Fatal Roads

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Oklahoma · county

Ottawa County

Residents 30,404Deaths 2024 13Deaths 2015–2024 117Latest 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 117 people killed in 102 fatal crashes in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, between 2015 and 2024, 13 of them in 2024.

With 30,404 residents, that is 37.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 2.2 times the Oklahoma rate of 17.0 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 8% from 108 in 2005–2014 to 117 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 12.8% against 12.3% for Oklahoma.

32% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (20%).

13deaths in 202411 fatal crashes
72deaths, 2020–2024117 over ten years
37.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 42.8
+122%vs Oklahoma ratestate 17.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01325197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 12 deaths1976: 5 deaths1977: 18 deaths1978: 19 deaths1979: 10 deaths1980: 21 deaths1981: 6 deaths1982: 11 deaths1983: 10 deaths1984: 5 deaths1985: 21 deaths1986: 13 deaths1987: 18 deaths1988: 15 deaths1989: 8 deaths1990: 12 deaths1991: 10 deaths1992: 9 deaths1993: 12 deaths1994: 7 deaths1995: 12 deaths1996: 14 deaths1997: 16 deaths1998: 6 deaths1999: 12 deaths2000: 11 deaths2001: 6 deaths2002: 5 deaths2003: 11 deaths2004: 8 deaths2005: 22 deaths2006: 9 deaths2007: 8 deaths2008: 7 deaths2009: 18 deaths2010: 11 deaths2011: 8 deaths2012: 13 deaths2013: 8 deaths2014: 4 deaths2015: 11 deaths2016: 7 deaths2017: 14 deaths2018: 3 deaths2019: 10 deaths2020: 9 deaths2021: 25 deaths2022: 13 deaths2023: 12 deaths2024: 13 deaths
People killed in crashes in Ottawa County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 13 deaths.

Ten-year total up 8% (108 in 2005–2014, 117 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 Oklahoma and the nation

MeasureOttawaOklahomaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202437.817.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202442.815.711.5
Deaths, 2015–20241176,765389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241026,172358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+8%-7%+7%
Crashes on rural roads82%60%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 30,404 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking23.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver18.6%
Pedestriansshare of people killed12.8%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed9.4%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used50%
In darknesscrashes after dark45.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads82.4%

tick marks the Oklahoma 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 Ottawa County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 97 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday20%
Monday17%
Sunday14%
Wednesday14%
Friday14%
Tuesday12%
Thursday11%

Light condition

Daylight49%
Dark, not lighted40%
Dark, lighted5%
Dawn3%
Dusk2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Major collector32%
Minor arterial26%
Local17%
Interstate13%
Other principal arterial12%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor collector0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Oklahoma 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%
Cloudy28%
Rain8%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Ottawa

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 10State highway17323313%31%
2Interstate 44Interstate1326428727%23%
3US Route 69US highway913514816%17%
4US Route 59US highway7626823%21%
5US Route 60US highway661648%13%
6US Route 412US highway1718014%21%

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
20241113042.8OK 2024
20231112339.5OK 2023
202213131–242.8OK 2022
20211825882.2OK 2021
2020991–229.6OK 2020
20198101–232.9OK 2019
2018331–29.9OK 2018
20171414446.0OK 2017
201667323.0OK 2016
2015911036.2OK 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 Ottawa County, Oklahoma?

13 people died in 11 fatal crashes in 2024; 72 over 2020–2024 and 117 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Ottawa compare with Oklahoma?

37.8 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 17.0 for Oklahoma and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Ottawa involved alcohol?

23.5% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 26.5% in Oklahoma. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 12.8%.

Which roads in Ottawa see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 10 (17 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 44 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 69 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Ottawa?

Most often between noon to 6pm (32% of crashes) and on Saturdays (20%); 45.5% 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.