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Wayne County

Residents 51,419Deaths 2024 9Deaths 2015–2024 86Latest 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.

NHTSA's FARS file lists 86 people killed in 80 fatal crashes in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, between 2015 and 2024, 9 of them in 2024.

With 51,419 residents, that is 16.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 87% higher than the Pennsylvania rate of 9.0 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (90) and 2015–2024 (86).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 33.8% against 25.4% for Pennsylvania.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Thursday was the most common day (23%).

9deaths in 20248 fatal crashes
43deaths, 2020–202486 over ten years
16.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 17.5
+87%vs Pennsylvania ratestate 9.0 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01019197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 9 deaths1976: 12 deaths1977: 11 deaths1978: 14 deaths1979: 5 deaths1980: 12 deaths1981: 16 deaths1982: 14 deaths1983: 9 deaths1984: 13 deaths1985: 12 deaths1986: 10 deaths1987: 7 deaths1988: 19 deaths1989: 9 deaths1990: 11 deaths1991: 8 deaths1992: 10 deaths1993: 8 deaths1994: 6 deaths1995: 15 deaths1996: 12 deaths1997: 9 deaths1998: 14 deaths1999: 5 deaths2000: 13 deaths2001: 9 deaths2002: 18 deaths2003: 6 deaths2004: 11 deaths2005: 14 deaths2006: 11 deaths2007: 12 deaths2008: 9 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 8 deaths2011: 5 deaths2012: 8 deaths2013: 6 deaths2014: 11 deaths2015: 8 deaths2016: 12 deaths2017: 6 deaths2018: 6 deaths2019: 11 deaths2020: 9 deaths2021: 10 deaths2022: 6 deaths2023: 9 deaths2024: 9 deaths
People killed in crashes in Wayne County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 9 deaths.

Ten-year total down 4% (90 in 2005–2014, 86 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

MeasureWaynePennsylvaniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202416.89.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202417.58.611.5
Deaths, 2015–20248611,650389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20248010,864358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-4%-15%+7%
Crashes on rural roads89%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 51,419 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking33.8%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver48.8%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.8%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed20.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used58.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark37.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads88.8%

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 Wayne County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 80 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Thursday23%
Friday18%
Saturday18%
Sunday15%
Monday14%
Tuesday9%
Wednesday5%

Light condition

Daylight59%
Dark, not lighted35%
Dark, lighted3%
Dusk3%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial41%
Major collector19%
Local19%
Minor collector18%
Interstate3%
Other principal arterial1%
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

Clear86%
Rain9%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain4%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Cloudy0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Wayne

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 191State highway11262712%39%
2US Route 6US highway69810418%32%
3State Route 1004State highway1273130%37%
4State Route 2004State highway1242729%46%

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
202489317.5PA 2024
202399317.5PA 2023
202266311.7PA 2022
2021910419.4PA 2021
2020891–217.5PA 2020
20191111321.4PA 2019
201866011.7PA 2018
2017661–211.7PA 2017
20161012523.3PA 2016
201578415.6PA 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 Wayne County, Pennsylvania?

9 people died in 8 fatal crashes in 2024; 43 over 2020–2024 and 86 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Wayne compare with Pennsylvania?

16.8 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 Wayne involved alcohol?

33.8% 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 33.8%.

Which roads in Wayne see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 191 (11 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 6 (6 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 1004 (1 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Wayne?

Most often between noon to 6pm (36% of crashes) and on Thursdays (23%); 37.5% 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.