Fatal Roads

States › Virginia › Frederick County

FIPS51069

Virginia · county

Frederick County

Residents 98,109Deaths 2024 15Deaths 2015–2024 128Latest 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.

Frederick County, Virginia, recorded 15 deaths in 10 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 128 deaths in 113 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 98,109 residents, that is 14.1 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 40% higher than the Virginia rate of 10.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 12% from 114 in 2005–2014 to 128 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 32.7% against 29.4% for Virginia.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Monday was the most common day (17%).

15deaths in 202410 fatal crashes
59deaths, 2020–2024128 over ten years
14.1per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 15.3
+40%vs Virginia ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01122197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 12 deaths1976: 12 deaths1977: 16 deaths1978: 7 deaths1979: 7 deaths1980: 10 deaths1981: 21 deaths1982: 7 deaths1983: 10 deaths1984: 10 deaths1985: 16 deaths1986: 20 deaths1987: 13 deaths1988: 16 deaths1989: 12 deaths1990: 17 deaths1991: 15 deaths1992: 4 deaths1993: 13 deaths1994: 11 deaths1995: 12 deaths1996: 8 deaths1997: 21 deaths1998: 8 deaths1999: 6 deaths2000: 14 deaths2001: 12 deaths2002: 14 deaths2003: 12 deaths2004: 13 deaths2005: 13 deaths2006: 12 deaths2007: 11 deaths2008: 7 deaths2009: 12 deaths2010: 9 deaths2011: 15 deaths2012: 15 deaths2013: 11 deaths2014: 9 deaths2015: 13 deaths2016: 10 deaths2017: 22 deaths2018: 13 deaths2019: 11 deaths2020: 14 deaths2021: 9 deaths2022: 14 deaths2023: 7 deaths2024: 15 deaths
People killed in crashes in Frederick County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 15 deaths.

Ten-year total up 12% (114 in 2005–2014, 128 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 Virginia and the nation

MeasureFrederickVirginiaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202414.110.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202415.310.411.5
Deaths, 2015–20241288,664389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241138,138358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+12%+5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads54%55%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 98,109 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking32.7%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver28.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.5%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed10.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used47.6%
In darknesscrashes after dark46%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads54%

tick marks the Virginia 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 Frederick County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 113 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Monday17%
Tuesday17%
Thursday16%
Saturday16%
Sunday14%
Friday12%
Wednesday8%

Light condition

Daylight51%
Dark, not lighted42%
Dark, lighted4%
Dawn2%
Dusk1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial41%
Major collector19%
Interstate18%
Minor arterial12%
Minor collector4%
Local4%
Other freeways and expressways3%

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

Weather

Cloudy55%
Rain45%
Clear0%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Frederick

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 50US highway25596324%25%
2Interstate 81Interstate2024127217%18%
3US Route 522US highway18676924%24%
4State Route 7State highway8515618%31%
5US Route 11US highway513615124%29%
6Interstate 66Interstate1626718%26%

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
20241015615.3VA 2024
2023771–27.1VA 2023
202212141–214.3VA 2022
20219939.2VA 2021
20201314614.3VA 2020
20191011311.2VA 2019
20181013613.3VA 2018
20172022622.4VA 2017
201610101–210.2VA 2016
20151213413.3VA 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 Frederick County, Virginia?

15 people died in 10 fatal crashes in 2024; 59 over 2020–2024 and 128 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Frederick compare with Virginia?

14.1 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 10.1 for Virginia and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Frederick involved alcohol?

32.7% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 29.4% in Virginia. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 32.7%.

Which roads in Frederick see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 50 (25 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 81 (20 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 522 (18 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Frederick?

Most often between noon to 6pm (34% of crashes) and on Mondays (17%); 46.0% 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.