Fatal Roads

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2015

Tennessee · year

Tennessee in 2015

Deaths 962Fatal crashes 888Per 100,000 14.6US deaths 35,484

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. Final FARS file for 2015.

In 2015, 962 people died in 888 fatal crashes in Tennessee, 14.6 deaths per 100,000 residents against 11.1 nationally.

The death toll was about level between 2014 (963) and 2015 (962).

Tennessee accounted for 2.7% of the 35,484 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

30.3% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

By FHWA road function class, the largest share was on other principal arterial roads (24%).

34% of the crashes happened between noon to 6pm; Saturday was the most common day.

Compared with 2014 and the nation

MeasureTennessee 2015Tennessee 2014United States 2015
Deaths96296335,484
Fatal crashes88889332,538
Deaths per 100,000 residents14.614.711.1
Crashes with a drinking driver30%27%28%

Counties in 2015

Every county with a fatal crash in 2015, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 89 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Shelby County11112013.21,909
Davidson County707610.41,039
Knox County545410.7659
Hamilton County354210.9440
Montgomery County272711.0289
Blount County202719.0203
Rutherford County24256.6366
Bradley County182017.6136
Washington County171812.9134
Madison County151817.9190
Wilson County16169.4210
Sevier County131616.0170
Campbell County141537.390
Cumberland County141522.9143
Dickson County141526.0128
Greene County141520.4177
Sullivan County14159.2202
Coffee County141422.8134
Bedford County101222.182
Giles County111135.584
McMinn County111119.4145
Sumner County11115.2160
Jefferson County101118.681
Roane County101119.4108
Monroe County101020.3122
Williamson County9103.7162
McNairy County81038.367
Maury County8108.8156
Hawkins County9915.2102
Henderson County9931.996
Rhea County9925.952
Haywood County8952.680
Henry County8927.469
Franklin County7919.962
Cocke County8821.398
Lawrence County8817.282
Morgan County8836.450
Robertson County7810.2154
Smith County7838.554
White County7724.041
Lincoln County5719.068
Anderson County667.4118
Carter County6610.485
Cheatham County6614.185
Dyer County6616.576
Grainger County6623.952
Humphreys County6630.767
Loudon County669.799
Cannon County5639.643
Hamblen County568.988
Polk County5632.749
Stewart County5641.838
Weakley County4618.155
Benton County5530.935
Claiborne County5515.152
DeKalb County5523.042
Fentress County5524.841
Gibson County559.782
Marion County5516.897
Putnam County555.9135
Scott County5522.259
Tipton County558.072
Overton County4521.239
Sequatchie County4528.450
Houston County3558.622
Carroll County4413.748
Hickman County4415.582
Johnson County4421.642
Lauderdale County4416.257
Macon County4414.747
Meigs County4428.742
Union County4419.041
Warren County449.279
Jackson County3432.331
Marshall County3410.654
Chester County3316.837
Fayette County336.786
Hardin County3310.978
Wayne County3318.839
Crockett County1–21–2—40
Hardeman County1–21–2—58
Lewis County1–21–2—24
Unicoi County1–21–2—24
Obion County1–21–2—50
Bledsoe County1–21–2—41
Clay County1–21–2—15
Decatur County1–21–2—34
Lake County1–21–2—12
Van Buren County1–21–2—17

Per 100,000 uses the 2024 population estimate for every year, so early-year rates are understated where a county has grown.

Hour of day

12am3.9%
1am3.2%
2am2.6%
3am3.1%
4am1.9%
5am1.5%
6am2.8%
7am3.1%
8am2%
9am3.9%
10am3.3%
11am3.6%
12pm4%
1pm5.4%
2pm6.2%
3pm5.9%
4pm6.3%
5pm6.3%
6pm6.4%
7pm4.1%
8pm6%
9pm4.9%
10pm5.4%
11pm4.1%

Weekday

Sunday13%
Monday12%
Tuesday14%
Wednesday12%
Thursday16%
Friday14%
Saturday19%

Road type

Other principal arterial24%
Minor arterial24%
Interstate14%
Local14%
Major collector13%
Minor collector10%
Other freeways and expressways1%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Tennessee in 2015?

962 people in 888 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 2015 file, or 14.6 per 100,000 residents.

Which county in Tennessee had the most crash deaths in 2015?

Shelby County with 120 deaths in 111 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 2015 compare with 2014 in Tennessee?

962 deaths against 963 in 2014 (0%). Nationally the 2015 total was 35,484.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2015 national file (accident table, vehicle and person tables); US Census Bureau population estimates. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.