Fatal crashes in Arkansas
In 2024, 603 people died in 547 fatal crashes on Arkansas roads, 1.2% more than in 2023. That is about 2 deaths a day, and 1.5% of all road deaths in the United States.
Arkansas ranks 25th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 2nd by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Arkansas since 1975
Road deaths in Arkansas peaked in 2004 at 703; 2024's 603 is 14% below that. The lowest year was 2014 with 470. 2024 is 8% below 2000 and 8% above 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 603 | 547 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 596 | 542 | -6.4% |
| 2022 | 637 | 577 | -7.9% |
| 2021 | 692 | 630 | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 651 | 598 | +27.4% |
| 2019 | 511 | 473 | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 520 | 476 | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 525 | 486 | -6.4% |
| 2016 | 561 | 504 | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 550 | 491 | +17.0% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 470 | 436 | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 498 | 460 | -11.1% |
| 2012 | 560 | 504 | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 551 | 509 | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 571 | 517 | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 596 | 532 | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 600 | 552 | -7.6% |
| 2007 | 649 | 583 | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 665 | 596 | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 654 | 596 | -7.0% |
| 2004 | 703 | 604 | +9.8% |
| 2003 | 640 | 563 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 640 | 556 | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 611 | 538 | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 652 | 578 | +7.9% |
| 1999 | 604 | 540 | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 625 | 545 | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 660 | 564 | +7.3% |
| 1996 | 615 | 539 | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 631 | 538 | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 609 | 534 | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 583 | 520 | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 588 | 512 | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 608 | 530 | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 604 | 521 | -6.6% |
| 1989 | 647 | 577 | +6.1% |
| 1988 | 610 | 532 | -4.5% |
| 1987 | 639 | 550 | +6.0% |
| 1986 | 603 | 524 | +12.9% |
| 1985 | 534 | 451 | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 525 | 472 | -5.7% |
| 1983 | 557 | 485 | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 550 | 478 | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 536 | 478 | -8.8% |
| 1980 | 588 | 486 | +7.3% |
| 1979 | 548 | 476 | -4.0% |
| 1978 | 571 | 493 | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 551 | 485 | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 531 | 446 | -5.0% |
| 1975 | 559 | 475 | 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 Arkansas
I-40 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024: 258, with 303 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 43% of all fatal crashes in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024; 4 are interstates, 13 US routes, 3 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (33 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Arkansas, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-40 | 258 | 303 | 79 | Pulaski, St. Francis, Faulkner |
| 2 | I-30 | 203 | 224 | 70 | Pulaski, Hot Spring, Saline |
| 3 | US 71 | 162 | 174 | 47 | Benton, Washington, Scott |
| 4 | US 67 | 161 | 180 | 52 | Pulaski, White, Randolph |
| 5 | US 70 | 161 | 174 | 54 | Garland, Pulaski, Crittenden |
| 6 | US 65 | 133 | 155 | 33 | Faulkner, Boone, Searcy |
| 7 | US 62 | 129 | 159 | 27 | Carroll, Baxter, Fulton |
| 8 | US 64 | 108 | 116 | 29 | Faulkner, Crawford, Crittenden |
| 9 | State Highway 7 | 101 | 109 | 29 | Garland, Union, Pope |
| 10 | US 412 | 99 | 112 | 28 | Washington, Madison, Greene |
| 11 | US 63 | 98 | 124 | 24 | Lawrence, Craighead, Sharp |
| 12 | State Highway 5 | 95 | 104 | 34 | Pulaski, Baxter, Saline |
| 13 | US 167 | 87 | 99 | 29 | Independence, Union, Grant |
| 14 | US 270 | 85 | 97 | 25 | Garland, Hot Spring, Grant |
| 15 | I-49 | 79 | 85 | 29 | Washington, Benton, Miller |
| 16 | US 49 | 74 | 80 | 24 | Craighead, Phillips, Greene |
| 17 | US 79 | 70 | 74 | 21 | Ouachita, Jefferson, Columbia |
| 18 | State Highway 1 | 60 | 69 | 8 | Cross, St. Francis, Craighead |
| 19 | US 82 | 55 | 64 | 21 | Union, Miller, Ashley |
| 20 | I-530 | 55 | 62 | 20 | Jefferson, Pulaski, Saline |
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 Arkansas as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/arkansas/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Arkansas
Pulaski County had the most fatal crashes in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024: 672, with 714 deaths. Pulaski, Washington and Benton counties together held 22% of fatal crashes in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 59%. 75 counties in Arkansas recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, Lawrence County has the highest rate in Arkansas: 50.6 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 19.3 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 | Pulaski County | 89 | 672 | 714 | 22.7 |
| 2 | Washington County | 20 | 242 | 262 | 8.6 |
| 3 | Benton County | 25 | 239 | 261 | 8.4 |
| 4 | Garland County | 21 | 190 | 212 | 23.0 |
| 5 | Craighead County | 19 | 163 | 185 | 19.0 |
| 6 | Faulkner County | 15 | 152 | 164 | 13.7 |
| 7 | White County | 18 | 146 | 155 | 24.0 |
| 8 | Sebastian County | 14 | 144 | 151 | 11.5 |
| 9 | Saline County | 12 | 142 | 150 | 9.1 |
| 10 | Crittenden County | 14 | 135 | 145 | 34.3 |
| 11 | Jefferson County | 13 | 130 | 141 | 22.0 |
| 12 | Lonoke County | 15 | 110 | 127 | 22.3 |
| 13 | Hot Spring County | 6 | 106 | 120 | Not enough data |
| 14 | Miller County | 7 | 99 | 112 | Not enough data |
| 15 | Independence County | 10 | 92 | 100 | 26.1 |
| 16 | Pope County | 10 | 85 | 94 | 15.4 |
| 17 | Union County | 9 | 85 | 91 | Not enough data |
| 18 | Crawford County | 7 | 82 | 92 | Not enough data |
| 19 | Carroll County | 5 | 74 | 87 | Not enough data |
| 20 | St. Francis County | 6 | 74 | 81 | Not enough 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/arkansas/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Arkansas
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 4 to 8 pm, with 211 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is August.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 2.7 percent, 145 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 102 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 75 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 143 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 159 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 104 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.5 percent, 79 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 99 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 151 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 183 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 116 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.0 percent, 54 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 93 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 125 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 158 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 178 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 116 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.3 percent, 68 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 110 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 152 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 143 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 126 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.0 percent, 54 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 103 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 121 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 145 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 173 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 149 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.3 percent, 67 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 106 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 115 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 146 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 198 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 175 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.4 percent, 130 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 101 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 91 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 167 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 211 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 186 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.8%
- Feb6.5%
- Mar6.9%
- Apr8.7%
- May8.7%
- Jun9.1%
- Jul8.7%
- Aug9.6%
- Sep9.6%
- Oct9.2%
- Nov8.2%
- Dec8.0%
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 Arkansas: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
63% of fatal crashes in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 15% happened at or near an intersection, below the US share of 25%; 34% in the dark on unlit roads, above the US share of 28%; most, 53%, in daylight. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Arkansas | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 63% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 15% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 53% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 8.0% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 34% | 28% | above 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 Arkansas roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 74% of the 603 people killed on Arkansas roads in 2024; motorcyclists 13% (76), pedestrians 11% (69), cyclists 0.7% (4).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 448 | 74% |
| Motorcyclists | 76 | 13% |
| Pedestrians | 69 | 11% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 6 | 1.0% |
| Cyclists | 4 | 0.7% |
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 Arkansas: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 27% of fatal crashes in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024, about the US share; speeding in 22%, below the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 3.9%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 3.6%, below the US share of 8.7%; 54% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, above the US share of 49%.
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 (3,511 in Arkansas).
| Arkansas | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 27% | 26% | about the same as the US share |
| Speeding | 22% | 27% | below the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 3.6% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 54% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.9% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 16% | about the same as 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 40%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 35%, a pedestrian in 11%, a rollover in 8.8%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 2,101 | 40% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 1,880 | 35% |
| Pedestrian | 600 | 11% |
| Rollover | 470 | 8.8% |
| Other | 181 | 3.4% |
| Cyclist | 54 | 1.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 36 | 0.7% |
| Not reported | 2 | 0.0% |
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 Arkansas
Cars were 32% of the 7,839 vehicles in fatal crashes in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024, pickups 23%, SUVs 19%, motorcycles 10%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 2,522 | 32% |
| Pickups | 1,797 | 23% |
| SUVs | 1,477 | 19% |
| Motorcycles | 819 | 10% |
| Truck-tractors | 699 | 8.9% |
| Other trucks | 255 | 3.3% |
| Vans | 255 | 3.3% |
| Buses | 15 | 0.2% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Arkansas per resident and per mile driven
| Arkansas | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 19.5 | 11.5 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 19.3 | 11.8 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.53 | 1.19 | above the US rate |
Population 3,088,354 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 39,372 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 Arkansas
- How many people died in car accidents in Arkansas in 2024?
- 603 people died in 547 fatal crashes on Arkansas roads in 2024, 1.2% more than in 2023. That is 19.5 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 Arkansas?
- I-40 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024: 258, with 303 deaths. I-30 was second with 203.
- Which county in Arkansas has the most fatal crashes?
- Pulaski County, with 672 fatal crashes and 714 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 89 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Arkansas happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 4 to 8 pm, with 211 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Arkansas involved a drinking driver?
- 1,411 of 5,324 fatal crashes in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 27%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Arkansas
Every county in Arkansas 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.
- Pulaski County 672
- Washington County 242
- Benton County 239
- Garland County 190
- Craighead County 163
- Faulkner County 152
- White County 146
- Sebastian County 144
- Saline County 142
- Crittenden County 135
- Jefferson County 130
- Lonoke County 110
- Hot Spring County 106
- Miller County 99
- Independence County 92
- Union County 85
- Pope County 85
- Crawford County 82
- Carroll County 74
- St. Francis County 74
- Greene County 73
- Mississippi County 72
- Baxter County 71
- Lawrence County 70
- Boone County 69
- Poinsett County 69
- Hempstead County 66
- Cleburne County 61
- Franklin County 55
- Ouachita County 55
- Clark County 53
- Madison County 52
- Polk County 52
- Grant County 47
- Sharp County 46
- Yell County 46
- Conway County 46
- Logan County 46
- Sevier County 44
- Fulton County 44
- Drew County 43
- Randolph County 43
- Columbia County 42
- Clay County 41
- Jackson County 41
- Johnson County 39
- Phillips County 39
- Ashley County 37
- Monroe County 35
- Searcy County 34
- Chicot County 34
- Montgomery County 34
- Scott County 34
- Stone County 33
- Cross County 33
- Marion County 33
- Little River County 32
- Arkansas County 31
- Prairie County 31
- Newton County 30
Road pages for Arkansas
Every numbered road in Arkansas with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Arkansas 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.