I-40 in Arkansas: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 258 fatal crashes on I-40 in Arkansas killed 303 people, the most of any numbered road in Arkansas. In 2024 there were 23 fatal crashes and 29 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 12 counties of Arkansas. All fatal crashes in Arkansas. I-40 in every state.
Deaths on I-40 in Arkansas by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 23 | 29 |
| 2023 | 26 | 31 |
| 2022 | 30 | 33 |
| 2021 | 32 | 36 |
| 2020 | 23 | 28 |
| 2019 | 27 | 30 |
| 2018 | 25 | 28 |
| 2017 | 30 | 35 |
| 2016 | 18 | 21 |
| 2015 | 24 | 32 |
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 Arkansas: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Pulaski County had the most fatal crashes on I-40 from 2015 to 2024: 52, with 60 deaths. Pulaski, St. Francis and Faulkner counties together held 45% of fatal crashes on I-40 in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pulaski County | 4 | 52 | 60 |
| 2 | St. Francis County | 4 | 39 | 44 |
| 3 | Faulkner County | 2 | 25 | 28 |
| 4 | Pope County | 1 | 24 | 30 |
| 5 | Crawford County | 2 | 22 | 26 |
| 6 | Crittenden County | 2 | 22 | 24 |
| 7 | Lonoke County | 1 | 20 | 28 |
| 8 | Franklin County | 3 | 20 | 27 |
| 9 | Prairie County | 2 | 11 | 12 |
| 10 | Conway County | 1 | 11 | 11 |
| 11 | Monroe County | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| 12 | Johnson County | 0 | 5 | 5 |
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 Arkansas
The heaviest slot is Thursday, 4 to 8 am, with 14 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 am to 6 am; 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 | 5.0 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 4.3 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 2.3 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 3.1 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 0.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 11 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.4%
- Feb6.2%
- Mar7.4%
- Apr8.9%
- May8.5%
- Jun7.4%
- Jul8.1%
- Aug12.4%
- Sep7.0%
- Oct8.9%
- Nov8.1%
- Dec9.7%
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 Arkansas
9.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 285 miles of I-40 in Arkansas, against 9.5 for all interstates in Arkansas. That ranks 2 of 4 interstates in Arkansas and 77 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 Arkansas first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 40%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 33%, a pedestrian in 16%, a rollover in 7.0%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 104 | 40% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 84 | 33% |
| Pedestrian | 42 | 16% |
| Rollover | 18 | 7.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 6 | 2.3% |
| Other | 4 | 1.6% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
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 Arkansas compare with the state
The largest difference from Arkansas: from 2015 to 2024, 0.4% of fatal crashes on I-40 in Arkansas were at or near an intersection, against 15% across Arkansas. Also above the Arkansas share: unlit roads at night, hit-and-runs and pedestrians. Below it: drinking drivers, speeding, unbelted occupants and motorcycles. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Arkansas. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 258 crashes.
| I-40 | Arkansas | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 60% | 63% | about the same as the Arkansas share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.4% | 15% | below the Arkansas share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 43% | 34% | above the Arkansas share |
| A drinking driver | 20% | 27% | below the Arkansas share |
| Speeding | 16% | 22% | below the Arkansas share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 4.3% | 3.6% | about the same as the Arkansas share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 43% | 54% | below the Arkansas share |
| Hit-and-run | 7.0% | 3.9% | above the Arkansas share |
| A motorcycle involved | 5.0% | 15% | below the Arkansas share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 16% | 11% | above the Arkansas 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 Arkansas
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-40 in Arkansas?
- 258 fatal crashes killed 303 people on I-40 in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 23 fatal crashes and 29 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-40 in Arkansas do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Pulaski County had the most fatal crashes on I-40 from 2015 to 2024: 52, with 60 deaths. St. Francis County was second with 39.
- When do fatal crashes on I-40 in Arkansas happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Thursday, 4 to 8 am, with 14 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-40 in Arkansas per mile?
- 9.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 285 miles of road, against 9.5 for all interstates in Arkansas. That ranks 2 of 4 interstates in Arkansas and 77 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 Arkansas with a page
- I-30
- I-430
- I-49
- I-530
- I-55
- State Highway 10
- State Highway 18
- State Highway 5
- State Highway 7
- State Highway 9
- US 167
- US 270
All fatal crashes in Arkansas, 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 Arkansas (filed under 34 spellings, such as "I- 40-22", "I- 40-51", "I-40", "I-40-11"). 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.