Fatal Roads

States › Pennsylvania

PA

State

Pennsylvania

Residents 13,078,751Deaths 2024 1,127Deaths 2015–2024 11,650Counties 67Routes with pages 94

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, 1,127 people died in 1,060 fatal crashes in Pennsylvania; the ten years 2015–2024 total 11,650 deaths in 10,864 crashes.

That is 9.0 deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 24% lower than the national rate of 11.8. The ten-year total fell 15% from 13,681 in 2005–2014 to 11,650 in 2015–2024.

Relative to the national shares, speeding stands out most: 40.2% of fatal crashes against 27.2% nationally. 45.3% of the state's fatal crashes were on rural roads and 43.6% happened after dark.

Among counties with at least 50 deaths in the ten years, the highest rates per 100,000 residents were in Susquehanna County (24.0), Bedford County (18.8) and Bradford County (18.7).

1,127deaths in 20241,060 fatal crashes
9.0per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024US 11.8
-15%ten-year change in deaths13,681 → 11,650
25%crashes with a drinking driverUS 26%

Trend since 1975

01,0772,153197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 2,078 deaths1976: 2,021 deaths1977: 2,067 deaths1978: 2,081 deaths1979: 2,153 deaths1980: 2,089 deaths1981: 2,029 deaths1982: 1,819 deaths1983: 1,721 deaths1984: 1,727 deaths1985: 1,771 deaths1986: 1,894 deaths1987: 1,987 deaths1988: 1,931 deaths1989: 1,877 deaths1990: 1,646 deaths1991: 1,661 deaths1992: 1,545 deaths1993: 1,529 deaths1994: 1,441 deaths1995: 1,480 deaths1996: 1,469 deaths1997: 1,557 deaths1998: 1,481 deaths1999: 1,549 deaths2000: 1,520 deaths2001: 1,532 deaths2002: 1,614 deaths2003: 1,577 deaths2004: 1,490 deaths2005: 1,616 deaths2006: 1,525 deaths2007: 1,491 deaths2008: 1,468 deaths2009: 1,256 deaths2010: 1,324 deaths2011: 1,286 deaths2012: 1,310 deaths2013: 1,210 deaths2014: 1,195 deaths2015: 1,200 deaths2016: 1,188 deaths2017: 1,137 deaths2018: 1,190 deaths2019: 1,059 deaths2020: 1,129 deaths2021: 1,230 deaths2022: 1,179 deaths2023: 1,211 deaths2024: 1,127 deaths
People killed in crashes in Pennsylvania by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 1,127 deaths.

Rate per 100,000 residents, 2000–2024

08152000200520102015202020242000: 12.42001: 12.52002: 13.12003: 12.72004: 122005: 132006: 12.22007: 11.92008: 11.62009: 9.92010: 10.42011: 10.12012: 10.32013: 9.52014: 9.32015: 9.42016: 9.32017: 8.92018: 9.32019: 8.32020: 8.72021: 9.52022: 9.12023: 9.32024: 8.6
Deaths per 100,000 residents in Pennsylvania and nationally, 2000–2024. Latest point: 2024, 8.6. this page United States

Year pages: 20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975

Compared with the nation

MeasurePennsylvaniaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20249.011.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20248.611.5
Deaths, 2015–202411,650389,190
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-15%+7%
Share of the national toll3%100%

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking25.4%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver40.2%
Pedestriansshare of people killed14.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed17.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used57.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark43.6%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads45.3%

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
1Fulton County14,4524430.31–221%44%
2Susquehanna County38,1009524.01130%48%
3Forest County6,6011420.01–225%42%
4Bedford County47,6439018.8921%42%
5Bradford County59,69911318.71630%53%
6Sullivan County5,9271118.31–236%36%
7Potter County15,9933018.21–236%39%
8Clinton County37,8656918.0527%52%
9Cameron County4,348817.71–2——
10Montour County18,1153217.6614%35%
11Juniata County23,3954217.51–236%49%
12Clearfield County78,13213817.41227%41%
13Perry County46,8167917.1737%43%
14Wayne County51,4198616.8934%49%
15Tioga County40,6986816.6320%36%
16Fayette County123,94121216.51934%54%
17Carbon County65,74310616.41325%40%
18Greene County33,9605715.9537%55%
19Clarion County36,8556015.8730%46%
20Somerset County72,13411215.2932%52%
21Schuylkill County144,52320814.52222%42%
22Crawford County82,08912114.41430%37%
23Armstrong County63,6799414.4844%41%
24Wyoming County25,7713814.3429%50%
25Warren County37,3735514.2533%43%
26Venango County49,4767114.0422%55%
27Huntingdon County43,3596213.9331%36%
28Indiana County82,95311613.8729%44%
29McKean County39,4785613.81–229%53%
30Snyder County39,6275413.5635%48%
31Lebanon County145,31919013.42014%37%
32Pike County62,3767813.41031%54%
33Franklin County159,28520713.32120%35%
34Monroe County166,52322113.21829%45%
35Jefferson County43,3675713.0317%45%
36Lycoming County113,23613912.21527%38%
37Mercer County108,14013512.21532%35%
38Elk County30,1243712.2025%53%
39Mifflin County45,9355612.11–227%44%
40Adams County107,91412512.01324%44%
41Columbia County66,0127912.0623%43%
42Northumberland County90,02710311.3822%36%
43Lawrence County84,2339711.3620%44%
44Washington County210,43423411.22937%45%
45Union County42,1594710.7430%42%
46Dauphin County293,02929510.42626%46%
47Berks County439,11744010.34727%43%
48Blair County120,26912310.11023%44%
49Westmoreland County350,9353499.92834%42%
50Luzerne County331,3793139.71827%34%
51Erie County267,7502629.63628%39%
52Butler County199,3411829.51529%44%
53Lackawanna County216,8592009.42019%35%
54Lancaster County563,2935039.25224%35%
55York County471,2403778.34131%43%
56Cambria County130,1081088.21231%42%
57Bucks County650,1315138.04525%36%
58Lehigh County385,6552968.03227%41%
59Centre County159,8051298.0726%35%
60Cumberland County275,5161997.71822%42%
61Philadelphia County1,573,9161,1967.613716%33%
62Beaver County165,5401177.0422%44%
63Northampton County322,9892136.91523%31%
64Chester County560,7453196.02431%48%
65Allegheny County1,231,8146865.67422%36%
66Montgomery County879,1904205.05023%38%
67Delaware County584,8822644.63224%38%

Routes with the most fatal crashes

#RouteTypeFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 30US highway20022824%37%
2Interstate 81Interstate16921417%43%
3Interstate 80Interstate1511679%41%
4US Route 11US highway14414920%23%
5US Route 22US highway13615024%49%
6US Route 1US highway13414621%43%
7Interstate 76Interstate12314219%49%
8State Route 611State highway11211822%37%
9US Route 422US highway11111823%39%
10Interstate 95Interstate10211233%55%
11US Route 322US highway10111125%39%
12US Route 6US highway9810418%32%
13US Route 13US highway858812%28%
14State Route 309State highway818919%33%
15US Route 222US highway738323%36%
16Interstate 79Interstate737821%38%
17US Route 19US highway657123%37%
18State Route 8State highway616521%31%
19State Route 61State highway566011%34%
20State Route 51State highway556011%31%
21US Route 209US highway536225%40%
22US Route 40US highway516126%41%
23Interstate 476Interstate515620%45%
24Interstate 78Interstate50638%52%
25State Route 18State highway464822%39%
26US Route 119US highway444718%34%
27State Route 3007State highway434926%35%
28US Route 202US highway434714%42%
29Interstate 376Interstate434419%54%
30Interstate 70Interstate404425%55%

Signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024; 94 routes in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 10,848 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday17%
Friday16%
Sunday15%
Thursday13%
Wednesday13%
Tuesday13%
Monday12%

Light condition

Daylight52%
Dark, not lighted25%
Dark, lighted18%
Dusk2%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial28%
Minor arterial22%
Local19%
Major collector13%
Interstate10%
Minor collector4%
Other freeways and expressways3%

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 Pennsylvania in 2024?

1,127 people in 1,060 fatal crashes, per NHTSA's FARS annual file. Over 2015–2024 the total is 11,650.

How does Pennsylvania compare with the national rate?

9.0 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 11.8 nationally; in 2024 alone, 8.6 against 11.5.

Which counties in Pennsylvania have the most fatal crashes?

By deaths over 2015–2024: Philadelphia County (1,196), Allegheny County (686) and Bucks County (513). The county table ranks by rate per 100,000 residents instead, which is a fairer comparison across sizes.

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

25.4% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had a driver reported as drinking (US: 26.3%) and 40.2% had a speeding-related driver (US: 27.2%).

Which routes in Pennsylvania have the most fatal crashes?

US Route 30 (200 fatal crashes, 2015–2024), Interstate 81 (169 fatal crashes, 2015–2024) and Interstate 80 (151 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.