Fatal Roads

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Washington County

Residents 611,272Deaths 2024 35Deaths 2015–2024 287Latest 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, Washington County (Oregon) had 34 fatal crashes with 35 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 275 fatal crashes and 287 deaths.

With 611,272 residents, that is 4.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 61% lower than the Oregon rate of 12.4 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 30% from 221 in 2005–2014 to 287 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 28.6% against 16.2% for Oregon.

37% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Monday was the most common day (18%).

35deaths in 202434 fatal crashes
150deaths, 2020–2024287 over ten years
4.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 5.7
-61%vs Oregon ratestate 12.4 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02549197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 27 deaths1976: 31 deaths1977: 41 deaths1978: 49 deaths1979: 43 deaths1980: 38 deaths1981: 28 deaths1982: 36 deaths1983: 34 deaths1984: 28 deaths1985: 35 deaths1986: 31 deaths1987: 39 deaths1988: 32 deaths1989: 24 deaths1990: 30 deaths1991: 25 deaths1992: 13 deaths1993: 36 deaths1994: 25 deaths1995: 38 deaths1996: 28 deaths1997: 32 deaths1998: 37 deaths1999: 28 deaths2000: 33 deaths2001: 34 deaths2002: 36 deaths2003: 27 deaths2004: 31 deaths2005: 30 deaths2006: 37 deaths2007: 27 deaths2008: 27 deaths2009: 20 deaths2010: 11 deaths2011: 13 deaths2012: 19 deaths2013: 21 deaths2014: 16 deaths2015: 28 deaths2016: 30 deaths2017: 21 deaths2018: 27 deaths2019: 31 deaths2020: 23 deaths2021: 21 deaths2022: 29 deaths2023: 42 deaths2024: 35 deaths
People killed in crashes in Washington County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 35 deaths.

Ten-year total up 30% (221 in 2005–2014, 287 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 Oregon and the nation

MeasureWashingtonOregonUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20244.812.411.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20245.712.611.5
Deaths, 2015–20242875,211389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20242754,753358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+30%+35%+7%
Crashes on rural roads28%55%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 611,272 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking25.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver29.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed28.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed14.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used27.6%
In darknesscrashes after dark51.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads28.4%

tick marks the Oregon 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 Washington County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 272 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Monday18%
Saturday17%
Wednesday15%
Tuesday13%
Thursday13%
Friday13%
Sunday11%

Light condition

Daylight45%
Dark, lighted27%
Dark, not lighted20%
Dark, lighting unknown4%
Dawn2%
Dusk2%

Road type

Minor arterial41%
Other principal arterial35%
Major collector12%
Other freeways and expressways4%
Local4%
Interstate2%
Minor collector2%

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

Weather

Clear56%
Cloudy25%
Rain18%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Washington

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 8State highway36363611%17%
2US Route 26US highway2416519126%32%
3State Route 47State highway12232735%22%
4State Route 99State highway1016018326%18%
5Interstate 5Interstate621223124%24%
6State Route 99WState highway5373916%14%

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
20243435105.7OR 2024
20233942106.9OR 2023
2022262964.7OR 2022
2021212153.4OR 2021
2020232363.8OR 2020
2019303145.1OR 2019
201825271–24.4OR 2018
2017212183.4OR 2017
20162830114.9OR 2016
2015282874.6OR 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 Washington County, Oregon?

35 people died in 34 fatal crashes in 2024; 150 over 2020–2024 and 287 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Washington compare with Oregon?

4.8 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 12.4 for Oregon and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Washington involved alcohol?

25.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 31.0% in Oregon. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 28.6%.

Which roads in Washington see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 8 (36 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 26 (24 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 47 (12 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Washington?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (37% of crashes) and on Mondays (18%); 51.3% 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.