Rhode Island fatal crashes in 2017
FARS records 84 deaths in 77 fatal crashes in Rhode Island in 2017.
In 2016 it records 51 deaths in 48 fatal crashes.
In 2017 the rate is 8.0 deaths for each 100,000 residents in Rhode Island and 11.5 in the United States.
By deaths for each 100,000 residents in 2017, Rhode Island was number 42 of 51, the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Deaths in Rhode Island rose by 64.7% from 2016 to 2017. In the United States they fell by 0.9%.
In 2017, a driver was recorded as drinking in 35.1% of fatal crashes in Rhode Island and 26.9% in the United States.
To qualify as a FARS case, the crash had to involve a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and must have resulted in the death of a motorist or a non-motorist within 30 days of the crash.
The set of first files, known as the Annual Report File (ARF), is released following the crash year. The ARF is replaced about a year later with a final file, which contains additional cases or updates to cases that had become available after the ARF was released.
NHTSA's words. Source: NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System Analytical User's Manual, 1975-2024 (DOT HS 813 794, April 2026), copied on .
NHTSA released the final file of 2017 on 22 Oct 2019. Release dates
2017 beside 2016
| Figure | Rhode Island, 2017 | Rhode Island, 2016 | United States, 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 84 | 51 | 37,473 |
| Fatal crashes | 77 | 48 | 34,560 |
| Deaths for each 100,000 residents | 8.0 | 4.8 | 11.5 |
| Fatal crashes with a driver recorded as drinking | 27 | 18 | 9,296 |
Note: FARS records a driver as drinking when police reported alcohol involvement or a test of the driver was positive for alcohol. It is not NHTSA's alcohol-impaired measure. NHTSA's definitions
Counties in 2017
| County | Deaths | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol County | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Kent County | 17 | 17 |
| Newport County | 3 | 1 or 2 |
| Providence County | 49 | 44 |
| Washington County | 14 | 13 |
Note: a county with no fatal crash in 2017 is not in the table. A count of 1 or 2 is written "1 or 2".
Time of day and weekday
| Time of day | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Midnight to 6 a.m. | 17 | 22.1% |
| 6 a.m. to noon | 13 | 16.9% |
| Noon to 6 p.m. | 20 | 26.0% |
| 6 p.m. to midnight | 27 | 35.1% |
| Weekday | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 9 | 11.7% |
| Monday | 15 | 19.5% |
| Tuesday | 12 | 15.6% |
| Wednesday | 8 | 10.4% |
| Thursday | 9 | 11.7% |
| Friday | 10 | 13.0% |
| Saturday | 14 | 18.2% |
Note: the tables have the fatal crashes with a known hour or weekday.
Road function class
| Road function class | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interstate | 13 | 16.9% |
| Other freeways and expressways | 7 | 9.1% |
| Other principal arterial | 27 | 35.1% |
| Minor arterial | 7 | 9.1% |
| Major collector | 0 | 0.0% |
| Minor collector | 1 | 1.3% |
| Local | 22 | 28.6% |
| Not reported | 0 | n/a |
Note: the shares are of the crashes with a reported class. Road function classes
Cite this page
Fatal Roads. Rhode Island fatal crashes in 2017. https://fatalroads.com/state/rhode-island/2017/. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, FARS 2024 annual file. Data to .
The address of this page does not change.
Source of the figures
Counts: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, national file of 2017. NHTSA released the final file of 2017 on 22 Oct 2019. Residents: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, vintage 2025. Data to .
How the figures are made. Data sources and licences. Corrections.
Questions
Which file does the 2017 page use?
NHTSA released the final file of 2017 on 22 Oct 2019.
What part of the deaths in the United States in 2017 was in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island had 84 of the 37,473 deaths in the United States in 2017. That is 0.2 percent.
In how many counties of Rhode Island did FARS record a fatal crash in 2017?
FARS records one or more fatal crashes in 5 counties of Rhode Island in 2017.
How many fatal crashes in Rhode Island in 2017 had a driver recorded as drinking?
FARS records a driver as drinking in 27 of 77 fatal crashes in 2017.