Fatal Roads

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West Virginia · county

Morgan County

Residents 17,780Deaths 2024 1–2Deaths 2015–2024 23Latest 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.

Morgan County, West Virginia, recorded fewer than three deaths in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 23 deaths in 21 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 17,780 residents, that is 13.1 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 14% lower than the West Virginia rate of 15.2 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 23% from 30 in 2005–2014 to 23 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 42.9% against 26.7% for West Virginia.

43% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Sunday was the most common day (24%).

1–2deaths in 20241–2 fatal crashes
11deaths, 2020–202423 over ten years
13.1per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 5.6
-14%vs West Virginia ratestate 15.2 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

059197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 3 deaths1976: 1–2 deaths1977: 5 deaths1978: 3 deaths1979: 1–2 deaths1980: 4 deaths1981: 1–2 deaths1982: 1–2 deaths1983: 5 deaths1984: 1–2 deaths1985: 5 deaths1986: 5 deaths1987: 5 deaths1988: 1–2 deaths1989: 9 deaths1990: 3 deaths1991: 1–2 deaths1992: 6 deaths1993: 5 deaths1994: 4 deaths1995: 4 deaths1996: 5 deaths1997: 1–2 deaths1998: 5 deaths1999: 0 deaths2000: 0 deaths2001: 8 deaths2002: 3 deaths2003: 1–2 deaths2004: 7 deaths2005: 5 deaths2006: 6 deaths2007: 3 deaths2008: 5 deaths2009: 5 deaths2010: 1–2 deaths2011: 0 deaths2012: 0 deaths2013: 1–2 deaths2014: 3 deaths2015: 0 deaths2016: 4 deaths2017: 1–2 deaths2018: 1–2 deaths2019: 6 deaths2020: 3 deaths2021: 3 deaths2022: 1–2 deaths2023: 3 deaths2024: 1–2 deaths
People killed in crashes in Morgan County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 1–2 deaths.

Ten-year total down 23% (30 in 2005–2014, 23 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 West Virginia and the nation

MeasureMorganWest VirginiaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202413.115.211.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20245.614.511.5
Deaths, 2015–2024232,726389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024212,517358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-23%-23%+7%
Crashes on rural roads100%64%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 17,780 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking38.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver42.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed4.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed4.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used50%
In darknesscrashes after dark19%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads100%

tick marks the West Virginia 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 Morgan County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 21 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday24%
Thursday24%
Friday24%
Tuesday14%
Saturday10%
Wednesday5%
Monday0%

Light condition

Daylight81%
Dark, not lighted14%
Dark, lighted5%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial62%
Local19%
Major collector14%
Minor collector5%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor arterial0%

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

Weather

Clear70%
Cloudy20%
Rain10%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Morgan

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 9State highway6323322%28%

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—WV 2024
2023331–216.9WV 2023
20221–21–21–2—WV 2022
2021331–216.9WV 2021
2020331–216.9WV 2020
2019461–233.7WV 2019
20181–21–20—WV 2018
20171–21–20—WV 2017
2016441–222.5WV 2016
2015000—WV 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 Morgan County, West Virginia?

fewer than three people died in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024; 11 over 2020–2024 and 23 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Morgan compare with West Virginia?

13.1 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 15.2 for West Virginia and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Morgan involved alcohol?

38.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 27.2% in West Virginia. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 42.9%.

Which roads in Morgan see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 9 (6 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Morgan?

Most often between noon to 6pm (43% of crashes) and on Sundays (24%); 19.0% 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.