Fatal Roads

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Wisconsin · county

Rock County

Residents 165,461Deaths 2024 16Deaths 2015–2024 210Latest 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, Rock County (Wisconsin) had 12 fatal crashes with 16 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 191 fatal crashes and 210 deaths.

With 165,461 residents, that is 12.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 26% higher than the Wisconsin rate of 10.2 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 5% from 220 in 2005–2014 to 210 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): 41.4% against 33.4% for Wisconsin.

35% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (22%).

16deaths in 202412 fatal crashes
102deaths, 2020–2024210 over ten years
12.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 9.7
+26%vs Wisconsin ratestate 10.2 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01937197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 18 deaths1976: 19 deaths1977: 16 deaths1978: 28 deaths1979: 22 deaths1980: 20 deaths1981: 27 deaths1982: 23 deaths1983: 26 deaths1984: 21 deaths1985: 32 deaths1986: 23 deaths1987: 17 deaths1988: 19 deaths1989: 33 deaths1990: 19 deaths1991: 20 deaths1992: 17 deaths1993: 22 deaths1994: 33 deaths1995: 20 deaths1996: 33 deaths1997: 11 deaths1998: 20 deaths1999: 26 deaths2000: 25 deaths2001: 23 deaths2002: 31 deaths2003: 37 deaths2004: 21 deaths2005: 35 deaths2006: 27 deaths2007: 32 deaths2008: 17 deaths2009: 19 deaths2010: 24 deaths2011: 24 deaths2012: 18 deaths2013: 11 deaths2014: 13 deaths2015: 18 deaths2016: 23 deaths2017: 13 deaths2018: 31 deaths2019: 23 deaths2020: 25 deaths2021: 31 deaths2022: 17 deaths2023: 13 deaths2024: 16 deaths
People killed in crashes in Rock County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 16 deaths.

Ten-year total down 5% (220 in 2005–2014, 210 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

MeasureRockWisconsinUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202412.910.211.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20249.710.011.5
Deaths, 2015–20242105,959389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241915,431358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-5%-5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads59%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 165,461 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking41.4%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver28.8%
Pedestriansshare of people killed7.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used50.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark37.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads59.2%

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 Rock County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 188 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday22%
Sunday18%
Friday14%
Thursday14%
Wednesday12%
Monday11%
Tuesday9%

Light condition

Daylight56%
Dark, not lighted26%
Dark, lighted11%
Dusk4%
Dawn3%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Other principal arterial34%
Minor arterial26%
Local14%
Interstate12%
Major collector10%
Minor collector4%
Other freeways and expressways1%

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%
Cloudy36%
Rain5%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain3%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow1%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Rock

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 14US highway21596531%14%
2Interstate 39Interstate15687818%24%
3US Route 51US highway12737632%30%
4State Route 81State highway12262635%23%
5State Route 59State highway9303130%23%
6Interstate 43Interstate7839729%30%
7State Route 11State highway7495531%27%
8State Route 26State highway6232622%44%
9State Route 67State highway2212229%10%
10US Route 12US highway110812028%21%

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
2024121649.7WI 2024
2023131377.9WI 2023
20221517710.3WI 2022
202129311118.7WI 2021
20202225915.1WI 2020
20192223913.9WI 2019
201828311118.7WI 2018
2017131357.9WI 2017
201620231013.9WI 2016
20151718610.9WI 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 Rock County, Wisconsin?

16 people died in 12 fatal crashes in 2024; 102 over 2020–2024 and 210 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Rock compare with Wisconsin?

12.9 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 Rock involved alcohol?

41.4% 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 alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 41.4%.

Which roads in Rock see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 14 (21 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 39 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 51 (12 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Rock?

Most often between noon to 6pm (35% of crashes) and on Saturdays (22%); 37.9% 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.