Fatal Roads

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AR

State

Arkansas

Residents 3,088,354Deaths 2024 603Deaths 2015–2024 5,846Counties 75Routes with pages 16

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.

In 2024, 603 people died in 547 fatal crashes in Arkansas; the ten years 2015–2024 total 5,846 deaths in 5,324 crashes.

That is 19.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 64% higher than the national rate of 11.8. The ten-year total was about level between 2005–2014 (5,814) and 2015–2024 (5,846).

Relative to the national shares, alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) stands out most: 26.5% of fatal crashes against 26.3% nationally. 63.1% of the state's fatal crashes were on rural roads and 43.1% happened after dark.

Among counties with at least 50 deaths in the ten years, the highest rates per 100,000 residents were in Lawrence County (50.6), Clay County (37.0) and Hempstead County (36.3).

603deaths in 2024547 fatal crashes
19.3per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024US 11.8
+1%ten-year change in deaths5,814 → 5,846
27%crashes with a drinking driverUS 26%

Trend since 1975

0352703197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 559 deaths1976: 531 deaths1977: 551 deaths1978: 571 deaths1979: 548 deaths1980: 588 deaths1981: 536 deaths1982: 550 deaths1983: 557 deaths1984: 525 deaths1985: 534 deaths1986: 603 deaths1987: 639 deaths1988: 610 deaths1989: 647 deaths1990: 604 deaths1991: 608 deaths1992: 588 deaths1993: 583 deaths1994: 609 deaths1995: 631 deaths1996: 615 deaths1997: 660 deaths1998: 625 deaths1999: 604 deaths2000: 652 deaths2001: 611 deaths2002: 640 deaths2003: 640 deaths2004: 703 deaths2005: 654 deaths2006: 665 deaths2007: 649 deaths2008: 600 deaths2009: 596 deaths2010: 571 deaths2011: 551 deaths2012: 560 deaths2013: 498 deaths2014: 470 deaths2015: 550 deaths2016: 561 deaths2017: 525 deaths2018: 520 deaths2019: 511 deaths2020: 651 deaths2021: 692 deaths2022: 637 deaths2023: 596 deaths2024: 603 deaths
People killed in crashes in Arkansas by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 603 deaths.

Rate per 100,000 residents, 2000–2024

013262000200520102015202020242000: 24.32001: 22.72002: 23.72003: 23.52004: 25.62005: 23.52006: 23.62007: 22.82008: 20.92009: 20.62010: 19.52011: 18.72012: 192013: 16.82014: 15.82015: 18.52016: 18.82017: 17.52018: 17.32019: 16.92020: 21.62021: 22.92022: 20.92023: 19.42024: 19.5
Deaths per 100,000 residents in Arkansas and nationally, 2000–2024. Latest point: 2024, 19.5. this page United States

Year pages: 20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975

Compared with the nation

MeasureArkansasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202419.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202419.511.5
Deaths, 2015–20245,846389,190
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+1%+7%
Share of the national toll1.5%100%

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking26.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver22.2%
Pedestriansshare of people killed11%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed13.7%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used54.2%
In darknesscrashes after dark43.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads63.1%

tick marks the US share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

Counties ranked by rate

Deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024. Small counties on through routes can rank high on few deaths; the deaths column gives the scale. Counties with fewer than 10 fatal crashes in the ten years show no factor shares.

#CountyResidentsDeaths 2015–2024Per 100k / yrDeaths 2024AlcoholSpeeding
1Monroe County6,4154261.6426%3%
2Lawrence County16,3058350.6920%27%
3Chicot County9,2724847.0024%29%
4Searcy County7,8363645.71–221%15%
5Newton County7,0263141.647%30%
6Prairie County7,9353340.6932%13%
7Calhoun County4,6902040.51–210%35%
8Montgomery County8,5103540.0629%12%
9Fulton County12,5464939.9718%25%
10Clay County14,1125437.01427%15%
11Nevada County8,0043036.4421%14%
12Hempstead County19,1057536.3923%15%
13Hot Spring County33,31312035.9626%21%
14Franklin County17,5866335.91115%35%
15Cleveland County7,3672835.91–216%36%
16Scott County9,8373635.7421%24%
17St. Francis County21,8228133.6620%24%
18Poinsett County22,3007833.6926%16%
19Madison County17,8655633.4325%23%
20Carroll County28,9688730.7635%30%
21Little River County11,6263730.6334%25%
22Sharp County18,1305330.4726%15%
23Crittenden County46,63314530.21622%16%
24Sevier County15,7354829.3443%27%
25Grant County18,5465329.11–213%30%
26Clark County20,9206328.9428%30%
27Polk County19,4345628.4829%15%
28Dallas County6,0761928.11–235%53%
29Stone County12,7853527.9524%27%
30Perry County10,2512827.4325%14%
31Jackson County16,6734526.7334%24%
32Cleburne County25,6466726.6831%16%
33Drew County16,9354726.5433%16%
34Independence County38,34510026.41032%26%
35Yell County20,1345526.4535%26%
36Howard County12,3873426.31–255%21%
37Lee County8,1042326.21–225%15%
38Miller County41,95811226.0829%29%
39Bradley County9,9352725.61–226%26%
40Ouachita County21,6845724.8436%27%
41Randolph County19,0404524.61–226%21%
42Phillips County14,6614124.11–223%5%
43Union County37,0089123.5929%31%
44Ashley County17,9844422.7530%11%
45Conway County21,4224722.4326%30%
46Cross County16,1943621.6312%18%
47Logan County21,4574621.4844%26%
48Garland County99,90221221.32327%25%
49Jefferson County63,67214121.01425%11%
50Marion County17,5933520.8418%9%
51Mississippi County38,0958119.91028%19%
52White County79,09115519.81922%20%
53Boone County38,6367519.8520%30%
54Columbia County22,0244519.5641%41%
55Baxter County43,0078019.11130%18%
56Desha County10,3212118.7325%25%
57Van Buren County16,1523018.41–227%15%
58Pulaski County401,20971418.09128%19%
59Arkansas County16,0503118.01–236%26%
60Greene County46,9287917.3618%12%
61Pike County10,0271817.31–26%12%
62Lonoke County76,38912717.21726%22%
63Craighead County115,85218516.82226%22%
64Johnson County26,1724416.8521%21%
65Lincoln County12,8682115.91–216%16%
66Lafayette County6,0151015.41–2——
67Crawford County62,2589214.8823%23%
68Pope County64,8299414.71022%32%
69Izard County14,2912014.5340%20%
70Woodruff County5,808914.30——
71Faulkner County131,61116413.01827%21%
72Saline County131,25215012.11229%31%
73Sebastian County130,03515111.81529%29%
74Washington County266,18426210.72324%24%
75Benton County321,5662619.22730%24%

Routes with the most fatal crashes

#RouteTypeFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 40Interstate667724%20%
2Interstate 30Interstate636814%13%
3US Route 71US highway465015%13%
4US Route 70US highway465226%13%
5US Route 67US highway424933%10%
6State Route 5State highway323528%16%
7US Route 65US highway31377%3%
8Interstate 49Interstate272919%26%
9US Route 167US highway262712%12%
10US Route 62US highway252820%20%
11US Route 64US highway242821%4%
12US Route 270US highway242938%21%
13US Route 412US highway232713%22%
14US Route 63US highway222623%32%
15State Route 7State highway222314%14%
16US Route 49US highway22235%14%

Signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024; 16 routes in Arkansas qualify. Local streets and county roads are not listed. Long routes carry more traffic and so more crashes; this is a count, not a rate.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Arkansas by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 5,311 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday17%
Friday15%
Thursday14%
Sunday14%
Monday14%
Tuesday14%
Wednesday13%

Light condition

Daylight53%
Dark, not lighted34%
Dark, lighted8%
Dusk2%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Other principal arterial29%
Minor arterial21%
Major collector17%
Local15%
Interstate15%
Other freeways and expressways2%
Minor collector1%

FHWA functional classes (FARS FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the national share. What the classes mean.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Arkansas in 2024?

603 people in 547 fatal crashes, per NHTSA's FARS annual file. Over 2015–2024 the total is 5,846.

How does Arkansas compare with the national rate?

19.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 11.8 nationally; in 2024 alone, 19.5 against 11.5.

Which counties in Arkansas have the most fatal crashes?

By deaths over 2015–2024: Pulaski County (714), Washington County (262) and Benton County (261). The county table ranks by rate per 100,000 residents instead, which is a fairer comparison across sizes.

What share of fatal crashes in Arkansas involved alcohol or speeding?

26.5% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had a driver reported as drinking (US: 26.3%) and 22.2% had a speeding-related driver (US: 27.2%).

Which routes in Arkansas have the most fatal crashes?

Interstate 40 (66 fatal crashes, 2015–2024), Interstate 30 (63 fatal crashes, 2015–2024) and US Route 71 (46 fatal crashes, 2015–2024). Route pages exist for signed routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in the ten years.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files 1975–2024; US Census Bureau Population Estimates Program. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026. See methodology, sources and corrections.