Washington fatal crashes in 2018
FARS records 539 deaths in 490 fatal crashes in Washington in 2018.
In 2017 it records 563 deaths in 534 fatal crashes.
In 2018 the rate is 7.2 deaths for each 100,000 residents in Washington and 11.3 in the United States.
By deaths for each 100,000 residents in 2018, Washington was number 45 of 51, the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Deaths in Washington fell by 4.3% from 2017 to 2018. In the United States they fell by 1.7%.
In 2018, a driver was recorded as drinking in 30.6% of fatal crashes in Washington and 25.7% 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 2018 on 18 Dec 2020. Release dates
2018 beside 2017
| Figure | Washington, 2018 | Washington, 2017 | United States, 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 539 | 563 | 36,835 |
| Fatal crashes | 490 | 534 | 33,919 |
| Deaths for each 100,000 residents | 7.2 | 7.6 | 11.3 |
| Fatal crashes with a driver recorded as drinking | 150 | 170 | 8,708 |
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 2018
| County | Deaths | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 7 | 6 |
| Asotin County | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Benton County | 15 | 14 |
| Chelan County | 10 | 10 |
| Clallam County | 3 | 3 |
| Clark County | 33 | 28 |
| Columbia County | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Cowlitz County | 11 | 9 |
| Douglas County | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Ferry County | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Franklin County | 7 | 7 |
| Grant County | 22 | 21 |
| Grays Harbor County | 5 | 4 |
| Island County | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Jefferson County | 8 | 8 |
| King County | 115 | 101 |
| Kitsap County | 18 | 18 |
| Kittitas County | 9 | 7 |
| Klickitat County | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Lewis County | 5 | 5 |
| Lincoln County | 4 | 4 |
| Mason County | 4 | 4 |
| Okanogan County | 10 | 10 |
| Pend Oreille County | 4 | 1 or 2 |
| Pierce County | 57 | 51 |
| San Juan County | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Skagit County | 20 | 16 |
| Skamania County | 4 | 4 |
| Snohomish County | 42 | 39 |
| Spokane County | 35 | 35 |
| Stevens County | 8 | 7 |
| Thurston County | 26 | 25 |
| Wahkiakum County | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Walla Walla County | 5 | 5 |
| Whatcom County | 13 | 13 |
| Whitman County | 3 | 1 or 2 |
| Yakima County | 22 | 20 |
Note: a county with no fatal crash in 2018 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. | 98 | 20.0% |
| 6 a.m. to noon | 82 | 16.7% |
| Noon to 6 p.m. | 151 | 30.8% |
| 6 p.m. to midnight | 159 | 32.4% |
| Weekday | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 81 | 16.5% |
| Monday | 68 | 13.9% |
| Tuesday | 49 | 10.0% |
| Wednesday | 67 | 13.7% |
| Thursday | 71 | 14.5% |
| Friday | 73 | 14.9% |
| Saturday | 81 | 16.5% |
Note: the tables have the fatal crashes with a known hour or weekday.
Road function class
| Road function class | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interstate | 69 | 14.3% |
| Other freeways and expressways | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other principal arterial | 177 | 36.6% |
| Minor arterial | 82 | 16.9% |
| Major collector | 75 | 15.5% |
| Minor collector | 17 | 3.5% |
| Local | 64 | 13.2% |
| Not reported | 6 | n/a |
Note: the shares are of the crashes with a reported class. Road function classes
Cite this page
Fatal Roads. Washington fatal crashes in 2018. https://fatalroads.com/state/washington/2018/. 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 2018. NHTSA released the final file of 2018 on 18 Dec 2020. 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 2018 page use?
NHTSA released the final file of 2018 on 18 Dec 2020.
What part of the deaths in the United States in 2018 was in Washington?
Washington had 539 of the 36,835 deaths in the United States in 2018. That is 1.5 percent.
In how many counties of Washington did FARS record a fatal crash in 2018?
FARS records one or more fatal crashes in 37 counties of Washington in 2018.
How many fatal crashes in Washington in 2018 had a driver recorded as drinking?
FARS records a driver as drinking in 150 of 490 fatal crashes in 2018.