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Edition: FARS 2024, annual fileNHTSA released it on Release dates

West Virginia fatal crash statistics by county

This record uses FARS 2024. Read counts, rates and file versions before comparing periods.

Counties by year (CSV)Cite this page

FARS records 256 deaths in 238 fatal crashes in West Virginia in 2024.

In 2024 the rate is 14.5 deaths for each 100,000 residents in West Virginia and 11.5 in the United States.

In 2024 the rate is 1.49 deaths for each 100 million vehicle-miles in West Virginia and 1.19 in the United States.

By deaths for each 100,000 residents in 2024, West Virginia was number 16 of 51, the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Deaths in West Virginia fell by 1.5% from 2023 to 2024. In the United States they fell by 4.3%.

From 2015 to 2024, 64.4% of the fatal crashes in West Virginia with a known setting were rural, against 42.7% 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 .

This page rests on the FARS 2024 annual file. NHTSA released it on . NHTSA can revise the counts in the final file. Release dates

Figure 1.Deaths in West Virginia by year, 2015 to 2024

Table 2 has the numbers. Go to the table

Since the last update: no figure of this state has a change on record.

County map

Figure 2.Counties of West Virginia by deaths for each 100,000 residents in a year, 2015 to 2024
Barbour County: 18.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearBerkeley County: 12.0 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearBoone County: 18.0 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearBraxton County: 29.6 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearBrooke County: 6.8 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearCabell County: 12.5 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearCalhoun County: 18.0 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearClay County: 21.8 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearDoddridge County: 31.9 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearFayette County: 14.9 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearGilmer County: 15.6 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearGrant County: 28.4 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearGreenbrier County: 18.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearHampshire County: 27.8 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearHancock County: 5.2 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearHardy County: 29.9 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearHarrison County: 10.8 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearJackson County: 21.2 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearJefferson County: 13.6 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearKanawha County: 14.9 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearLewis County: 29.2 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearLincoln County: 20.1 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearLogan County: 20.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMcDowell County: 24.0 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMarion County: 8.0 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMarshall County: 9.8 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMason County: 17.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMercer County: 17.0 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMineral County: 11.8 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMingo County: 16.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMonongalia County: 10.1 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMonroe County: 17.8 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearMorgan County: 13.1 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearNicholas County: 25.5 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearOhio County: 10.5 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearPendleton County: 27.6 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearPleasants County: 10.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearPocahontas County: 19.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearPreston County: 14.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearPutnam County: 10.9 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearRaleigh County: 18.5 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearRandolph County: 17.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearRitchie County: 23.2 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearRoane County: 23.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearSummers County: 19.5 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearTaylor County: 9.0 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearTucker County: 13.2 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearTyler County: 23.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearUpshur County: 16.6 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearWayne County: 21.9 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearWebster County: 15.7 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearWetzel County: 14.2 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearWirt County: 14.8 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearWood County: 11.9 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a yearWyoming County: 13.8 deaths for each 100,000 residents in a year

Deaths for each 100,000 residents in a year

  • Fewer than 105 counties
  • 10 to 14.918 counties
  • 15 to 19.915 counties
  • 20 to 29.916 counties
  • 30 or more1 county

The limits of the classes are the same for every state. A county with few residents can show a high rate from few deaths. A class is not a judgement of a county.

In words: 5 counties have a rate of fewer than 10; 18 counties have a rate of 10 to 14.9; 15 counties have a rate of 15 to 19.9; 16 counties have a rate of 20 to 29.9; 1 county has a rate of 30 or more. Table 1 has the rate of each county.

Counties

Table 1.West Virginia: deaths and rate of each county, in name order
CountyResidentsDeaths, 2024Deaths, 2015 to 2024For each 100,000 residents in a year
Barbour County15,3361 or 23018.7
Berkeley County135,9902114712.0
Boone County20,4481 or 23918.0
Braxton County12,0541 or 23929.6
Brooke County21,2941 or 2156.8
Cabell County91,455711712.5
Calhoun County5,9311 or 21218.0
Clay County7,69301821.8
Doddridge County7,64202631.9
Fayette County38,5541 or 26214.9
Gilmer County7,1171 or 21215.6
Grant County10,9621 or 23228.4
Greenbrier County31,83266318.7
Hampshire County23,76856527.8
Hancock County27,9771 or 2155.2
Hardy County14,43564229.9
Harrison County64,42677210.8
Jackson County27,4961 or 26021.2
Jefferson County61,289117913.6
Kanawha County173,4232826814.9
Lewis County16,47804829.2
Lincoln County19,36944120.1
Logan County30,61556720.7
Marion County55,6853458.0
Marshall County29,2846309.8
Mason County24,76534617.7
McDowell County17,18634424.0
Mercer County57,552610117.0
Mineral County26,75143211.8
Mingo County21,68043916.7
Monongalia County107,9311510710.1
Monroe County12,5161 or 22317.8
Morgan County17,8061 or 22313.1
Nicholas County23,95566325.5
Ohio County40,96974410.5
Pendleton County5,9061 or 21827.6
Pleasants County7,3520810.7
Pocahontas County7,6401 or 21619.7
Preston County33,9871 or 25014.7
Putnam County56,92246210.9
Raleigh County72,1852313718.5
Randolph County27,13045017.7
Ritchie County8,12242123.2
Roane County13,5081 or 23323.7
Summers County11,58462419.5
Taylor County16,4861 or 2159.0
Tucker County6,5490913.2
Tyler County7,8961 or 22023.7
Upshur County23,6581 or 24016.6
Wayne County37,50358621.9
Webster County7,93301315.7
Wetzel County13,8121 or 22114.2
Wirt County4,9080814.8
Wood County82,6501410011.9
Wyoming County20,00732913.8

Note: the rate is for the ten years 2015 to 2024. Residents: Census Bureau estimates, vintage 2025. A count of 1 or 2 is written "1 or 2", and no rate is given for it.

Download: the deaths and fatal crashes of each county by year, 1975 to 2024 (CSV)

Each year

Figure 3.Deaths in West Virginia by year, 1975 to 2024

Tallest column: 523 (1980)2024: 256

The columns with a stronger shade are the years 2015 to 2024.

Table 2.West Virginia: deaths, fatal crashes and rates by year, 1975 to 2024
YearDeathsFatal crashesFor each 100,000 residentsFor each 100 million vehicle-miles
202425623814.51.49
202326023314.71.63
202226625015.01.74
202128225915.81.75
202026724914.91.66
201926024714.51.36
201829426516.31.51
201730428016.71.59
201626925014.71.38
201526824614.51.35
201427224214.7n/a
201333230517.9n/a
201233931818.3n/a
201133832018.2n/a
201031528217.0n/a
200935732519.3n/a
200837833720.5n/a
200743238723.6n/a
200641037222.4n/a
200537434720.5n/a
200441038022.6n/a
200339436221.7n/a
200243940024.3n/a
200137635520.9n/a
200041135422.7n/a
1999395354n/an/a
1998354330n/an/a
1997381343n/an/a
1996348321n/an/a
1995376346n/an/a
1994356330n/an/a
1993429370n/an/a
1992420366n/an/a
1991414371n/an/a
1990481407n/an/a
1989468406n/an/a
1988460405n/an/a
1987471418n/an/a
1986440386n/an/a
1985420368n/an/a
1984438387n/an/a
1983425379n/an/a
1982450392n/an/a
1981410354n/an/a
1980523464n/an/a
1979512446n/an/a
1978457402n/an/a
1977514450n/an/a
1976489425n/an/a
1975461401n/an/a

Note: each year is a link to the page of that year. The rate for residents starts in 2000. The rate for vehicle-miles starts in 2015.

Two rates

One rate divides the deaths by the residents. The other rate divides the deaths by the miles that vehicles travel in the state.

Table 3.West Virginia beside the United States: deaths for each 100,000 residents and for each 100 million vehicle-miles
RatePeriodWest VirginiaUnited States
For each 100,000 residents202414.511.5
For each 100,000 residents2015 to 2024, in a year15.211.8
For each 100 million vehicle-miles20241.491.19
For each 100 million vehicle-miles2015 to 20241.541.23

Residents: Census Bureau estimates, vintage 2025. West Virginia had 1,767,402 residents in 2024.

Vehicle-miles: Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics, table VM-2. West Virginia had 17,214 million vehicle-miles in 2024. Table VM-2 of 2024

Factors that NHTSA records

Table 4.West Virginia: counts by recorded factor, 2015 to 2024
FactorCountCounted amongShareShare in the United States
A driver recorded as drinkingof 2,517 fatal crashes6852,517 fatal crashes26.3%
A speeding-related driverof 2,517 fatal crashes6722,517 fatal crashes27.2%
No restraint usedof 1,778 occupant deaths with restraint use known9461,778 occupant deathswith restraint use known49.0%
Pedestriansof 2,726 deaths2372,726 deaths17.1%
Bicyclistsof 2,726 deaths272,726 deaths2.4%
Motorcyclistsof 2,726 deaths3382,726 deaths14.5%
On a rural roadof 2,498 fatal crashes with the condition reported1,6092,498 fatal crasheswith the condition reported42.7%
In the darkof 2,511 fatal crashes with the condition reported9612,511 fatal crasheswith the condition reported49.2%

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, which uses a blood alcohol concentration of .08 g/dL or higher. One crash can be in two or more rows. NHTSA's definitions

Note that alcohol data is often missing. For that reason, this data element may under-count the actual number of drinking drivers.

NHTSA's words. Source: NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System Analytical User's Manual, 1975-2024 (DOT HS 813 794, April 2026), copied on .

Weekday, time and road class

Table 5.West Virginia: fatal crashes by weekday and time of day, 2015 to 2024
WeekdayMidnight to 6 a.m.6 a.m. to noonNoon to 6 p.m.6 p.m. to midnightAll
Sunday885011785340
Monday348811385320
Tuesday278813887340
Wednesday4577128109359
Thursday4789131103370
Friday5781135113386
Saturday9048124137399
All days3885218867192,514

Note: a cell with a stronger shade has a larger count. The table has the fatal crashes with a known hour and weekday.

Table 6.West Virginia: fatal crashes by road function class, 2015 to 2024
Road function classFatal crashesShareShare in the United States
Interstate29811.9%12.6%
Other freeways and expressways90.4%4.4%
Other principal arterial62525.0%29.8%
Minor arterial55722.3%22.1%
Major collector56922.8%15.5%
Minor collector1526.1%3.4%
Local28811.5%12.2%
Not reported19n/an/a

Note: the classes are those of the Federal Highway Administration. The shares are of the crashes with a reported class. Road function classes

Routes

23 signed routes in West Virginia have a page. A route page needs 20 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024.

All routes in West Virginia

Interstate routes

Official channels

These links go to the sites of the agencies. They were checked on .

Cite this page

Fatal Roads. West Virginia fatal crash statistics by county. https://fatalroads.com/state/west-virginia/. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, FARS 2024 annual file. Data to .

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Source of the figures

Counts: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, national files of 1975 to 2024. The factors use the vehicle and person files from 2015. Residents: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, vintage 2025. Vehicle-miles: Federal Highway Administration, table VM-2. Map: Census Bureau cartographic boundary file, 2021 edition. Data to .

How the figures are made. Data sources and licences. Corrections. All states by year (CSV).

Questions

How many deaths did FARS record in West Virginia in ten years?

FARS records 2,726 deaths in 2,517 fatal crashes in West Virginia from 2015 to 2024. It records 3,547 deaths from 2005 to 2014.

What part of the deaths in the United States was in West Virginia?

West Virginia had 256 of the 39,254 deaths in the United States in 2024. That is 0.7 percent.

How many fatal crashes in West Virginia had a driver recorded as drinking?

FARS records a driver as drinking in 685 of 2,517 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. It records a speeding-related driver in 672 of them.

How many pages does West Virginia have?

West Virginia has 55 county pages, 23 route pages and one page for each year from 1975 to 2024.