Fatal Roads

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FIPS55141

Wisconsin · county

Wood County

Residents 73,943Deaths 2024 12Deaths 2015–2024 94Latest 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.

Wood County, Wisconsin, recorded 12 deaths in 12 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 94 deaths in 85 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 73,943 residents, that is 12.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 25% higher than the Wisconsin rate of 10.2 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 42% from 66 in 2005–2014 to 94 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 20.2% against 15.8% for Wisconsin.

38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (27%).

12deaths in 202412 fatal crashes
50deaths, 2020–202494 over ten years
12.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 16.2
+25%vs Wisconsin ratestate 10.2 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01223197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 11 deaths1976: 15 deaths1977: 23 deaths1978: 8 deaths1979: 17 deaths1980: 22 deaths1981: 16 deaths1982: 10 deaths1983: 13 deaths1984: 5 deaths1985: 15 deaths1986: 11 deaths1987: 11 deaths1988: 13 deaths1989: 15 deaths1990: 4 deaths1991: 19 deaths1992: 7 deaths1993: 7 deaths1994: 11 deaths1995: 15 deaths1996: 12 deaths1997: 6 deaths1998: 12 deaths1999: 5 deaths2000: 10 deaths2001: 6 deaths2002: 10 deaths2003: 14 deaths2004: 9 deaths2005: 7 deaths2006: 9 deaths2007: 12 deaths2008: 1–2 deaths2009: 4 deaths2010: 7 deaths2011: 7 deaths2012: 4 deaths2013: 10 deaths2014: 4 deaths2015: 11 deaths2016: 6 deaths2017: 11 deaths2018: 5 deaths2019: 11 deaths2020: 17 deaths2021: 7 deaths2022: 6 deaths2023: 8 deaths2024: 12 deaths
People killed in crashes in Wood County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 12 deaths.

Ten-year total up 42% (66 in 2005–2014, 94 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

MeasureWoodWisconsinUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202412.810.211.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202416.210.011.5
Deaths, 2015–2024945,959389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024855,431358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+42%-5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads72%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 73,943 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking32.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver16.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed20.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used47.3%
In darknesscrashes after dark35.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads71.8%

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 Wood County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 82 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday27%
Sunday18%
Thursday15%
Friday12%
Monday11%
Wednesday11%
Tuesday7%

Light condition

Daylight59%
Dark, not lighted27%
Dark, lighted9%
Dawn5%
Dusk1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Major collector27%
Local25%
Minor arterial24%
Other principal arterial21%
Minor collector2%
Other freeways and expressways1%
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

Cloudy48%
Clear43%
Rain7%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Wood

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 73State highway9373930%14%
2State Route 54State highway9343835%18%
3US Route 10US highway7586928%17%
4State Route 13State highway6485121%27%

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
202412121–216.2WI 2024
2023781–210.8WI 2023
2022661–28.1WI 2022
2021771–29.5WI 2021
20201317423.0WI 2020
2019911414.9WI 2019
2018551–26.8WI 2018
20171111514.9WI 2017
20165638.1WI 2016
20151011514.9WI 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 Wood County, Wisconsin?

12 people died in 12 fatal crashes in 2024; 50 over 2020–2024 and 94 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Wood compare with Wisconsin?

12.8 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 Wood involved alcohol?

32.9% 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 20.2%.

Which roads in Wood see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 73 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 54 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 10 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Wood?

Most often between noon to 6pm (38% of crashes) and on Saturdays (27%); 35.4% 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.