Fatal Roads

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Northampton County

Residents 322,989Deaths 2024 15Deaths 2015–2024 213Latest 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, Northampton County (Pennsylvania) had 15 fatal crashes with 15 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 194 fatal crashes and 213 deaths.

With 322,989 residents, that is 6.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 23% lower than the Pennsylvania rate of 9.0 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 17% from 257 in 2005–2014 to 213 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 19.2% against 17.3% for Pennsylvania.

37% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Friday was the most common day (16%).

15deaths in 202415 fatal crashes
95deaths, 2020–2024213 over ten years
6.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 4.6
-23%vs Pennsylvania ratestate 9.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02345197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 25 deaths1976: 32 deaths1977: 34 deaths1978: 38 deaths1979: 45 deaths1980: 35 deaths1981: 38 deaths1982: 33 deaths1983: 25 deaths1984: 29 deaths1985: 26 deaths1986: 22 deaths1987: 37 deaths1988: 30 deaths1989: 39 deaths1990: 18 deaths1991: 23 deaths1992: 34 deaths1993: 27 deaths1994: 22 deaths1995: 20 deaths1996: 28 deaths1997: 28 deaths1998: 26 deaths1999: 34 deaths2000: 29 deaths2001: 27 deaths2002: 27 deaths2003: 20 deaths2004: 37 deaths2005: 32 deaths2006: 31 deaths2007: 22 deaths2008: 22 deaths2009: 24 deaths2010: 29 deaths2011: 27 deaths2012: 23 deaths2013: 18 deaths2014: 29 deaths2015: 28 deaths2016: 29 deaths2017: 26 deaths2018: 21 deaths2019: 14 deaths2020: 21 deaths2021: 13 deaths2022: 24 deaths2023: 22 deaths2024: 15 deaths
People killed in crashes in Northampton County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 15 deaths.

Ten-year total down 17% (257 in 2005–2014, 213 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

MeasureNorthamptonPennsylvaniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20246.99.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20244.68.611.5
Deaths, 2015–202421311,650389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202419410,864358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-17%-15%+7%
Crashes on rural roads39%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 322,989 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking23.2%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver30.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed13.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed19.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used43.2%
In darknesscrashes after dark38.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads39.4%

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 Northampton County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 194 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday16%
Wednesday15%
Saturday15%
Thursday14%
Tuesday14%
Monday13%
Sunday12%

Light condition

Daylight59%
Dark, not lighted23%
Dark, lighted14%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown1%
Dawn0%

Road type

Other principal arterial30%
Local21%
Minor arterial20%
Major collector15%
Other freeways and expressways8%
Minor collector4%
Interstate3%

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

Clear86%
Rain10%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain3%
Cloudy1%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Northampton

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 33State highway19233117%39%
2State Route 248State highway18222318%32%
3State Route 611State highway1311211822%37%
4US Route 22US highway813615024%49%
5Interstate 78Interstate450638%52%
6State Route 1002State highway3262827%35%
7State Route 1011State highway3202135%30%
8State Route 1004State highway2273130%37%
9State Route 1015State highway2212214%43%
10State Route 3007State highway1434926%35%

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
2024151534.6PA 2024
202319221–26.8PA 2023
2022212447.4PA 2022
2021131334.0PA 2021
2020202146.5PA 2020
201914141–24.3PA 2019
2018192156.5PA 2018
2017242638.0PA 2017
20162429109.0PA 2016
2015252898.7PA 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 Northampton County, Pennsylvania?

15 people died in 15 fatal crashes in 2024; 95 over 2020–2024 and 213 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Northampton compare with Pennsylvania?

6.9 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 Northampton involved alcohol?

23.2% 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 motorcyclists at 19.2%.

Which roads in Northampton see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 33 (19 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 248 (18 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 611 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Northampton?

Most often between noon to 6pm (37% of crashes) and on Fridays (16%); 38.1% 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.