Fatal Roads

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Carbon County

Residents 65,743Deaths 2024 13Deaths 2015–2024 106Latest 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, Carbon County (Pennsylvania) had 11 fatal crashes with 13 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 92 fatal crashes and 106 deaths.

With 65,743 residents, that is 16.4 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 82% higher than the Pennsylvania rate of 9.0 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 15% from 124 in 2005–2014 to 106 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 40.2% against 40.2% for Pennsylvania.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (22%).

13deaths in 202411 fatal crashes
54deaths, 2020–2024106 over ten years
16.4per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 19.8
+82%vs Pennsylvania ratestate 9.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01122197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 12 deaths1976: 8 deaths1977: 13 deaths1978: 11 deaths1979: 14 deaths1980: 13 deaths1981: 12 deaths1982: 11 deaths1983: 13 deaths1984: 10 deaths1985: 7 deaths1986: 22 deaths1987: 18 deaths1988: 15 deaths1989: 17 deaths1990: 12 deaths1991: 10 deaths1992: 11 deaths1993: 14 deaths1994: 10 deaths1995: 9 deaths1996: 17 deaths1997: 17 deaths1998: 17 deaths1999: 10 deaths2000: 19 deaths2001: 10 deaths2002: 9 deaths2003: 13 deaths2004: 13 deaths2005: 14 deaths2006: 17 deaths2007: 13 deaths2008: 16 deaths2009: 11 deaths2010: 13 deaths2011: 8 deaths2012: 6 deaths2013: 16 deaths2014: 10 deaths2015: 11 deaths2016: 12 deaths2017: 9 deaths2018: 13 deaths2019: 7 deaths2020: 9 deaths2021: 11 deaths2022: 9 deaths2023: 12 deaths2024: 13 deaths
People killed in crashes in Carbon County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 13 deaths.

Ten-year total down 15% (124 in 2005–2014, 106 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 Pennsylvania and the nation

MeasureCarbonPennsylvaniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202416.49.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202419.88.611.5
Deaths, 2015–202410611,650389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20249210,864358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-15%-15%+7%
Crashes on rural roads78%45%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 65,743 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking25%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver40.2%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used64.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark48.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads78.3%

tick marks the Pennsylvania 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 Carbon County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 92 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday22%
Sunday21%
Friday15%
Wednesday13%
Monday10%
Tuesday10%
Thursday10%

Light condition

Daylight51%
Dark, not lighted41%
Dark, lighted8%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate25%
Major collector25%
Local18%
Minor arterial15%
Minor collector9%
Other principal arterial8%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Weather

Clear79%
Rain14%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain3%
Fog, smog or smoke3%
Cloudy0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Carbon

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 476Interstate13515620%45%
2Interstate 80Interstate91511679%41%
3US Route 209US highway8536225%40%
4State Route 248State highway4222318%32%
5State Route 54State highway2293214%38%
6State Route 2002State highway2252824%32%
7State Route 2004State highway2242729%46%
8State Route 940State highway2202040%40%
9State Route 1003State highway1293131%38%

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
202411131–219.8PA 2024
20231112418.3PA 2023
2022791–213.7PA 2022
20217111–216.7PA 2021
2020991–213.7PA 2020
201977410.6PA 2019
201812131–219.8PA 2018
2017991–213.7PA 2017
201610121–218.3PA 2016
2015911316.7PA 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 Carbon County, Pennsylvania?

13 people died in 11 fatal crashes in 2024; 54 over 2020–2024 and 106 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Carbon compare with Pennsylvania?

16.4 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 9.0 for Pennsylvania and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Carbon involved alcohol?

25.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 25.4% in Pennsylvania. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 40.2%.

Which roads in Carbon see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 476 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 80 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 209 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Carbon?

Most often between noon to 6pm (33% of crashes) and on Saturdays (22%); 48.9% 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.