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Lawrence County

Residents 46,467Deaths 2024 14Deaths 2015–2024 82Latest 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 82 people killed in 75 fatal crashes in Lawrence County, Tennessee, between 2015 and 2024, 14 of them in 2024.

With 46,467 residents, that is 18.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Tennessee rate of 16.8 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 11% from 92 in 2005–2014 to 82 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 12.2% against 13.8% for Tennessee.

44% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Sunday was the most common day (23%).

14deaths in 202413 fatal crashes
51deaths, 2020–202482 over ten years
18.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 30.1
+10%vs Tennessee ratestate 16.8 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0917197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 5 deaths1976: 5 deaths1977: 6 deaths1978: 7 deaths1979: 16 deaths1980: 7 deaths1981: 9 deaths1982: 9 deaths1983: 9 deaths1984: 7 deaths1985: 7 deaths1986: 11 deaths1987: 11 deaths1988: 12 deaths1989: 9 deaths1990: 5 deaths1991: 11 deaths1992: 15 deaths1993: 15 deaths1994: 15 deaths1995: 12 deaths1996: 15 deaths1997: 10 deaths1998: 8 deaths1999: 10 deaths2000: 6 deaths2001: 9 deaths2002: 10 deaths2003: 16 deaths2004: 15 deaths2005: 15 deaths2006: 14 deaths2007: 6 deaths2008: 7 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 4 deaths2011: 14 deaths2012: 17 deaths2013: 4 deaths2014: 5 deaths2015: 8 deaths2016: 6 deaths2017: 6 deaths2018: 4 deaths2019: 7 deaths2020: 7 deaths2021: 11 deaths2022: 11 deaths2023: 8 deaths2024: 14 deaths
People killed in crashes in Lawrence County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 14 deaths.

Ten-year total down 11% (92 in 2005–2014, 82 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

MeasureLawrenceTennesseeUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202418.516.811.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202430.116.611.5
Deaths, 2015–20248211,576389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20247510,680358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-11%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads74%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 46,467 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking14.7%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed6.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed12.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used58.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark24.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads74.3%

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 Lawrence County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 71 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday23%
Saturday19%
Thursday17%
Friday15%
Tuesday11%
Wednesday9%
Monday7%

Light condition

Daylight73%
Dark, not lighted18%
Dark, lighted7%
Dusk3%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial42%
Major collector20%
Local16%
Minor collector12%
Minor arterial9%
Interstate0%
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

Clear75%
Cloudy13%
Rain9%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Lawrence

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 43US highway2232359%13%
2US Route 64US highway1016819325%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
202413141–230.1TN 2024
202378017.2TN 2023
20228111–223.7TN 2022
202111111–223.7TN 2021
2020771–215.1TN 2020
2019671–215.1TN 2019
2018441–28.6TN 2018
2017561–212.9TN 2017
201666012.9TN 2016
201588017.2TN 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 Lawrence County, Tennessee?

14 people died in 13 fatal crashes in 2024; 51 over 2020–2024 and 82 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Lawrence compare with Tennessee?

18.5 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 Lawrence involved alcohol?

14.7% 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 12.2%.

Which roads in Lawrence see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 43 (22 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 64 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Lawrence?

Most often between noon to 6pm (44% of crashes) and on Sundays (23%); 24.7% 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.