Fatal Roads

States › Pennsylvania › Fayette County

FIPS42051

Pennsylvania · county

Fayette County

Residents 123,941Deaths 2024 19Deaths 2015–2024 212Latest 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, Fayette County (Pennsylvania) had 15 fatal crashes with 19 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 183 fatal crashes and 212 deaths.

With 123,941 residents, that is 16.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 83% higher than the Pennsylvania rate of 9.0 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 14% from 247 in 2005–2014 to 212 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 33.9% against 25.4% for Pennsylvania.

32% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (19%).

19deaths in 202415 fatal crashes
102deaths, 2020–2024212 over ten years
16.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 15.3
+83%vs Pennsylvania ratestate 9.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02447197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 36 deaths1976: 31 deaths1977: 47 deaths1978: 42 deaths1979: 30 deaths1980: 42 deaths1981: 39 deaths1982: 46 deaths1983: 21 deaths1984: 28 deaths1985: 19 deaths1986: 31 deaths1987: 46 deaths1988: 33 deaths1989: 30 deaths1990: 23 deaths1991: 36 deaths1992: 32 deaths1993: 32 deaths1994: 24 deaths1995: 23 deaths1996: 25 deaths1997: 28 deaths1998: 40 deaths1999: 19 deaths2000: 19 deaths2001: 20 deaths2002: 28 deaths2003: 24 deaths2004: 21 deaths2005: 28 deaths2006: 19 deaths2007: 38 deaths2008: 27 deaths2009: 34 deaths2010: 19 deaths2011: 27 deaths2012: 20 deaths2013: 17 deaths2014: 18 deaths2015: 28 deaths2016: 22 deaths2017: 23 deaths2018: 19 deaths2019: 18 deaths2020: 27 deaths2021: 15 deaths2022: 21 deaths2023: 20 deaths2024: 19 deaths
People killed in crashes in Fayette County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 19 deaths.

Ten-year total down 14% (247 in 2005–2014, 212 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

MeasureFayettePennsylvaniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202416.59.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202415.38.611.5
Deaths, 2015–202421211,650389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202418310,864358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-14%-15%+7%
Crashes on rural roads67%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 123,941 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking33.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver53.6%
Pedestriansshare of people killed6.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed14.6%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used60.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark40.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads66.5%

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 Fayette County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 183 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday19%
Tuesday16%
Monday14%
Friday14%
Thursday13%
Wednesday13%
Sunday12%

Light condition

Daylight54%
Dark, not lighted27%
Dark, lighted13%
Dawn3%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial39%
Major collector18%
Minor arterial18%
Local15%
Other freeways and expressways4%
Minor collector4%
Interstate2%

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

Clear78%
Rain10%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain5%
Fog, smog or smoke4%
Cloudy2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Fayette

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 40US highway27516126%41%
2State Route 51State highway15556011%31%
3US Route 119US highway15444718%34%
4State Route 3009State highway3313436%36%
5State Route 4003State highway2262639%46%
6State Route 31State highway2202115%45%
7State Route 2001State highway1343624%35%
8State Route 1003State highway1293131%38%
9State Route 4004State highway1222246%59%
10State Route 1015State highway1212214%43%

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
20241519415.3PA 2024
20231620816.1PA 2023
20221721616.9PA 2022
20211215412.1PA 2021
202024271221.8PA 2020
20191618614.5PA 2019
20181819515.3PA 2018
20172123618.6PA 2017
20161922617.8PA 2016
20152528522.6PA 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 Fayette County, Pennsylvania?

19 people died in 15 fatal crashes in 2024; 102 over 2020–2024 and 212 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Fayette compare with Pennsylvania?

16.5 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 Fayette involved alcohol?

33.9% 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 alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 33.9%.

Which roads in Fayette see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 40 (27 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 51 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 119 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Fayette?

Most often between noon to 6pm (32% of crashes) and on Saturdays (19%); 40.1% 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.