Fatal crashes in Alaska
In 2024, 70 people died in 63 fatal crashes on Alaska roads, 14.8% more than in 2023. That is 0.2% of all road deaths in the United States.
Alaska ranks 48th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 36th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Alaska since 1975
Road deaths in Alaska peaked in 1983 at 150; 2024's 70 is 53% below that. The lowest year was 2013 with 51. 2024 is 34% below 2000 and 37% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 70 | 63 | +14.8% |
| 2023 | 61 | 57 | -25.6% |
| 2022 | 82 | 75 | +17.1% |
| 2021 | 70 | 62 | +9.4% |
| 2020 | 64 | 53 | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 67 | 62 | -16.2% |
| 2018 | 80 | 69 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 79 | 75 | -6.0% |
| 2016 | 84 | 78 | +29.2% |
| 2015 | 65 | 60 | -11.0% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 73 | 68 | +43.1% |
| 2013 | 51 | 49 | -13.6% |
| 2012 | 59 | 54 | -18.1% |
| 2011 | 72 | 63 | +28.6% |
| 2010 | 56 | 52 | -12.5% |
| 2009 | 64 | 59 | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 62 | 55 | -24.4% |
| 2007 | 82 | 75 | +10.8% |
| 2006 | 74 | 71 | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 73 | 66 | -27.7% |
| 2004 | 101 | 96 | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 98 | 87 | +10.1% |
| 2002 | 89 | 78 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 89 | 80 | -16.0% |
| 2000 | 106 | 93 | +34.2% |
| 1999 | 79 | 73 | +12.9% |
| 1998 | 70 | 63 | -9.1% |
| 1997 | 77 | 68 | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 81 | 72 | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 87 | 75 | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 85 | 70 | -28.0% |
| 1993 | 118 | 88 | +9.3% |
| 1992 | 108 | 89 | +6.9% |
| 1991 | 101 | 90 | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 98 | 92 | +16.7% |
| 1989 | 84 | 79 | -13.4% |
| 1988 | 97 | 86 | +27.6% |
| 1987 | 76 | 70 | -24.8% |
| 1986 | 101 | 89 | -20.5% |
| 1985 | 127 | 107 | -5.2% |
| 1984 | 134 | 120 | -10.7% |
| 1983 | 150 | 135 | +42.9% |
| 1982 | 105 | 96 | +5.0% |
| 1981 | 100 | 90 | +13.6% |
| 1980 | 88 | 79 | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 90 | 80 | -29.1% |
| 1978 | 127 | 112 | -5.9% |
| 1977 | 135 | 127 | +8.0% |
| 1976 | 125 | 109 | +11.6% |
| 1975 | 112 | 98 | No data |
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads and most dangerous highways in Alaska
State Highway 1 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Alaska from 2015 to 2024: 110, with 123 deaths. The 7 roads listed held 33% of all fatal crashes in Alaska from 2015 to 2024; 7 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (0 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Alaska, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Highway 1 | 110 | 123 | 22 | Anchorage Municipality, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough |
| 2 | State Highway 3 | 62 | 77 | 14 | Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Denali Borough |
| 3 | State Highway 2 | 16 | 17 | 2 | Fairbanks North Star Borough, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area |
| 4 | State Highway 7 | 12 | 14 | 2 | Juneau City and Borough, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Wrangell-Petersburg |
| 5 | State Highway 4 | 7 | 9 | 2 | Valdez-Cordova, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Matanuska-Susitna Borough |
| 6 | State Highway 9 | 6 | 6 | 1 | Kenai Peninsula Borough, Anchorage Municipality |
| 7 | State Highway 6 | 5 | 6 | 0 | Fairbanks North Star Borough, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every numbered road in Alaska as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/alaska/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Alaska
Anchorage Municipality had the most fatal crashes in Alaska from 2015 to 2024: 203, with 211 deaths. Anchorage Municipality, Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Fairbanks North Star Borough together held 68% of fatal crashes in Alaska from 2015 to 2024; the 13 listed held 93%. 31 counties in Alaska recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 13 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, Matanuska-Susitna Borough has the highest rate in Alaska: 17.0 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 9.8 for the state as a whole. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents are hatched rather than shaded: a few crashes on a highway through a small county make a rate that says more about its population than its roads.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | Deaths per 100,000100K, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage Municipality | 27 | 203 | 211 | 9.3 |
| 2 | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 14 | 164 | 186 | 15.3 |
| 3 | Fairbanks North Star Borough | 8 | 78 | 84 | 10.5 |
| 4 | Kenai Peninsula Borough | 7 | 75 | 88 | Not enough data |
| 5 | Valdez-Cordova County | 0 | 15 | 16 | No data |
| 6 | Juneau City and Borough | 0 | 13 | 14 | Not enough data |
| 7 | Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area | 1 | 13 | 13 | Not enough data |
| 8 | Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | 1 | 12 | 14 | Not enough data |
| 9 | Bethel Census Area | 0 | 10 | 11 | Not enough data |
| 10 | Nome Census Area | 0 | 9 | 11 | Not enough data |
| 11 | Denali Borough | 0 | 6 | 7 | Not enough data |
| 12 | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | 0 | 6 | 6 | Not enough data |
| 13 | Prince Of Wales-Outer County | 0 | 6 | 6 | No data |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/alaska/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Alaska
The heaviest slot is Tuesday, 4 to 8 pm, with 32 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is July.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.9 percent, 24 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 0.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 12 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 23 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 5.2 percent, 32 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 17 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.6 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 16 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.8 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 14 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.8 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 22 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 25 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.4 percent, 27 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 22 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 25 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.0%
- Feb4.1%
- Mar6.1%
- Apr5.8%
- May8.7%
- Jun10.2%
- Jul11.9%
- Aug9.6%
- Sep10.6%
- Oct8.9%
- Nov7.5%
- Dec8.6%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in Alaska: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
53% of fatal crashes in Alaska from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 22% happened at or near an intersection, below the US share of 25%; 24% in the dark on unlit roads, below the US share of 28%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Alaska | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 53% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 22% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 49% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 20% | 21% | about the same as the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 24% | 28% | below the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on Alaska roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 61% of the 70 people killed on Alaska roads in 2024; pedestrians 21% (15), motorcyclists 14% (10), cyclists 1.4% (1).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 43 | 61% |
| Pedestrians | 15 | 21% |
| Motorcyclists | 10 | 14% |
| Cyclists | 1 | 1.4% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 1 | 1.4% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in Alaska: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 34% of fatal crashes in Alaska from 2015 to 2024, above the US share of 26%; speeding in 39%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 6.9%, about the US share; a driver recorded as distracted in 5.8%, below the US share of 8.7%; 49% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, about the US share.
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (369 in Alaska).
| Alaska | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 34% | 26% | above the US share |
| Speeding | 39% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 5.8% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 49% | 49% | about the same as the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 6.9% | 6.5% | about the same as the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 12% | 16% | below the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 38%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 20%, a pedestrian in 19%, a rollover in 13%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 247 | 38% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 129 | 20% |
| Pedestrian | 125 | 19% |
| Rollover | 85 | 13% |
| Other | 52 | 8.0% |
| Cyclist | 11 | 1.7% |
| Parked vehicle | 2 | 0.3% |
| Not reported | 3 | 0.5% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in Alaska
Pickups were 26% of the 931 vehicles in fatal crashes in Alaska from 2015 to 2024, cars 26%, SUVs 25%, motorcycles 9.1%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pickups | 244 | 26% |
| Cars | 240 | 26% |
| SUVs | 233 | 25% |
| Motorcycles | 85 | 9.1% |
| Other trucks | 54 | 5.8% |
| Vans | 39 | 4.2% |
| Truck-tractors | 30 | 3.2% |
| Buses | 6 | 0.6% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Alaska per resident and per mile driven
| Alaska | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 9.5 | 11.5 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 9.8 | 11.8 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.27 | 1.19 | above the US rate |
Population 740,133 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 5,503 million vehicle-miles (FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-2). The only figures on this page not counted from FARS.
Questions about fatal crashes in Alaska
- How many people died in car accidents in Alaska in 2024?
- 70 people died in 63 fatal crashes on Alaska roads in 2024, 14.8% more than in 2023. That is 9.5 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in Alaska?
- State Highway 1 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Alaska from 2015 to 2024: 110, with 123 deaths. State Highway 3 was second with 62.
- Which county in Alaska has the most fatal crashes?
- Anchorage Municipality, with 203 fatal crashes and 211 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 27 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Alaska happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Tuesday, 4 to 8 pm, with 32 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Alaska involved a drinking driver?
- 220 of 654 fatal crashes in Alaska from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 34%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Alaska
Every county in Alaska with 30 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, roads, hour and weekday, and deaths per 100,000 residents.
Road pages for Alaska
Every numbered road in Alaska with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Alaska numbers come from
Every figure on this page except the rates is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I-35", "I 35" and "I-35/PURPLE HEART TRL" are the same road); frontage roads and ramps ("I35 FRONTAGE") are left out of road counts. Totals from the state highway department and news reports can differ by a few: they count from the state's own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked and revised once a year. Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". Rates per resident and per mile use Census Bureau population estimates and FHWA vehicle-miles, the only figures not counted from FARS. The full method.