Fatal Roads

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Pierce County

Residents 43,380Deaths 2024 1–2Deaths 2015–2024 48Latest 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, Pierce County (Wisconsin) had fewer than three fatal crashes with fewer than three deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 46 fatal crashes and 48 deaths.

With 43,380 residents, that is 11.3 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 39% from 79 in 2005–2014 to 48 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 39.6% against 15.8% for Wisconsin.

57% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (30%).

1–2deaths in 20241–2 fatal crashes
22deaths, 2020–202448 over ten years
11.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 2.3
+11%vs Wisconsin ratestate 10.2 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0713197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 5 deaths1976: 7 deaths1977: 9 deaths1978: 9 deaths1979: 8 deaths1980: 11 deaths1981: 12 deaths1982: 9 deaths1983: 9 deaths1984: 12 deaths1985: 5 deaths1986: 7 deaths1987: 8 deaths1988: 8 deaths1989: 4 deaths1990: 7 deaths1991: 4 deaths1992: 3 deaths1993: 9 deaths1994: 7 deaths1995: 7 deaths1996: 11 deaths1997: 4 deaths1998: 6 deaths1999: 9 deaths2000: 4 deaths2001: 9 deaths2002: 4 deaths2003: 13 deaths2004: 8 deaths2005: 4 deaths2006: 5 deaths2007: 10 deaths2008: 9 deaths2009: 9 deaths2010: 9 deaths2011: 8 deaths2012: 12 deaths2013: 8 deaths2014: 5 deaths2015: 1–2 deaths2016: 10 deaths2017: 7 deaths2018: 1–2 deaths2019: 5 deaths2020: 8 deaths2021: 6 deaths2022: 4 deaths2023: 3 deaths2024: 1–2 deaths
People killed in crashes in Pierce County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 1–2 deaths.

Ten-year total down 39% (79 in 2005–2014, 48 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

MeasurePierceWisconsinUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202411.310.211.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20242.310.011.5
Deaths, 2015–2024485,959389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024465,431358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-39%-5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads98%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 43,380 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking54.3%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver23.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed4.2%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed39.6%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used48%
In darknesscrashes after dark34.8%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads97.8%

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 Pierce County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 46 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday30%
Sunday20%
Wednesday15%
Tuesday11%
Monday9%
Friday9%
Thursday7%

Light condition

Daylight65%
Dark, not lighted33%
Dark, lighted2%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial43%
Other principal arterial20%
Major collector15%
Local15%
Minor collector7%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Cloudy44%
Clear40%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain9%
Rain7%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Pierce

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 35State highway12849436%21%
2US Route 63US highway9303323%23%
3US Route 10US highway5586928%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
20241–21–21–2—WI 2024
20233306.9WI 2023
2022441–29.2WI 2022
202166513.8WI 2021
202078318.4WI 2020
201955411.5WI 2019
20181–21–20—WI 2018
201777316.1WI 2017
2016910523.1WI 2016
20151–21–21–2—WI 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 Pierce County, Wisconsin?

fewer than three people died in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024; 22 over 2020–2024 and 48 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Pierce compare with Wisconsin?

11.3 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 Pierce involved alcohol?

54.3% 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 motorcyclists at 39.6%.

Which roads in Pierce see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 35 (12 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 63 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 10 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Pierce?

Most often between noon to 6pm (57% of crashes) and on Saturdays (30%); 34.8% 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.