US 49 in Arkansas: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 74 fatal crashes on US 49 in Arkansas killed 80 people, the 16th most of 326 numbered roads in Arkansas. In 2024 there were 6 fatal crashes and 6 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 6 counties of Arkansas. All fatal crashes in Arkansas.
Deaths on US 49 in Arkansas by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | 6 |
| 2023 | 7 | 8 |
| 2022 | 11 | 12 |
| 2021 | 13 | 14 |
| 2020 | 4 | 6 |
| 2019 | 8 | 8 |
| 2018 | 10 | 10 |
| 2017 | 7 | 8 |
| 2016 | 4 | 4 |
| 2015 | 4 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 49 in Arkansas: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Craighead County had the most fatal crashes on US 49 from 2015 to 2024: 27, with 29 deaths. Craighead, Phillips and Greene counties together held 86% of fatal crashes on US 49 in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 96%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craighead County | 3 | 27 | 29 |
| 2 | Phillips County | 1 | 19 | 20 |
| 3 | Greene County | 1 | 18 | 19 |
| 4 | Monroe County | 1 | 7 | 9 |
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 US 49 in Arkansas
74 fatal crashes on US 49 in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 10 am to 11 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 | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 6.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 6.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 8.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 8.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Sat | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.1%
- Feb5.4%
- Mar8.1%
- Apr10.8%
- May10.8%
- Jun2.7%
- Jul10.8%
- Aug14.9%
- Sep4.1%
- Oct6.8%
- Nov9.5%
- Dec8.1%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 49 in Arkansas first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 70%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 14%, a pedestrian in 11%, a cyclist in 1.4%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 52 | 70% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 10 | 14% |
| Pedestrian | 8 | 11% |
| Other | 3 | 4.1% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.4% |
| Rollover | 0 | 0.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 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 US 49 in Arkansas compare with the state
The largest difference from Arkansas: from 2015 to 2024, 43% of fatal crashes on US 49 in Arkansas were on rural roads, against 63% across Arkansas. Also above the Arkansas share: intersections and distracted drivers. Below it: unlit roads at night, drinking drivers, speeding and unbelted occupants. 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 74 crashes.
| US 49 | Arkansas | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 43% | 63% | below the Arkansas share |
| At or near an intersection | 31% | 15% | above the Arkansas share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 16% | 34% | below the Arkansas share |
| A drinking driver | 9.5% | 27% | below the Arkansas share |
| Speeding | 11% | 22% | below the Arkansas share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 8.1% | 3.6% | above the Arkansas share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 39% | 54% | below the Arkansas share |
| Hit-and-run | 1.4% | 3.9% | about the same as the Arkansas share |
| A motorcycle involved | 11% | 15% | about the same as the Arkansas share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 10% | 11% | about the same as 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 US 49 in Arkansas
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 49 in Arkansas?
- 74 fatal crashes killed 80 people on US 49 in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 6 fatal crashes and 6 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 49 in Arkansas do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Craighead County had the most fatal crashes on US 49 from 2015 to 2024: 27, with 29 deaths. Phillips County was second with 19.
Other roads in Arkansas with a page
- I-30
- I-40
- 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
All fatal crashes in Arkansas, with every road ranked.
Where the US 49 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 49 in Arkansas (filed under 24 spellings, such as "US- 49-03", "US-49", "US-49 SOUTHWEST DR", "US-49-00"). 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.