Fatal Roads

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WA

State

Washington

Residents 7,958,180Deaths 2024 730Deaths 2015–2024 6,257Counties 39Routes with pages 29

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, 730 people died in 674 fatal crashes in Washington; the ten years 2015–2024 total 6,257 deaths in 5,793 crashes.

That is 8.2 deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 31% lower than the national rate of 11.8. The ten-year total rose 22% from 5,116 in 2005–2014 to 6,257 in 2015–2024.

Relative to the national shares, alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) stands out most: 31.1% of fatal crashes against 26.3% nationally. 41.9% of the state's fatal crashes were on rural roads and 47.7% happened after dark.

Among counties with at least 50 deaths in the ten years, the highest rates per 100,000 residents were in Adams County (37.2), Kittitas County (22.8) and Grant County (21.1).

730deaths in 2024674 fatal crashes
8.2per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024US 11.8
+22%ten-year change in deaths5,116 → 6,257
31%crashes with a drinking driverUS 26%

Trend since 1975

05081,015197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 758 deaths1976: 804 deaths1977: 912 deaths1978: 985 deaths1979: 1,015 deaths1980: 971 deaths1981: 862 deaths1982: 748 deaths1983: 698 deaths1984: 746 deaths1985: 744 deaths1986: 703 deaths1987: 780 deaths1988: 778 deaths1989: 781 deaths1990: 825 deaths1991: 682 deaths1992: 651 deaths1993: 661 deaths1994: 640 deaths1995: 653 deaths1996: 712 deaths1997: 674 deaths1998: 662 deaths1999: 637 deaths2000: 631 deaths2001: 649 deaths2002: 658 deaths2003: 600 deaths2004: 567 deaths2005: 649 deaths2006: 633 deaths2007: 571 deaths2008: 521 deaths2009: 492 deaths2010: 460 deaths2011: 454 deaths2012: 438 deaths2013: 436 deaths2014: 462 deaths2015: 551 deaths2016: 536 deaths2017: 563 deaths2018: 539 deaths2019: 538 deaths2020: 574 deaths2021: 674 deaths2022: 743 deaths2023: 809 deaths2024: 730 deaths
People killed in crashes in Washington by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 730 deaths.

Rate per 100,000 residents, 2000–2024

08152000200520102015202020242000: 10.72001: 10.82002: 10.92003: 9.82004: 9.22005: 10.42006: 9.92007: 8.82008: 7.92009: 7.42010: 6.82011: 6.62012: 6.32013: 6.32014: 6.52015: 7.72016: 7.32017: 7.62018: 7.22019: 7.12020: 7.42021: 8.72022: 9.52023: 10.32024: 9.2
Deaths per 100,000 residents in Washington and nationally, 2000–2024. Latest point: 2024, 9.2. this page United States

Year pages: 20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975

Compared with the nation

MeasureWashingtonUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20248.211.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20249.211.5
Deaths, 2015–20246,257389,190
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+22%+7%
Share of the national toll1.6%100%

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking31.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver31.1%
Pedestriansshare of people killed18.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.7%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used40.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark47.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads41.9%

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
1Adams County21,0397537.2617%37%
2Lincoln County11,8623935.4735%32%
3Garfield County2,404834.80——
4Ferry County7,5432533.41–246%46%
5Skamania County12,6603730.61–236%55%
6Kittitas County48,17210622.8922%28%
7Grant County104,71720821.12629%28%
8Pend Oreille County14,3322820.41–240%44%
9Okanogan County44,9428620.21141%26%
10Mason County69,63211517.41539%35%
11Jefferson County33,9445416.6521%31%
12Yakima County258,52340516.03537%28%
13Klickitat County24,1243415.11–242%18%
14Stevens County49,0156814.7927%32%
15Lewis County87,04911313.8834%20%
16Wahkiakum County4,800613.51–2——
17Columbia County4,025512.50——
18Grays Harbor County77,8939212.31028%24%
19Pacific County24,2452812.31–236%36%
20Skagit County132,73615011.71730%26%
21Cowlitz County113,98212511.42340%38%
22Douglas County45,795419.5424%26%
23Chelan County81,228719.1732%25%
24Whitman County48,399438.9528%28%
25Pierce County941,1707948.810229%32%
26Benton County218,1901778.61738%28%
27Clallam County77,958668.6534%19%
28Franklin County101,238818.51133%32%
29Walla Walla County62,068518.3623%21%
30Spokane County555,9474328.25533%28%
31Island County86,478667.81436%32%
32Thurston County302,9122197.62631%34%
33Whatcom County234,9541506.61226%38%
34Clark County527,2693246.54132%37%
35Kitsap County281,4201776.51831%40%
36San Juan County18,668116.31–270%70%
37Snohomish County864,1134745.86429%32%
38Asotin County22,523135.81–246%31%
39King County2,340,2111,2605.615228%31%

Routes with the most fatal crashes

#RouteTypeFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 5Interstate39042531%36%
2Interstate 90Interstate16118223%29%
3State Route 99State highway13814816%24%
4US Route 2US highway11713130%20%
5US Route 101US highway9710935%22%
6State Route 20State highway848923%27%
7US Route 12US highway839327%16%
8Interstate 82Interstate798828%24%
9US Route 97US highway799127%11%
10State Route 7State highway798319%28%
11US Route 395US highway778522%30%
12State Route 14State highway526035%31%
13State Route 167State highway484933%29%
14State Route 3State highway424226%17%
15State Route 17State highway394226%21%
16State Route 9State highway374224%30%
17State Route 509State highway364233%33%
18State Route 18State highway353731%23%
19Interstate 405Interstate313236%52%
20State Route 28State highway313236%16%
21State Route 26State highway293621%14%
22State Route 16State highway293035%35%
23State Route 503State highway293535%52%
24Interstate 182Interstate262946%27%
25Interstate 205Interstate232439%39%
26State Route 516State highway232722%17%
27State Route 161State highway222318%36%
28State Route 169State highway222227%41%
29State Route 522State highway212129%19%

Signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024; 29 routes in Washington 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 Washington by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 5,787 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday17%
Friday17%
Sunday15%
Wednesday13%
Monday13%
Thursday12%
Tuesday12%

Light condition

Daylight47%
Dark, not lighted23%
Dark, lighted23%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Other principal arterial31%
Minor arterial19%
Major collector18%
Interstate12%
Local9%
Other freeways and expressways6%
Minor collector4%

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 Washington in 2024?

730 people in 674 fatal crashes, per NHTSA's FARS annual file. Over 2015–2024 the total is 6,257.

How does Washington compare with the national rate?

8.2 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 11.8 nationally; in 2024 alone, 9.2 against 11.5.

Which counties in Washington have the most fatal crashes?

By deaths over 2015–2024: King County (1,260), Pierce County (794) and Snohomish County (474). The county table ranks by rate per 100,000 residents instead, which is a fairer comparison across sizes.

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

31.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had a driver reported as drinking (US: 26.3%) and 31.1% had a speeding-related driver (US: 27.2%).

Which routes in Washington have the most fatal crashes?

Interstate 5 (390 fatal crashes, 2015–2024), Interstate 90 (161 fatal crashes, 2015–2024) and State Route 99 (138 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.