Fatal Roads

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Chippewa County

Residents 67,323Deaths 2024 8Deaths 2015–2024 75Latest 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 75 people killed in 64 fatal crashes in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, between 2015 and 2024, 8 of them in 2024.

With 67,323 residents, that is 11.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Wisconsin rate of 10.2 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 7% from 81 in 2005–2014 to 75 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 13.3% against 9.5% for Wisconsin.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Wednesday was the most common day (23%).

8deaths in 20248 fatal crashes
33deaths, 2020–202475 over ten years
11.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 11.9
+13%vs Wisconsin ratestate 10.2 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0918197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 11 deaths1976: 18 deaths1977: 14 deaths1978: 15 deaths1979: 12 deaths1980: 14 deaths1981: 11 deaths1982: 11 deaths1983: 11 deaths1984: 8 deaths1985: 11 deaths1986: 6 deaths1987: 13 deaths1988: 10 deaths1989: 18 deaths1990: 10 deaths1991: 16 deaths1992: 16 deaths1993: 8 deaths1994: 11 deaths1995: 13 deaths1996: 18 deaths1997: 9 deaths1998: 10 deaths1999: 6 deaths2000: 13 deaths2001: 6 deaths2002: 3 deaths2003: 9 deaths2004: 9 deaths2005: 13 deaths2006: 9 deaths2007: 10 deaths2008: 10 deaths2009: 7 deaths2010: 5 deaths2011: 9 deaths2012: 5 deaths2013: 11 deaths2014: 1–2 deaths2015: 9 deaths2016: 1–2 deaths2017: 12 deaths2018: 14 deaths2019: 6 deaths2020: 9 deaths2021: 6 deaths2022: 6 deaths2023: 4 deaths2024: 8 deaths
People killed in crashes in Chippewa County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 8 deaths.

Ten-year total down 7% (81 in 2005–2014, 75 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 Wisconsin and the nation

MeasureChippewaWisconsinUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202411.510.211.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.910.011.5
Deaths, 2015–2024755,959389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024645,431358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-7%-5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads77%63%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 67,323 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking31.3%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver18.8%
Pedestriansshare of people killed13.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed12%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used46%
In darknesscrashes after dark32.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads76.6%

tick marks the Wisconsin 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 Chippewa County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 61 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Wednesday23%
Saturday23%
Sunday14%
Monday14%
Thursday11%
Friday11%
Tuesday3%

Light condition

Daylight58%
Dark, not lighted29%
Dawn5%
Dusk5%
Dark, lighted3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial38%
Major collector25%
Other principal arterial11%
Local11%
Other freeways and expressways8%
Minor collector8%
Interstate0%

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

Weather

Clear53%
Cloudy39%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain5%
Rain3%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Chippewa

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 29State highway8525831%14%
2State Route 64State highway7253320%12%
3State Route 27State highway5263331%23%
4US Route 53US highway3495120%14%

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
202488411.9WI 2024
2023441–25.9WI 2023
2022561–28.9WI 2022
20215608.9WI 2021
2020991–213.4WI 2020
2019661–28.9WI 2019
201810141–220.8WI 2018
2017812317.8WI 2017
20161–21–20—WI 2016
201589413.4WI 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 Chippewa County, Wisconsin?

8 people died in 8 fatal crashes in 2024; 33 over 2020–2024 and 75 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Chippewa compare with Wisconsin?

11.5 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 10.2 for Wisconsin and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Chippewa involved alcohol?

31.3% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 33.4% in Wisconsin. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 13.3%.

Which roads in Chippewa see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 29 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 64 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 27 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Chippewa?

Most often between noon to 6pm (36% of crashes) and on Wednesdays (23%); 32.3% 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.