I-40 in Arizona: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 249 fatal crashes on I-40 in Arizona killed 299 people, the 3rd most of 104 numbered roads in Arizona. In 2024 there were 31 fatal crashes and 37 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 5 counties of Arizona. All fatal crashes in Arizona. I-40 in every state.
Deaths on I-40 in Arizona by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 31 | 37 |
| 2023 | 21 | 23 |
| 2022 | 32 | 41 |
| 2021 | 24 | 29 |
| 2020 | 26 | 30 |
| 2019 | 25 | 30 |
| 2018 | 22 | 29 |
| 2017 | 20 | 21 |
| 2016 | 17 | 20 |
| 2015 | 31 | 39 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-40 in Arizona: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Coconino County had the most fatal crashes on I-40 from 2015 to 2024: 91, with 103 deaths. Coconino, Mohave and Navajo counties together held 75% of fatal crashes on I-40 in Arizona from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coconino County | 13 | 91 | 103 |
| 2 | Mohave County | 5 | 49 | 58 |
| 3 | Navajo County | 5 | 46 | 64 |
| 4 | Apache County | 3 | 35 | 38 |
| 5 | Yavapai County | 5 | 28 | 36 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-40 in Arizona
The heaviest slot is Sunday, noon to 4 pm, with 15 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 2 pm to 3 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 | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 6.0 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 0.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.6 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 2.0 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.0 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.8 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 3.6 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 5.2 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan4.8%
- Feb2.8%
- Mar8.0%
- Apr8.0%
- May8.0%
- Jun10.8%
- Jul13.3%
- Aug9.2%
- Sep8.4%
- Oct11.2%
- Nov7.2%
- Dec8.0%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-40 in Arizona
6.9 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 359 miles of I-40 in Arizona, against 9.9 for all interstates in Arizona. That ranks 4 of 5 interstates in Arizona and 102 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-40 in Arizona first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 38%; a rollover in 29%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 19%, a pedestrian in 9.6%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 94 | 38% |
| Rollover | 71 | 29% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 46 | 19% |
| Pedestrian | 24 | 9.6% |
| Other | 7 | 2.8% |
| Parked vehicle | 4 | 1.6% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 3 | 1.2% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on I-40 in Arizona compare with the state
The largest difference from Arizona: from 2015 to 2024, 88% of fatal crashes on I-40 in Arizona were on rural roads, against 31% across Arizona. Also above the Arizona share: unlit roads at night. Below it: intersections, drinking drivers, hit-and-runs, motorcycles and pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Arizona. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 249 crashes.
| I-40 | Arizona | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 88% | 31% | above the Arizona share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.4% | 31% | below the Arizona share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 41% | 17% | above the Arizona share |
| A drinking driver | 15% | 22% | below the Arizona share |
| Speeding | 37% | 33% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 7.6% | 8.1% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 57% | 54% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.2% | 7.8% | below the Arizona share |
| A motorcycle involved | 4.8% | 18% | below the Arizona share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 9.7% | 21% | below the Arizona share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-40 in Arizona
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-40 in Arizona?
- 249 fatal crashes killed 299 people on I-40 in Arizona from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 31 fatal crashes and 37 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-40 in Arizona do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Coconino County had the most fatal crashes on I-40 from 2015 to 2024: 91, with 103 deaths. Mohave County was second with 49.
- When do fatal crashes on I-40 in Arizona happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, noon to 4 pm, with 15 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-40 in Arizona per mile?
- 6.9 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 359 miles of road, against 9.9 for all interstates in Arizona. That ranks 4 of 5 interstates in Arizona and 102 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Arizona with a page
- I-10
- I-17
- I-19
- I-8
- State Highway 101
- State Highway 202
- State Highway 260
- State Highway 77
- State Highway 85
- State Highway 86
- State Highway 87
- State Highway 89
All fatal crashes in Arizona, with every road ranked.
Where the I-40 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-40 in Arizona (filed under 8 spellings, such as "I-40", "I-40 NONCARD", "I-40 PURPLE HEART TRL", "I-40 S MILTON RD"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.