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Interstate 79
Fatal crashes 2015–2024 92Deaths 106Counties 8Latest 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.
Between 2015 and 2024, FARS records 92 fatal crashes on Interstate 79 in West Virginia, with 106 deaths.
That is 3.7% of the 2,517 fatal crashes in West Virginia over the same years. The ten-year crash count fell 32% from 136 in 2005–2014 to 92 in 2015–2024.
The crashes were concentrated in Braxton County (20), Monongalia County (18) and Kanawha County (15) and 5 other counties.
10.9% of the crashes had a driver reported as drinking (West Virginia: 27.2%) and 16.3% had a speeding-related driver (26.7%); pedestrians were 4.7% and motorcyclists 6.6% 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 West Virginia
| Measure | Interstate 79 | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal crashes, 2015–2024 | 92 | 2,517 |
| Deaths, 2015–2024 | 106 | 2,726 |
| Deaths per fatal crash | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| Share of state fatal crashes | 3.7% | 100% |
| Change vs previous ten years | -32% | -22% |
Factor shares
Counties along the route
| # | County | Fatal crashes on I-79 | Share of route | County total, all roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Braxton County | 20 | 22% | 37 |
| 2 | Monongalia County | 18 | 20% | 98 |
| 3 | Kanawha County | 15 | 16% | 248 |
| 4 | Lewis County | 13 | 14% | 39 |
| 5 | Marion County | 10 | 11% | 43 |
| 6 | Harrison County | 8 | 9% | 60 |
| 7 | Roane County | 6 | 7% | 30 |
| 8 | Clay County | 2 | 2% | 17 |
Hour of day
Share of fatal crashes on Interstate 79 beginning in each hour, 2015–2024; tick marks the West Virginia share for all roads.
Where along the route
| Mile marker range | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mile 80–85 | 7 | 8% |
| Mile 155–160 | 7 | 8% |
| Mile 5–10 | 6 | 7% |
| Mile 10–15 | 6 | 7% |
| Mile 140–145 | 6 | 7% |
| Mile 70–75 | 5 | 5% |
Five-mile bins by FARS milepoint, the six with the most fatal crashes; 100% 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 West Virginia
- US Route 60 99
- Interstate 77 94
- US Route 50 87
- US Route 119 87
- Interstate 64 78
- State Route 2 77
- US Route 19 75
- State Route 16 57
- US Route 33 57
- State Route 10 49
- US Route 52 46
- US Route 219 45
All routes and counties in West Virginia
Questions and answers
How many fatal crashes have there been on Interstate 79 in West Virginia?
92 fatal crashes with 106 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 Interstate 79 had the most fatal crashes?
Braxton County (20), Monongalia County (18), Kanawha County (15), Lewis County (13) and Marion County (10).
What share of crashes on Interstate 79 involved alcohol or speeding?
10.9% had a driver reported as drinking and 16.3% a speeding-related driver, against 27.2% and 26.7% for all fatal crashes in West Virginia.
When do fatal crashes happen on Interstate 79?
38.0% 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.