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1981

Connecticut in 1981

Deaths 518Fatal crashes 480Per 100,000 —US deaths 49,301

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. Final FARS file for 1981.

In 1981, 518 people died in 480 fatal crashes in Connecticut.

The death toll fell 10% from 575 in 1980 to 518 in 1981.

Connecticut accounted for 1.1% of the 49,301 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

49.4% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

35% of the crashes happened between midnight to 6am; Saturday was the most common day.

← 198019811982 →All years

Compared with 1980 and the nation

Measure	Connecticut 1981	Connecticut 1980	United States 1981
Deaths	518	575	49,301
Fatal crashes	480	520	44,000
Deaths per 100,000 residents	—	—	—
Crashes with a drinking driver	49%	51%	41%

Counties in 1981

Every county with a fatal crash in 1981, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 8 counties listed.

County	Fatal crashes	Deaths	Per 100,000	Deaths 2015–2024
Hartford County	117	123	13.8	721
Fairfield County	110	123	13.1	516
New Haven County	92	101	11.9	810
New London County	50	54	20.4	281
Litchfield County	38	42	23.4	204
Middlesex County	34	34	21.0	149
Tolland County	26	27	17.9	143
Windham County	13	14	12.0	159

Per 100,000 uses the 2024 population estimate for every year, so early-year rates are understated where a county has grown.

Hour of day

12am7.9%

1am11.3%

2am7.5%

3am5%

4am2.1%

5am1%

6am1.5%

7am3.5%

8am1.7%

9am2.1%

10am2.3%

11am2.3%

12pm2.5%

1pm1.7%

2pm4.2%

3pm2.9%

4pm3.5%

5pm3.1%

6pm5%

7pm5%

8pm4.6%

9pm6.3%

10pm6.5%

11pm6.7%

Weekday

Sunday17%

Monday9%

Tuesday11%

Wednesday9%

Thursday12%

Friday19%

Saturday22%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Connecticut in 1981?

518 people in 480 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1981 file.

Which county in Connecticut had the most crash deaths in 1981?

Hartford County with 123 deaths in 117 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1981 compare with 1980 in Connecticut?

518 deaths against 575 in 1980 (+-10%). Nationally the 1981 total was 49,301.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1981 national file (accident table); US Census Bureau population estimates (no county estimates before 2000 are used, so no rate is shown for this year). Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.