States › Rhode Island
State
Rhode Island
Residents 1,112,308Deaths 2024 52Deaths 2015–2024 601Counties 5Routes with pages 4
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, 52 people died in 48 fatal crashes in Rhode Island; the ten years 2015–2024 total 601 deaths in 568 crashes.
That is 5.6 deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 53% lower than the national rate of 11.8. The ten-year total fell 14% from 698 in 2005–2014 to 601 in 2015–2024.
Relative to the national shares, speeding stands out most: 44.0% of fatal crashes against 27.2% nationally. 18.7% of the state's fatal crashes were on rural roads and 50.7% happened after dark.
Among counties with at least 50 deaths in the ten years, the highest rates per 100,000 residents were in Washington County (8.2), Kent County (5.8) and Providence County (5.5).
Trend since 1975
Rate per 100,000 residents, 2000–2024
Year pages: 20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975
Compared with the nation
| Measure | Rhode Island | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024 | 5.6 | 11.8 |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 4.7 | 11.5 |
| Deaths, 2015–2024 | 601 | 389,190 |
| Deaths per fatal crash | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Change vs previous ten years | -14% | +7% |
| Share of the national toll | 0.2% | 100% |
Factors
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 | Washington County | 130,333 | 105 | 8.2 | 10 | 48% | 49% |
| 2 | Kent County | 172,450 | 98 | 5.8 | 4 | 36% | 40% |
| 3 | Providence County | 675,912 | 357 | 5.5 | 30 | 38% | 45% |
| 4 | Newport County | 83,468 | 30 | 3.6 | 4 | 28% | 31% |
| 5 | Bristol County | 50,145 | 10 | 2.0 | 4 | — | — |
Routes with the most fatal crashes
| # | Route | Type | Fatal crashes | Deaths | Alcohol | Speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interstate 95 | Interstate | 68 | 74 | 35% | 49% |
| 2 | US Route 1 | US highway | 27 | 29 | 37% | 30% |
| 3 | State Route 117 | State highway | 21 | 22 | 38% | 33% |
| 4 | Interstate 295 | Interstate | 21 | 21 | 24% | 33% |
Signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024; 4 routes in Rhode Island 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
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Fatal crashes in Rhode Island by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 567 crashes with a known hour and weekday.
By weekday
Light condition
Road type
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 Rhode Island in 2024?
52 people in 48 fatal crashes, per NHTSA's FARS annual file. Over 2015–2024 the total is 601.
How does Rhode Island compare with the national rate?
5.6 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 11.8 nationally; in 2024 alone, 4.7 against 11.5.
Which counties in Rhode Island have the most fatal crashes?
By deaths over 2015–2024: Providence County (357), Washington County (105) and Kent County (98). The county table ranks by rate per 100,000 residents instead, which is a fairer comparison across sizes.
What share of fatal crashes in Rhode Island involved alcohol or speeding?
39.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had a driver reported as drinking (US: 26.3%) and 44.0% had a speeding-related driver (US: 27.2%).
Which routes in Rhode Island have the most fatal crashes?
Interstate 95 (68 fatal crashes, 2015–2024), US Route 1 (27 fatal crashes, 2015–2024) and State Route 117 (21 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.