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Madison County

Residents 100,409Deaths 2024 27Deaths 2015–2024 190Latest 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, Madison County (Tennessee) had 23 fatal crashes with 27 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 164 fatal crashes and 190 deaths.

With 100,409 residents, that is 19.3 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 was about level between 2005–2014 (186) and 2015–2024 (190).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 27.4% against 24.5% for Tennessee.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (21%).

27deaths in 202423 fatal crashes
111deaths, 2020–2024190 over ten years
19.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 26.9
+15%vs Tennessee ratestate 16.8 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01835197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 24 deaths1976: 10 deaths1977: 19 deaths1978: 23 deaths1979: 11 deaths1980: 8 deaths1981: 15 deaths1982: 24 deaths1983: 14 deaths1984: 17 deaths1985: 21 deaths1986: 20 deaths1987: 20 deaths1988: 28 deaths1989: 9 deaths1990: 17 deaths1991: 19 deaths1992: 16 deaths1993: 21 deaths1994: 28 deaths1995: 12 deaths1996: 28 deaths1997: 35 deaths1998: 30 deaths1999: 29 deaths2000: 26 deaths2001: 25 deaths2002: 16 deaths2003: 20 deaths2004: 30 deaths2005: 24 deaths2006: 25 deaths2007: 25 deaths2008: 19 deaths2009: 12 deaths2010: 12 deaths2011: 22 deaths2012: 15 deaths2013: 16 deaths2014: 16 deaths2015: 18 deaths2016: 13 deaths2017: 12 deaths2018: 12 deaths2019: 24 deaths2020: 19 deaths2021: 19 deaths2022: 23 deaths2023: 23 deaths2024: 27 deaths
People killed in crashes in Madison County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 27 deaths.

Ten-year total up 2% (186 in 2005–2014, 190 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

MeasureMadisonTennesseeUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202419.316.811.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202426.916.611.5
Deaths, 2015–202419011,576389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202416410,680358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+2%+8%+7%
Crashes on rural roads43%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 100,409 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking27.4%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver12.2%
Pedestriansshare of people killed8.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed7.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used51.5%
In darknesscrashes after dark45.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads43.3%

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 Madison County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 151 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday21%
Wednesday16%
Monday15%
Tuesday15%
Thursday12%
Sunday12%
Friday10%

Light condition

Daylight51%
Dark, lighted23%
Dark, not lighted22%
Dusk2%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial32%
Minor arterial19%
Interstate16%
Major collector16%
Minor collector11%
Local5%
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

Clear81%
Cloudy11%
Rain7%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Madison

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 40Interstate2758867022%11%
2US Route 45US highway20485417%10%
3US Route 412US highway17768320%3%
4US Route 70US highway1621422825%10%
5US Route 45WUS highway3202315%15%

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
20242327526.9TN 2024
20232023522.9TN 2023
20221923322.9TN 2022
20211919618.9TN 2021
20201419318.9TN 2020
20191924623.9TN 2019
20181112312.0TN 2018
20171212412.0TN 2017
20161213412.9TN 2016
20151518617.9TN 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 Madison County, Tennessee?

27 people died in 23 fatal crashes in 2024; 111 over 2020–2024 and 190 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Madison compare with Tennessee?

19.3 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 Madison involved alcohol?

27.4% 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 alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 27.4%.

Which roads in Madison see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 40 (27 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 45 (20 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 412 (17 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Madison?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (33% of crashes) and on Saturdays (21%); 45.7% 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.