–2024 (95).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 15.8% against 16.3% for Ohio.

39% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (23%).

4deaths in 20244 fatal crashes
41deaths, 2020–202495 over ten years
23.2per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 9.8
+130%vs Ohio ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0918197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 13 deaths1976: 9 deaths1977: 9 deaths1978: 15 deaths1979: 14 deaths1980: 7 deaths1981: 9 deaths1982: 11 deaths1983: 12 deaths1984: 17 deaths1985: 8 deaths1986: 5 deaths1987: 11 deaths1988: 5 deaths1989: 16 deaths1990: 13 deaths1991: 11 deaths1992: 8 deaths1993: 12 deaths1994: 12 deaths1995: 8 deaths1996: 9 deaths1997: 9 deaths1998: 14 deaths1999: 10 deaths2000: 14 deaths2001: 13 deaths2002: 10 deaths2003: 8 deaths2004: 11 deaths2005: 9 deaths2006: 17 deaths2007: 6 deaths2008: 18 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 5 deaths2011: 6 deaths2012: 15 deaths2013: 6 deaths2014: 5 deaths2015: 10 deaths2016: 8 deaths2017: 16 deaths2018: 6 deaths2019: 14 deaths2020: 11 deaths2021: 3 deaths2022: 9 deaths2023: 14 deaths2024: 4 deaths
People killed in crashes in Preble County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 4 deaths.

Ten-year total up 2% (93 in 2005–2014, 95 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

MeasurePrebleOhioUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202423.210.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20249.89.711.5
Deaths, 2015–20249511,899389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20248411,013358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+2%+6%+7%
Crashes on rural roads94%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 40,801 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking25%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver17.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.8%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used44.3%
In darknesscrashes after dark33.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads94%

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 Preble County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 84 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday23%
Sunday19%
Monday14%
Wednesday14%
Thursday12%
Tuesday11%
Friday7%

Light condition

Daylight67%
Dark, not lighted30%
Dark, lighted4%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Major collector35%
Local21%
Minor arterial19%
Interstate15%
Minor collector10%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Other principal arterial0%

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

Clear72%
Cloudy22%
Rain5%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Preble

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 70Interstate1315617531%21%
2US Route 127US highway12697625%9%
3US Route 40US highway411111726%17%
4US Route 35US highway4718621%16%

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
2024441–29.8OH 2024
20231214534.3OH 2023
2022991–222.1OH 2022
2021331–27.4OH 2021
20208111–227.0OH 2020
20191114334.3OH 2019
201866014.7OH 2018
20171416339.2OH 2017
2016781–219.6OH 2016
20151010324.5OH 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 Preble County, Ohio?

4 people died in 4 fatal crashes in 2024; 41 over 2020–2024 and 95 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Preble compare with Ohio?

23.2 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 Preble involved alcohol?

25.0% 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 motorcyclists at 15.8%.

Which roads in Preble see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 70 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 127 (12 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 40 (4 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Preble?

Most often between noon to 6pm (39% of crashes) and on Saturdays (23%); 33.3% 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.