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US Route 281
Fatal crashes 2015–2024 20Deaths 21Counties 6Latest 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. The route is the trafficway recorded for each crash (FARS TWAY_ID); the same route number in another state has its own page.
US Route 281 in North Dakota was the trafficway in 20 fatal crashes between 2015 and 2024, in which 21 people died.
That is 2.1% of the 962 fatal crashes in North Dakota over the same years. The ten-year crash count fell 13% from 23 in 2005–2014 to 20 in 2015–2024.
The crashes were concentrated in Rolette County (11), Towner County (3) and Benson County (2) and 3 other counties.
30.0% of the crashes had a driver reported as drinking (North Dakota: 39.7%) and 10.0% had a speeding-related driver (27.0%); pedestrians were 28.6% and motorcyclists 4.8% of those killed.
Fatal crashes per year
Route identification in FARS is consistent from 2000; earlier years are not shown. Shaded band: the ten-year window used for the shares below.
Compared with all fatal crashes in North Dakota
| Measure | US Route 281 | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal crashes, 2015–2024 | 20 | 962 |
| Deaths, 2015–2024 | 21 | 1,060 |
| Deaths per fatal crash | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Share of state fatal crashes | 2.1% | 100% |
| Change vs previous ten years | -13% | -15% |
Factor shares
Counties along the route
| # | County | Fatal crashes on US-281 | Share of route | County total, all roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rolette County | 11 | 55% | 41 |
| 2 | Towner County | 3 | 15% | 7 |
| 3 | Benson County | 2 | 10% | 31 |
| 4 | LaMoure County | 2 | 10% | 9 |
| 5 | Dickey County | 1 | 5% | 9 |
| 6 | Stutsman County | 1 | 5% | 30 |
Hour of day
Share of fatal crashes on US Route 281 beginning in each hour, 2015–2024; tick marks the North Dakota share for all roads.
Where along the route
| Mile marker range | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mile 245–250 | 2 | 10% |
| Mile 0–5 | 1 | 5% |
| Mile 25–30 | 1 | 5% |
| Mile 60–65 | 1 | 5% |
| Mile 140–145 | 1 | 5% |
| Mile 160–165 | 1 | 5% |
Five-mile bins by FARS milepoint, the six with the most fatal crashes; 75% of crashes on the route have a milepoint. Milepoints are as recorded by the state and can restart at county or district lines.
Other routes in North Dakota
- Interstate 94 69
- US Route 2 49
- US Route 83 29
- Interstate 29 28
- State Route 1804 25
- State Route 23 24
- US Route 85 22
All routes and counties in North Dakota
Questions and answers
How many fatal crashes have there been on US Route 281 in North Dakota?
20 fatal crashes with 21 deaths over 2015–2024, per NHTSA's FARS. The route is the trafficway recorded for the crash; the same numbered route in another state has its own page.
Which counties along US Route 281 had the most fatal crashes?
Rolette County (11), Towner County (3), Benson County (2), LaMoure County (2) and Dickey County (1).
What share of crashes on US Route 281 involved alcohol or speeding?
30.0% had a driver reported as drinking and 10.0% a speeding-related driver, against 39.7% and 27.0% for all fatal crashes in North Dakota.
When do fatal crashes happen on US Route 281?
50.0% of the crashes were between 6pm and 6am. The hour chart on this page shows the full distribution.
Provenance
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 2000–2024 (accident, vehicle and person tables), public domain. Route pages are built for signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026. See methodology and corrections.