Fatal Roads

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Montgomery County

Residents 879,190Deaths 2024 50Deaths 2015–2024 420Latest 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, Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) had 45 fatal crashes with 50 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 402 fatal crashes and 420 deaths.

With 879,190 residents, that is 5.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 44% lower than the Pennsylvania rate of 9.0 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 5% from 443 in 2005–2014 to 420 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 23.1% against 14.3% for Pennsylvania.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Thursday was the most common day (17%).

50deaths in 202445 fatal crashes
229deaths, 2020–2024420 over ten years
5.0per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 5.7
-44%vs Pennsylvania ratestate 9.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

04692197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 87 deaths1976: 78 deaths1977: 68 deaths1978: 67 deaths1979: 92 deaths1980: 76 deaths1981: 84 deaths1982: 82 deaths1983: 71 deaths1984: 89 deaths1985: 82 deaths1986: 75 deaths1987: 92 deaths1988: 67 deaths1989: 74 deaths1990: 57 deaths1991: 59 deaths1992: 54 deaths1993: 59 deaths1994: 46 deaths1995: 56 deaths1996: 72 deaths1997: 66 deaths1998: 69 deaths1999: 47 deaths2000: 62 deaths2001: 63 deaths2002: 60 deaths2003: 78 deaths2004: 57 deaths2005: 44 deaths2006: 54 deaths2007: 57 deaths2008: 45 deaths2009: 42 deaths2010: 33 deaths2011: 46 deaths2012: 44 deaths2013: 40 deaths2014: 38 deaths2015: 34 deaths2016: 32 deaths2017: 43 deaths2018: 50 deaths2019: 32 deaths2020: 35 deaths2021: 39 deaths2022: 53 deaths2023: 52 deaths2024: 50 deaths
People killed in crashes in Montgomery County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 50 deaths.

Ten-year total down 5% (443 in 2005–2014, 420 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

MeasureMontgomeryPennsylvaniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20245.09.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20245.78.611.5
Deaths, 2015–202442011,650389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202440210,864358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-5%-15%+7%
Crashes on rural roads17%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 879,190 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking22.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver38.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed23.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed17.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used58.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark48%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads17.3%

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 Montgomery County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 402 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Thursday17%
Saturday15%
Friday14%
Sunday14%
Wednesday14%
Tuesday13%
Monday13%

Light condition

Daylight46%
Dark, not lighted24%
Dark, lighted23%
Dawn3%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial40%
Local20%
Minor arterial19%
Interstate8%
Major collector6%
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 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%
Rain14%
Cloudy5%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Montgomery

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 202US highway16434714%42%
2State Route 309State highway15818919%33%
3US Route 422US highway1311111823%39%
4Interstate 476Interstate12515620%45%
5State Route 73State highway11323419%31%
6State Route 611State highway911211822%37%
7State Route 29State highway9343627%44%
8Interstate 76Interstate812314219%49%
9State Route 23State highway5323519%41%
10State Route 100State highway5232526%39%

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
2024455085.7PA 2024
2023475295.9PA 2023
20225153196.0PA 2022
20213839124.4PA 2021
2020353574.0PA 2020
2019303283.6PA 2019
2018495075.7PA 2018
20174243114.9PA 2017
2016323273.6PA 2016
2015333443.9PA 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 Montgomery County, Pennsylvania?

50 people died in 45 fatal crashes in 2024; 229 over 2020–2024 and 420 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Montgomery compare with Pennsylvania?

5.0 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 Montgomery involved alcohol?

22.9% 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 pedestrians at 23.1%.

Which roads in Montgomery see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 202 (16 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 309 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 422 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Montgomery?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (33% of crashes) and on Thursdays (17%); 48.0% 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.