Fatal Roads

States › North Dakota

ND

State

North Dakota

Residents 796,568Deaths 2024 90Deaths 2015–2024 1,060Counties 53Routes with pages 8

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, 90 people died in 84 fatal crashes in North Dakota; the ten years 2015–2024 total 1,060 deaths in 962 crashes.

That is 13.7 deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 16% higher than the national rate of 11.8. The ten-year total fell 18% from 1,295 in 2005–2014 to 1,060 in 2015–2024.

Relative to the national shares, alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) stands out most: 39.7% of fatal crashes against 26.3% nationally. 84.5% of the state's fatal crashes were on rural roads and 39.5% happened after dark.

Among counties with at least 50 deaths in the ten years, the highest rates per 100,000 residents were in McKenzie County (57.1), Williams County (20.6) and Morton County (17.3).

90deaths in 202484 fatal crashes
13.7per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024US 11.8
-18%ten-year change in deaths1,295 → 1,060
40%crashes with a drinking driverUS 26%

Trend since 1975

091182197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 167 deaths1976: 182 deaths1977: 175 deaths1978: 181 deaths1979: 128 deaths1980: 151 deaths1981: 167 deaths1982: 148 deaths1983: 116 deaths1984: 100 deaths1985: 90 deaths1986: 100 deaths1987: 101 deaths1988: 104 deaths1989: 81 deaths1990: 112 deaths1991: 94 deaths1992: 88 deaths1993: 89 deaths1994: 88 deaths1995: 74 deaths1996: 85 deaths1997: 105 deaths1998: 92 deaths1999: 119 deaths2000: 86 deaths2001: 105 deaths2002: 97 deaths2003: 105 deaths2004: 100 deaths2005: 123 deaths2006: 111 deaths2007: 111 deaths2008: 104 deaths2009: 140 deaths2010: 105 deaths2011: 148 deaths2012: 170 deaths2013: 148 deaths2014: 135 deaths2015: 131 deaths2016: 113 deaths2017: 116 deaths2018: 105 deaths2019: 100 deaths2020: 100 deaths2021: 101 deaths2022: 98 deaths2023: 106 deaths2024: 90 deaths
People killed in crashes in North Dakota by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 90 deaths.

Rate per 100,000 residents, 2000–2024

012242000200520102015202020242000: 13.42001: 16.42002: 15.22003: 16.42004: 15.52005: 192006: 17.12007: 172008: 15.82009: 21.12010: 15.62011: 21.62012: 24.22013: 20.52014: 18.32015: 17.32016: 14.92017: 15.32018: 13.82019: 13.12020: 12.82021: 132022: 12.52023: 13.42024: 11.3
Deaths per 100,000 residents in North Dakota and nationally, 2000–2024. Latest point: 2024, 11.3. this page United States

Year pages: 20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975

Compared with the nation

MeasureNorth DakotaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202413.711.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.311.5
Deaths, 2015–20241,060389,190
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-18%+7%
Share of the national toll0.3%100%

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking39.7%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver27%
Pedestriansshare of people killed6.5%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed13.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used62.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark39.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads84.5%

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
1Billings County1,063661.81–2——
2McKenzie County14,7827957.1535%42%
3Benson County5,7563555.2568%23%
4Mountrail County9,4744949.5355%35%
5Sheridan County1,268646.21–2——
6Dunn County4,0311842.71–233%22%
7Sioux County3,7131741.91–238%25%
8Slope County660341.20——
9Kidder County2,371937.20——
10Rolette County11,6924836.3554%20%
11Golden Valley County1,795633.70——
12Towner County2,051732.60——
13McHenry County5,1351832.51–244%38%
14Oliver County1,882631.71–2——
15McLean County9,8452727.8348%36%
16Adams County2,141626.91–2——
17Nelson County3,007723.71–2——
18Sargent County3,710923.40——
19Bottineau County6,3911523.3067%20%
20Pierce County3,853922.31–2——
21LaMoure County4,051922.10——
22Ransom County5,5901221.9640%20%
23Walsh County10,2142321.81–233%33%
24Emmons County3,209721.31–2——
25Williams County40,7637720.6742%22%
26Barnes County10,7982119.51–225%35%
27Richland County16,6583118.91–238%38%
28Dickey County4,930918.31–2——
29Divide County2,124417.80——
30Morton County34,1945617.3631%37%
31Renville County2,376416.91–2——
32Mercer County8,3481416.6354%23%
33Traill County7,9891316.31–239%15%
34Steele County1,767316.30——
35Pembina County6,5881116.11–255%18%
36Stutsman County21,5463114.61–220%23%
37Burke County2,154313.80——
38Cavalier County3,567513.51–2——
39Griggs County2,227313.30——
40Bowman County2,886413.20——
41Grant County2,247313.00——
42Ramsey County11,5101412.11–243%21%
43Hettinger County2,419312.01–2——
44Stark County33,7673711.51–241%24%
45Logan County1,880210.60——
46Wells County3,803410.21–2——
47Ward County68,427629.01–226%29%
48Eddy County2,30928.70——
49Grand Forks County73,771628.61–229%23%
50McIntosh County2,46127.90——
51Burleigh County103,107606.1829%25%
52Cass County200,945884.7739%27%
53Foster County3,32313.00——

Routes with the most fatal crashes

#RouteTypeFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 94Interstate697313%23%
2US Route 2US highway496033%25%
3US Route 83US highway293324%28%
4Interstate 29Interstate283332%18%
5State Route 1804State highway252864%32%
6State Route 23State highway243229%29%
7US Route 85US highway222732%50%
8US Route 281US highway202130%10%

Signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024; 8 routes in North Dakota 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 North Dakota by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 893 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday19%
Friday15%
Thursday14%
Sunday13%
Wednesday13%
Monday13%
Tuesday12%

Light condition

Daylight55%
Dark, not lighted29%
Dark, lighted8%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown2%

Road type

Other principal arterial36%
Major collector20%
Local18%
Minor arterial13%
Interstate11%
Minor collector2%
Other freeways and expressways1%

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 North Dakota in 2024?

90 people in 84 fatal crashes, per NHTSA's FARS annual file. Over 2015–2024 the total is 1,060.

How does North Dakota compare with the national rate?

13.7 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 11.8 nationally; in 2024 alone, 11.3 against 11.5.

Which counties in North Dakota have the most fatal crashes?

By deaths over 2015–2024: Cass County (88), McKenzie County (79) and Williams County (77). The county table ranks by rate per 100,000 residents instead, which is a fairer comparison across sizes.

What share of fatal crashes in North Dakota involved alcohol or speeding?

39.7% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had a driver reported as drinking (US: 26.3%) and 27.0% had a speeding-related driver (US: 27.2%).

Which routes in North Dakota have the most fatal crashes?

Interstate 94 (69 fatal crashes, 2015–2024), US Route 2 (49 fatal crashes, 2015–2024) and US Route 83 (29 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.