State Highway 99 in California: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 694 fatal crashes on State Highway 99 in California killed 781 people, the 3rd most of 255 numbered roads in California. In 2024 there were 65 fatal crashes and 72 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 12 counties of California. All fatal crashes in California.
Deaths on State Highway 99 in California by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 65 | 72 |
| 2023 | 84 | 95 |
| 2022 | 78 | 81 |
| 2021 | 91 | 97 |
| 2020 | 71 | 83 |
| 2019 | 66 | 81 |
| 2018 | 55 | 65 |
| 2017 | 70 | 79 |
| 2016 | 58 | 67 |
| 2015 | 56 | 61 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 99 in California: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Kern County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 99 from 2015 to 2024: 100, with 116 deaths. Kern, Sacramento and Stanislaus counties together held 39% of fatal crashes on State Highway 99 in California from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern County | 10 | 100 | 116 |
| 2 | Sacramento County | 11 | 86 | 95 |
| 3 | Stanislaus County | 7 | 85 | 87 |
| 4 | San Joaquin County | 11 | 81 | 88 |
| 5 | Fresno County | 3 | 71 | 76 |
| 6 | Tulare County | 8 | 65 | 72 |
| 7 | Sutter County | 6 | 54 | 69 |
| 8 | Butte County | 5 | 51 | 57 |
| 9 | Merced County | 0 | 46 | 54 |
| 10 | Madera County | 2 | 33 | 39 |
| 11 | Tehama County | 2 | 21 | 27 |
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 State Highway 99 in California
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 60 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 2 am to 3 am; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 8.8 percent, 60 fatal crashes | 4.6 percent, 31 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 19 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.9 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 25 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.9 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 25 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 3.1 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 20 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.4 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 25 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.4 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 27 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.1 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 19 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.6%
- Feb7.3%
- Mar9.1%
- Apr8.2%
- May8.4%
- Jun6.9%
- Jul7.1%
- Aug9.4%
- Sep8.6%
- Oct9.7%
- Nov8.4%
- Dec9.4%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on State Highway 99 in California first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 37%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 27%, a pedestrian in 23%, a rollover in 6.5%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 253 | 37% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 189 | 27% |
| Pedestrian | 160 | 23% |
| Rollover | 45 | 6.5% |
| Other | 24 | 3.5% |
| Parked vehicle | 20 | 2.9% |
| Cyclist | 3 | 0.4% |
| 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 State Highway 99 in California compare with the state
The largest difference from California: from 2015 to 2024, 3.6% of fatal crashes on State Highway 99 in California were at or near an intersection, against 27% across California. Also above the California share: rural roads and unlit roads at night. Below it: speeding and motorcycles. 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 694 crashes.
| State Highway 99 | California | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 36% | 30% | above the California share |
| At or near an intersection | 3.6% | 27% | below the California share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 44% | 25% | above the California share |
| A drinking driver | 29% | 28% | about the same as the California share |
| Speeding | 27% | 30% | below the California share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 3.2% | 4.1% | about the same as the California share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 37% | 38% | about the same as the California share |
| Hit-and-run | 8.8% | 11% | about the same as the California share |
| A motorcycle involved | 5.9% | 15% | below the California share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 23% | 26% | about the same as 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 State Highway 99 in California
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 99 in California?
- 694 fatal crashes killed 781 people on State Highway 99 in California from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 65 fatal crashes and 72 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 99 in California do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Kern County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 99 from 2015 to 2024: 100, with 116 deaths. Sacramento County was second with 86.
- When do fatal crashes on State Highway 99 in California happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 60 fatal crashes.
Other roads in California with a page
All fatal crashes in California, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 99 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as State Highway 99 in California (filed under 11 spellings, such as "SR-99", "SR-99 GOLDEN STATE BLVD", "SR-99 GOLDEN STATE FWY", "SR-99 GOLDEN STATE HWY"). 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.