I-40 in California: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 99 fatal crashes on I-40 in California killed 109 people, the 38th most of 255 numbered roads in California. In 2024 there were 15 fatal crashes and 15 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 1 county of California. All fatal crashes in California. I-40 in every state.
Deaths on I-40 in California by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 15 | 15 |
| 2023 | 8 | 9 |
| 2022 | 7 | 9 |
| 2021 | 15 | 16 |
| 2020 | 8 | 8 |
| 2019 | 16 | 18 |
| 2018 | 9 | 12 |
| 2017 | 6 | 7 |
| 2016 | 8 | 8 |
| 2015 | 7 | 7 |
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 California: the counties with the most fatal crashes
San Bernardino County had the most fatal crashes on I-40 from 2015 to 2024: 99, with 109 deaths. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Bernardino County | 15 | 99 | 109 |
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 California
98 fatal crashes on I-40 in California 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 5 am to 6 am; the worst month is June.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.1%
- Feb8.1%
- Mar5.1%
- Apr9.1%
- May3.0%
- Jun12.1%
- Jul8.1%
- Aug10.1%
- Sep10.1%
- Oct8.1%
- Nov11.1%
- Dec7.1%
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 California
6.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 154 miles of I-40 in California, against 16.5 for all interstates in California. That ranks 6 of 6 interstates in California and 108 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 California first hit
The first harmful event was a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 38%; a rollover in 25%, a collision with another vehicle in 24%, a pedestrian in 7.1%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 38 | 38% |
| Rollover | 25 | 25% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 24 | 24% |
| Pedestrian | 7 | 7.1% |
| Other | 4 | 4.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 1 | 1.0% |
| 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 California compare with the state
The largest difference from California: from 2015 to 2024, 85% of fatal crashes on I-40 in California were on rural roads, against 30% across California. Also above the California share: unlit roads at night and unbelted occupants. Below it: intersections, drinking drivers, speeding, hit-and-runs, motorcycles and pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of California. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 99 crashes.
| I-40 | California | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 85% | 30% | above the California share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 27% | below the California share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 48% | 25% | above the California share |
| A drinking driver | 14% | 28% | below the California share |
| Speeding | 18% | 30% | below the California share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 2.0% | 4.1% | about the same as the California share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 51% | 38% | above the California share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.0% | 11% | below the California share |
| A motorcycle involved | 8.1% | 15% | below the California share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 8.3% | 26% | below the California 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 California
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-40 in California?
- 99 fatal crashes killed 109 people on I-40 in California from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 15 fatal crashes and 15 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-40 in California do the most fatal crashes happen?
- San Bernardino County had the most fatal crashes on I-40 from 2015 to 2024: 99, with 109 deaths.
- How dangerous is I-40 in California per mile?
- 6.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 154 miles of road, against 16.5 for all interstates in California. That ranks 6 of 6 interstates in California and 108 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 California with a page
All fatal crashes in California, 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 California (filed under 4 spellings, such as "I-40", "I-40 NEEDLES FWY", "I-40 W/B", "I-40 WB"). 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.