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Bradley County

Residents 113,782Deaths 2024 15Deaths 2015–2024 136Latest 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 136 people killed in 129 fatal crashes in Bradley County, Tennessee, between 2015 and 2024, 15 of them in 2024.

With 113,782 residents, that is 12.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 26% lower than the Tennessee rate of 16.8 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (137) and 2015–2024 (136).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 22.1% against 13.8% for Tennessee.

31% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Thursday was the most common day (19%).

15deaths in 202413 fatal crashes
73deaths, 2020–2024136 over ten years
12.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 13.2
-26%vs Tennessee ratestate 16.8 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01223197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 13 deaths1976: 11 deaths1977: 13 deaths1978: 17 deaths1979: 9 deaths1980: 12 deaths1981: 12 deaths1982: 20 deaths1983: 14 deaths1984: 16 deaths1985: 21 deaths1986: 7 deaths1987: 16 deaths1988: 21 deaths1989: 17 deaths1990: 13 deaths1991: 18 deaths1992: 16 deaths1993: 9 deaths1994: 14 deaths1995: 10 deaths1996: 13 deaths1997: 13 deaths1998: 20 deaths1999: 10 deaths2000: 15 deaths2001: 11 deaths2002: 23 deaths2003: 14 deaths2004: 15 deaths2005: 14 deaths2006: 17 deaths2007: 14 deaths2008: 11 deaths2009: 15 deaths2010: 15 deaths2011: 11 deaths2012: 23 deaths2013: 8 deaths2014: 9 deaths2015: 20 deaths2016: 11 deaths2017: 15 deaths2018: 10 deaths2019: 7 deaths2020: 11 deaths2021: 19 deaths2022: 17 deaths2023: 11 deaths2024: 15 deaths
People killed in crashes in Bradley County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 15 deaths.

Ten-year total down 1% (137 in 2005–2014, 136 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 Tennessee and the nation

MeasureBradleyTennesseeUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202412.516.811.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202413.216.611.5
Deaths, 2015–202413611,576389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202412910,680358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-1%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads17%43%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 113,782 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking24.8%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver19.4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed8.8%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed22.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used37.2%
In darknesscrashes after dark54.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads17.1%

tick marks the Tennessee 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 Bradley County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 124 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Thursday19%
Sunday18%
Wednesday18%
Saturday13%
Friday12%
Monday11%
Tuesday10%

Light condition

Dark, not lighted43%
Daylight42%
Dark, lighted12%
Dusk3%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial24%
Interstate22%
Minor arterial19%
Local14%
Major collector11%
Minor collector7%
Other freeways and expressways4%

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

Weather

Clear89%
Cloudy7%
Rain4%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Bradley

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 75Interstate2816518115%10%
2State Route 60State highway14212433%24%
3US Route 11US highway1011211919%13%
4US Route 64US highway716819325%10%

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
202413151–213.2TN 2024
2023111139.7TN 2023
20221617514.9TN 2022
20211819616.7TN 2021
202011111–29.7TN 2020
2019771–26.2TN 2019
2018101038.8TN 2018
20171415313.2TN 2017
201611111–29.7TN 2016
20151820717.6TN 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 Bradley County, Tennessee?

15 people died in 13 fatal crashes in 2024; 73 over 2020–2024 and 136 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Bradley compare with Tennessee?

12.5 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 16.8 for Tennessee and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Bradley involved alcohol?

24.8% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 24.5% in Tennessee. The factor furthest above the state share was motorcyclists at 22.1%.

Which roads in Bradley see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 75 (28 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 60 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 11 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Bradley?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (31% of crashes) and on Thursdays (19%); 54.3% 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.