Fatal Roads

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Sweetwater County

Residents 41,273Deaths 2024 5Deaths 2015–2024 121Latest 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 121 people killed in 110 fatal crashes in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, between 2015 and 2024, 5 of them in 2024.

With 41,273 residents, that is 28.4 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 31% higher than the Wyoming rate of 21.6 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 18% from 148 in 2005–2014 to 121 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 6.6% against 5.6% for Wyoming.

35% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Sunday was the most common day (20%).

5deaths in 20245 fatal crashes
64deaths, 2020–2024121 over ten years
28.4per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 12.1
+31%vs Wyoming ratestate 21.6 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02345197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 25 deaths1976: 44 deaths1977: 25 deaths1978: 30 deaths1979: 29 deaths1980: 30 deaths1981: 45 deaths1982: 17 deaths1983: 25 deaths1984: 15 deaths1985: 22 deaths1986: 22 deaths1987: 19 deaths1988: 15 deaths1989: 22 deaths1990: 22 deaths1991: 18 deaths1992: 12 deaths1993: 8 deaths1994: 26 deaths1995: 18 deaths1996: 20 deaths1997: 16 deaths1998: 16 deaths1999: 17 deaths2000: 18 deaths2001: 20 deaths2002: 10 deaths2003: 19 deaths2004: 20 deaths2005: 11 deaths2006: 31 deaths2007: 18 deaths2008: 16 deaths2009: 19 deaths2010: 19 deaths2011: 7 deaths2012: 12 deaths2013: 1–2 deaths2014: 13 deaths2015: 11 deaths2016: 10 deaths2017: 12 deaths2018: 7 deaths2019: 17 deaths2020: 14 deaths2021: 12 deaths2022: 13 deaths2023: 20 deaths2024: 5 deaths
People killed in crashes in Sweetwater County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 5 deaths.

Ten-year total down 18% (148 in 2005–2014, 121 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 Wyoming and the nation

MeasureSweetwaterWyomingUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202428.421.611.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202412.118.211.5
Deaths, 2015–20241211,260389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241101,111358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-18%-14%+7%
Crashes on rural roads76%81%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 41,273 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking18.2%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver33.6%
Pedestriansshare of people killed6.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed13.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used53.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark28.2%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads76.4%

tick marks the Wyoming 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 Sweetwater County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 110 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday20%
Wednesday17%
Thursday16%
Monday14%
Saturday14%
Friday11%
Tuesday8%

Light condition

Daylight70%
Dark, not lighted26%
Dark, lighted2%
Dawn1%
Dusk1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate58%
Major collector13%
Other principal arterial11%
Local10%
Minor arterial6%
Minor collector3%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Weather

Clear82%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain9%
Rain5%
Cloudy3%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow2%
Fog, smog or smoke0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Sweetwater

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 80Interstate6317119913%33%
2US Route 30US highway1313416%36%

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
202455312.1WY 2024
202319201–248.5WY 2023
202212131–231.5WY 2022
202111121–229.1WY 2021
202012141–233.9WY 2020
201914171–241.2WY 2019
201877317.0WY 2018
201710121–229.1WY 2017
201610101–224.2WY 2016
20151011326.7WY 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 Sweetwater County, Wyoming?

5 people died in 5 fatal crashes in 2024; 64 over 2020–2024 and 121 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Sweetwater compare with Wyoming?

28.4 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 21.6 for Wyoming and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Sweetwater involved alcohol?

18.2% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 32.5% in Wyoming. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 6.6%.

Which roads in Sweetwater see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 80 (63 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 30 (1 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Sweetwater?

Most often between noon to 6pm (35% of crashes) and on Sundays (20%); 28.2% 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.