US 101 in California: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 956 fatal crashes on US 101 in California killed 1,029 people, the 2nd most of 255 numbered roads in California. In 2024 there were 92 fatal crashes and 96 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 14 counties of California. All fatal crashes in California.
Deaths on US 101 in California by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 92 | 96 |
| 2023 | 108 | 116 |
| 2022 | 98 | 104 |
| 2021 | 111 | 119 |
| 2020 | 82 | 84 |
| 2019 | 91 | 104 |
| 2018 | 91 | 101 |
| 2017 | 97 | 108 |
| 2016 | 86 | 91 |
| 2015 | 100 | 106 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 101 in California: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Santa Clara County had the most fatal crashes on US 101 from 2015 to 2024: 160, with 172 deaths. Santa Clara, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties together held 39% of fatal crashes on US 101 in California from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clara County | 16 | 160 | 172 |
| 2 | Los Angeles County | 16 | 109 | 111 |
| 3 | Santa Barbara County | 8 | 100 | 107 |
| 4 | Humboldt County | 5 | 94 | 106 |
| 5 | Monterey County | 12 | 84 | 93 |
| 6 | San Luis Obispo County | 8 | 77 | 81 |
| 7 | Mendocino County | 3 | 75 | 86 |
| 8 | Sonoma County | 3 | 57 | 58 |
| 9 | Ventura County | 7 | 51 | 57 |
| 10 | San Mateo County | 3 | 48 | 48 |
| 11 | Marin County | 3 | 36 | 37 |
| 12 | San Francisco County | 3 | 28 | 34 |
| 13 | Del Norte County | 2 | 25 | 27 |
| 14 | San Benito County | 3 | 12 | 12 |
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 101 in California
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 59 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 2 am to 3 am; the worst month is November.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 6.3 percent, 59 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 32 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 23 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 28 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.5 percent, 23 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 25 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 2.7 percent, 25 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 22 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 27 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.1 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 23 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 21 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.8 percent, 26 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 23 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.7 percent, 25 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 25 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 29 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 5.6 percent, 52 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 30 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 18 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 44 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.5%
- Feb7.1%
- Mar8.6%
- Apr8.7%
- May6.9%
- Jun7.5%
- Jul8.1%
- Aug9.1%
- Sep8.4%
- Oct9.0%
- Nov9.7%
- 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 US 101 in California first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 35%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 29%, a pedestrian in 22%, a rollover in 6.5%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 332 | 35% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 281 | 29% |
| Pedestrian | 212 | 22% |
| Rollover | 62 | 6.5% |
| Other | 36 | 3.8% |
| Parked vehicle | 17 | 1.8% |
| Cyclist | 16 | 1.7% |
| 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 101 in California compare with the state
The largest difference from California: from 2015 to 2024, 4.8% of fatal crashes on US 101 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, unbelted occupants 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 956 crashes.
| US 101 | California | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 33% | 30% | above the California share |
| At or near an intersection | 4.8% | 27% | below the California share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 40% | 25% | above the California share |
| A drinking driver | 28% | 28% | about the same as the California share |
| Speeding | 26% | 30% | below the California share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 4.0% | 4.1% | about the same as the California share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 33% | 38% | below the California share |
| Hit-and-run | 9.8% | 11% | about the same as the California share |
| A motorcycle involved | 12% | 15% | below the California share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 24% | 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 US 101 in California
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 101 in California?
- 956 fatal crashes killed 1,029 people on US 101 in California from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 92 fatal crashes and 96 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 101 in California do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Santa Clara County had the most fatal crashes on US 101 from 2015 to 2024: 160, with 172 deaths. Los Angeles County was second with 109.
- When do fatal crashes on US 101 in California happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 59 fatal crashes.
Other roads in California with a page
All fatal crashes in California, with every road ranked.
Where the US 101 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 101 in California (filed under 40 spellings, such as "US- 101", "US-101", "US-101 VENTURA FREEWAY", "US-101 VENTURA FWY"). 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.