Fatal Roads

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Virginia · county

Newport News city

Residents 183,056Deaths 2024 19Deaths 2015–2024 167Latest 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, Newport News city (Virginia) had 17 fatal crashes with 19 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 163 fatal crashes and 167 deaths.

With 183,056 residents, that is 9.2 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Virginia rate of 10.1 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 49% from 112 in 2005–2014 to 167 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 24.6% against 13.9% for Virginia.

38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Friday was the most common day (20%).

19deaths in 202417 fatal crashes
85deaths, 2020–2024167 over ten years
9.2per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 10.4
-9%vs Virginia ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01122197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 16 deaths1976: 15 deaths1977: 17 deaths1978: 14 deaths1979: 14 deaths1980: 16 deaths1981: 20 deaths1982: 13 deaths1983: 12 deaths1984: 19 deaths1985: 16 deaths1986: 10 deaths1987: 9 deaths1988: 19 deaths1989: 13 deaths1990: 18 deaths1991: 11 deaths1992: 14 deaths1993: 14 deaths1994: 11 deaths1995: 16 deaths1996: 16 deaths1997: 14 deaths1998: 16 deaths1999: 11 deaths2000: 10 deaths2001: 10 deaths2002: 11 deaths2003: 14 deaths2004: 12 deaths2005: 14 deaths2006: 8 deaths2007: 13 deaths2008: 9 deaths2009: 13 deaths2010: 12 deaths2011: 13 deaths2012: 9 deaths2013: 10 deaths2014: 11 deaths2015: 15 deaths2016: 17 deaths2017: 16 deaths2018: 17 deaths2019: 17 deaths2020: 22 deaths2021: 16 deaths2022: 16 deaths2023: 12 deaths2024: 19 deaths
People killed in crashes in Newport News city by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 19 deaths.

Ten-year total up 49% (112 in 2005–2014, 167 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

MeasureNewport News cityVirginiaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20249.210.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202410.410.411.5
Deaths, 2015–20241678,664389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241638,138358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+49%+5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads3%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 183,056 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking36.8%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver35.6%
Pedestriansshare of people killed24.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed21.6%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used59.3%
In darknesscrashes after dark64.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads3.1%

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 Newport News city by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 163 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday20%
Saturday16%
Thursday15%
Wednesday14%
Sunday13%
Monday12%
Tuesday10%

Light condition

Dark, lighted53%
Daylight33%
Dark, not lighted10%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown1%
Dawn0%

Road type

Other principal arterial50%
Interstate24%
Major collector11%
Minor arterial8%
Local7%
Other freeways and expressways1%
Minor collector1%

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

Rain55%
Cloudy45%
Clear0%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Newport News city

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 143State highway34434435%23%
2Interstate 64Interstate3027729530%32%
3US Route 17US highway1916417225%24%
4US Route 60US highway1913814630%30%
5Interstate 664Interstate10323225%41%
6US Route 58US highway125927721%18%
7US Route 360US highway114115028%23%

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
20241719610.4VA 2024
2023121236.6VA 2023
2022151668.7VA 2022
2021161648.7VA 2021
20202122812.0VA 2020
2019171769.3VA 2019
20181717109.3VA 2018
2017161648.7VA 2017
2016171759.3VA 2016
2015151588.2VA 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 Newport News city, Virginia?

19 people died in 17 fatal crashes in 2024; 85 over 2020–2024 and 167 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Newport News city compare with Virginia?

9.2 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 Newport News city involved alcohol?

36.8% 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 pedestrians at 24.6%.

Which roads in Newport News city see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 143 (34 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 64 (30 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 17 (19 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Newport News city?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (38% of crashes) and on Fridays (20%); 64.4% 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.