Fatal Roads

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Summit County

Residents 538,370Deaths 2024 37Deaths 2015–2024 405Latest 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 405 people killed in 380 fatal crashes in Summit County, Ohio, between 2015 and 2024, 37 of them in 2024.

With 538,370 residents, that is 7.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 26% lower than the Ohio rate of 10.1 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 18% from 342 in 2005–2014 to 405 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 21.2% against 16.3% for Ohio.

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

37deaths in 202437 fatal crashes
225deaths, 2020–2024405 over ten years
7.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 6.9
-26%vs Ohio ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

04793197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 81 deaths1976: 79 deaths1977: 47 deaths1978: 81 deaths1979: 93 deaths1980: 71 deaths1981: 63 deaths1982: 71 deaths1983: 63 deaths1984: 62 deaths1985: 76 deaths1986: 63 deaths1987: 66 deaths1988: 51 deaths1989: 52 deaths1990: 39 deaths1991: 44 deaths1992: 52 deaths1993: 38 deaths1994: 39 deaths1995: 46 deaths1996: 28 deaths1997: 34 deaths1998: 46 deaths1999: 35 deaths2000: 36 deaths2001: 43 deaths2002: 43 deaths2003: 40 deaths2004: 44 deaths2005: 41 deaths2006: 37 deaths2007: 46 deaths2008: 31 deaths2009: 32 deaths2010: 30 deaths2011: 35 deaths2012: 29 deaths2013: 29 deaths2014: 32 deaths2015: 25 deaths2016: 41 deaths2017: 47 deaths2018: 34 deaths2019: 33 deaths2020: 50 deaths2021: 48 deaths2022: 44 deaths2023: 46 deaths2024: 37 deaths
People killed in crashes in Summit County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 37 deaths.

Ten-year total up 18% (342 in 2005–2014, 405 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

MeasureSummitOhioUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20247.510.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20246.99.711.5
Deaths, 2015–202440511,899389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202438011,013358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+18%+6%+7%
Crashes on rural roads3%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 538,370 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking35%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver26.8%
Pedestriansshare of people killed15.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed21.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used65.6%
In darknesscrashes after dark48.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads2.9%

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 Summit County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 380 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday17%
Sunday16%
Friday15%
Wednesday14%
Monday14%
Tuesday13%
Thursday12%

Light condition

Daylight48%
Dark, lighted36%
Dark, not lighted12%
Dawn2%
Dusk1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial30%
Interstate19%
Major collector17%
Local17%
Other principal arterial11%
Other freeways and expressways6%
Minor collector0%

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

Clear55%
Cloudy34%
Rain6%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain4%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Summit

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 77Interstate26859321%29%
2Interstate 76Interstate18515626%22%
3State Route 8State highway16202035%20%
4State Route 18State highway12515729%14%
5State Route 93State highway7575921%23%
6Interstate 271Interstate7293024%35%
7Interstate 80Interstate611113122%14%
8Interstate 480Interstate6606335%37%
9State Route 303State highway6272822%19%
10US Route 224US highway4545930%6%

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
2024373756.9OH 2024
20234546168.5OH 2023
20224044158.2OH 2022
20214248178.9OH 2021
20204950179.3OH 2020
20193133106.1OH 2019
20182934136.3OH 2018
20174347118.7OH 2017
20164041237.6OH 2016
2015242564.6OH 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 Summit County, Ohio?

37 people died in 37 fatal crashes in 2024; 225 over 2020–2024 and 405 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Summit compare with Ohio?

7.5 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 Summit involved alcohol?

35.0% 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 21.2%.

Which roads in Summit see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 77 (26 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 76 (18 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 8 (16 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Summit?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (34% of crashes) and on Saturdays (17%); 48.5% 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.