Fatal Roads

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Mason County

Residents 69,632Deaths 2024 15Deaths 2015–2024 115Latest 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 115 people killed in 109 fatal crashes in Mason County, Washington, between 2015 and 2024, 15 of them in 2024.

With 69,632 residents, that is 17.4 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 2.1 times the Washington rate of 8.2 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 25% from 92 in 2005–2014 to 115 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): 39.4% against 31.1% for Washington.

37% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Sunday was the most common day (27%).

15deaths in 202414 fatal crashes
80deaths, 2020–2024115 over ten years
17.4per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 21.5
+112%vs Washington ratestate 8.2 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01121197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 5 deaths1976: 17 deaths1977: 14 deaths1978: 8 deaths1979: 10 deaths1980: 7 deaths1981: 8 deaths1982: 6 deaths1983: 11 deaths1984: 9 deaths1985: 5 deaths1986: 12 deaths1987: 14 deaths1988: 16 deaths1989: 15 deaths1990: 11 deaths1991: 7 deaths1992: 17 deaths1993: 9 deaths1994: 10 deaths1995: 9 deaths1996: 15 deaths1997: 7 deaths1998: 13 deaths1999: 13 deaths2000: 12 deaths2001: 12 deaths2002: 10 deaths2003: 12 deaths2004: 12 deaths2005: 14 deaths2006: 15 deaths2007: 8 deaths2008: 9 deaths2009: 5 deaths2010: 6 deaths2011: 10 deaths2012: 5 deaths2013: 12 deaths2014: 8 deaths2015: 8 deaths2016: 7 deaths2017: 6 deaths2018: 4 deaths2019: 10 deaths2020: 15 deaths2021: 10 deaths2022: 19 deaths2023: 21 deaths2024: 15 deaths
People killed in crashes in Mason County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 15 deaths.

Ten-year total up 25% (92 in 2005–2014, 115 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 Washington and the nation

MeasureMasonWashingtonUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202417.48.211.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202421.59.211.5
Deaths, 2015–20241156,257389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241095,793358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+25%+22%+7%
Crashes on rural roads82%42%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 69,632 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking39.4%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver34.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed9.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed9.6%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used34.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark42.2%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads81.7%

tick marks the Washington 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 Mason County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 109 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday27%
Friday14%
Saturday14%
Monday13%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday12%
Thursday9%

Light condition

Daylight53%
Dark, not lighted32%
Dark, lighted7%
Dusk4%
Dark, lighting unknown3%
Dawn1%

Road type

Major collector37%
Other principal arterial32%
Other freeways and expressways11%
Minor collector8%
Minor arterial7%
Local4%
Interstate0%

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

Weather

Clear64%
Rain19%
Cloudy14%
Fog, smog or smoke4%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Mason

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 101US highway259710935%22%
2State Route 3State highway18424226%17%

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
20241415721.5WA 2024
20232021730.2WA 2023
20221819927.3WA 2022
2021910314.4WA 2021
20201415621.5WA 2020
20199101–214.4WA 2019
2018441–25.7WA 2018
20176648.6WA 2017
201677310.1WA 2016
2015881–211.5WA 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 Mason County, Washington?

15 people died in 14 fatal crashes in 2024; 80 over 2020–2024 and 115 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Mason compare with Washington?

17.4 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 8.2 for Washington and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Mason involved alcohol?

39.4% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 31.1% in Washington. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 39.4%.

Which roads in Mason see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 101 (25 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 3 (18 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Mason?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (37% of crashes) and on Sundays (27%); 42.2% 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.