Fatal Roads

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Cumberland County

Residents 65,618Deaths 2024 14Deaths 2015–2024 143Latest 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, Cumberland County (Tennessee) had 12 fatal crashes with 14 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 133 fatal crashes and 143 deaths.

With 65,618 residents, that is 23.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 39% higher than the Tennessee rate of 16.8 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 9% from 131 in 2005–2014 to 143 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 15.4% against 13.8% for Tennessee.

37% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Friday was the most common day (22%).

14deaths in 202412 fatal crashes
74deaths, 2020–2024143 over ten years
23.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 21.3
+39%vs Tennessee ratestate 16.8 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01223197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 11 deaths1976: 8 deaths1977: 9 deaths1978: 21 deaths1979: 14 deaths1980: 15 deaths1981: 13 deaths1982: 7 deaths1983: 8 deaths1984: 9 deaths1985: 9 deaths1986: 11 deaths1987: 10 deaths1988: 22 deaths1989: 7 deaths1990: 20 deaths1991: 14 deaths1992: 10 deaths1993: 22 deaths1994: 9 deaths1995: 17 deaths1996: 17 deaths1997: 11 deaths1998: 16 deaths1999: 12 deaths2000: 23 deaths2001: 16 deaths2002: 17 deaths2003: 19 deaths2004: 18 deaths2005: 10 deaths2006: 14 deaths2007: 16 deaths2008: 17 deaths2009: 12 deaths2010: 9 deaths2011: 18 deaths2012: 15 deaths2013: 11 deaths2014: 9 deaths2015: 15 deaths2016: 19 deaths2017: 5 deaths2018: 12 deaths2019: 18 deaths2020: 20 deaths2021: 7 deaths2022: 17 deaths2023: 16 deaths2024: 14 deaths
People killed in crashes in Cumberland County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 14 deaths.

Ten-year total up 9% (131 in 2005–2014, 143 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

MeasureCumberlandTennesseeUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202423.316.811.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202421.316.611.5
Deaths, 2015–202414311,576389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202413310,680358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+9%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads67%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 65,618 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking19.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver14.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.4%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used39.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark36.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads66.9%

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 Cumberland County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 126 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday22%
Saturday17%
Wednesday16%
Thursday14%
Monday14%
Sunday9%
Tuesday8%

Light condition

Daylight62%
Dark, not lighted29%
Dark, lighted7%
Dawn2%
Dusk1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate23%
Other principal arterial20%
Major collector20%
Minor arterial18%
Local11%
Minor collector8%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Clear73%
Cloudy12%
Rain11%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow1%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Cumberland

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 40Interstate3158867022%11%
2US Route 70US highway2221422825%10%
3US Route 127US highway19616321%12%
4State Route 68State highway4515814%10%
5US Route 70NUS highway4292917%7%

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
202412141–221.3TN 2024
20231516324.4TN 2023
202216171–225.9TN 2022
2021771–210.7TN 2021
20202020430.5TN 2020
20191718527.4TN 2019
20181112018.3TN 2018
2017551–27.6TN 2017
20161619429.0TN 2016
20151415322.9TN 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 Cumberland County, Tennessee?

14 people died in 12 fatal crashes in 2024; 74 over 2020–2024 and 143 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Cumberland compare with Tennessee?

23.3 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 Cumberland involved alcohol?

19.5% 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 15.4%.

Which roads in Cumberland see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 40 (31 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 70 (22 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 127 (19 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Cumberland?

Most often between noon to 6pm (37% of crashes) and on Fridays (22%); 36.1% 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.