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State

Massachusetts

Residents 7,136,171Deaths 2024 363Deaths 2015–2024 3,665Counties 14Routes with pages 26

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, 363 people died in 349 fatal crashes in Massachusetts; the ten years 2015–2024 total 3,665 deaths in 3,483 crashes.

That is 5.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 55% lower than the national rate of 11.8. The ten-year total was about level between 2005–2014 (3,817) and 2015–2024 (3,665).

Relative to the national shares, pedestrians stands out most: 20.4% of people killed against 17.1% nationally. 6.6% of the state's fatal crashes were on rural roads and 48.5% happened after dark.

Among counties with at least 50 deaths in the ten years, the highest rates per 100,000 residents were in Franklin County (10.0), Berkshire County (9.5) and Hampden County (9.0).

363deaths in 2024349 fatal crashes

5.3per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024US 11.8

-4%ten-year change in deaths3,817 → 3,665

30%crashes with a drinking driverUS 26%

Trend since 1975

People killed in crashes in Massachusetts by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 363 deaths.

Rate per 100,000 residents, 2000–2024

Deaths per 100,000 residents in Massachusetts and nationally, 2000–2024. Latest point: 2024, 5.1. this page United States

Year pages: 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975

Compared with the nation

Measure	Massachusetts	United States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024	5.3	11.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024	5.1	11.5
Deaths, 2015–2024	3,665	389,190
Deaths per fatal crash	1.1	1.1
Change vs previous ten years	-4%	+7%
Share of the national toll	0.9%	100%

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking29.7%

Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver29.2%

Pedestriansshare of people killed20.4%

Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.6%

Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used61.7%

In darknesscrashes after dark48.5%

Rural roadscrashes on rural roads6.6%

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.

#	County	Residents	Deaths 2015–2024	Per 100k / yr	Deaths 2024	Alcohol	Speeding
1	Franklin County	70,871	71	10.0	8	22%	30%
2	Berkshire County	128,726	122	9.5	13	25%	23%
3	Hampden County	464,151	418	9.0	35	33%	34%
4	Bristol County	588,593	429	7.5	35	32%	30%
5	Plymouth County	542,090	370	7.0	40	31%	29%
6	Worcester County	881,248	533	6.3	49	34%	30%
7	Barnstable County	232,570	138	6.2	13	33%	24%
8	Hampshire County	165,399	84	5.2	13	28%	30%
9	Dukes County	21,061	10	5.2	1–2	30%	40%
10	Norfolk County	740,754	368	5.1	37	27%	31%
11	Nantucket County	14,670	6	4.7	1–2	—	—
12	Essex County	823,938	332	4.2	29	26%	34%
13	Suffolk County	793,144	271	3.4	33	27%	26%
14	Middlesex County	1,668,956	513	3.2	55	26%	25%

Routes with the most fatal crashes

#	Route	Type	Fatal crashes	Deaths	Alcohol	Speeding
1	Interstate 495	Interstate	148	164	32%	34%
2	Interstate 95	Interstate	88	92	38%	40%
3	Interstate 90	Interstate	83	87	25%	31%
4	Interstate 93	Interstate	77	80	42%	31%
5	US Route 20	US highway	74	83	31%	22%
6	State Route 28	State highway	72	78	32%	25%
7	State Route 24	State highway	58	59	26%	28%
8	Interstate 195	Interstate	51	57	31%	33%
9	State Route 9	State highway	48	50	25%	25%
10	US Route 6	US highway	48	52	35%	21%
11	US Route 1	US highway	45	46	29%	31%
12	State Route 140	State highway	44	47	18%	36%
13	State Route 2	State highway	40	43	38%	20%
14	State Route 3	State highway	34	34	35%	32%
15	Interstate 91	Interstate	32	35	28%	41%
16	State Route 2A	State highway	29	29	21%	28%
17	State Route 18	State highway	29	29	31%	28%
18	State Route 1A	State highway	28	31	29%	36%
19	State Route 110	State highway	27	27	30%	30%
20	Interstate 290	Interstate	25	26	36%	32%
21	State Route 116	State highway	23	25	39%	26%
22	State Route 12	State highway	22	22	36%	27%
23	State Route 16	State highway	21	23	10%	10%
24	State Route 138	State highway	21	23	38%	24%
25	US Route 44	US highway	20	21	30%	20%
26	US Route 202	US highway	20	22	35%	30%

Signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024; 26 routes in Massachusetts 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

	12am			3am			6am			9am			12pm			3pm			6pm			9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Massachusetts by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 3,438 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday17%

Sunday16%

Friday16%

Thursday14%

Wednesday13%

Tuesday12%

Monday11%

Light condition

Daylight46%

Dark, lighted29%

Dark, not lighted19%

Dusk3%

Dawn2%

Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Other principal arterial31%

Minor arterial27%

Interstate16%

Local12%

Major collector10%

Other freeways and expressways4%

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 Massachusetts in 2024?

363 people in 349 fatal crashes, per NHTSA's FARS annual file. Over 2015–2024 the total is 3,665.

How does Massachusetts compare with the national rate?

5.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 11.8 nationally; in 2024 alone, 5.1 against 11.5.

Which counties in Massachusetts have the most fatal crashes?

By deaths over 2015–2024: Worcester County (533), Middlesex County (513) and Bristol County (429). The county table ranks by rate per 100,000 residents instead, which is a fairer comparison across sizes.

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

29.7% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had a driver reported as drinking (US: 26.3%) and 29.2% had a speeding-related driver (US: 27.2%).

Which routes in Massachusetts have the most fatal crashes?

Interstate 495 (148 fatal crashes, 2015–2024), Interstate 95 (88 fatal crashes, 2015–2024) and Interstate 90 (83 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.