Fatal crashes in the District of Columbia
In 2024, 47 people died in 46 fatal crashes on the District of Columbia roads, 6.8% more than in 2023. That is 0.1% of all road deaths in the United States.
The District of Columbia ranks 51st of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 48th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in the District of Columbia since 1975
Road deaths in the District of Columbia peaked in 1989 at 72; 2024's 47 is 35% below that. The lowest year was 2012 with 15. 2024 is 2% below 2000 and 33% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 47 | 46 | +6.8% |
| 2023 | 44 | 39 | +37.5% |
| 2022 | 32 | 28 | -22.0% |
| 2021 | 41 | 40 | +13.9% |
| 2020 | 36 | 34 | +56.5% |
| 2019 | 23 | 22 | -25.8% |
| 2018 | 31 | 30 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 31 | 29 | +14.8% |
| 2016 | 27 | 26 | +17.4% |
| 2015 | 23 | 23 | +0.0% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 23 | 21 | +15.0% |
| 2013 | 20 | 20 | +33.3% |
| 2012 | 15 | 14 | -44.4% |
| 2011 | 27 | 22 | +12.5% |
| 2010 | 24 | 24 | -17.2% |
| 2009 | 29 | 28 | -14.7% |
| 2008 | 34 | 32 | -22.7% |
| 2007 | 44 | 36 | +18.9% |
| 2006 | 37 | 33 | -22.9% |
| 2005 | 48 | 44 | +11.6% |
| 2004 | 43 | 41 | -35.8% |
| 2003 | 67 | 63 | +42.6% |
| 2002 | 47 | 43 | -30.9% |
| 2001 | 68 | 58 | +41.7% |
| 2000 | 48 | 45 | +17.1% |
| 1999 | 41 | 40 | -24.1% |
| 1998 | 54 | 50 | -10.0% |
| 1997 | 60 | 57 | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 62 | 58 | +6.9% |
| 1995 | 58 | 54 | -15.9% |
| 1994 | 69 | 65 | +21.1% |
| 1993 | 57 | 55 | +14.0% |
| 1992 | 50 | 47 | -20.6% |
| 1991 | 63 | 60 | +31.3% |
| 1990 | 48 | 46 | -33.3% |
| 1989 | 72 | 70 | +18.0% |
| 1988 | 61 | 56 | +15.1% |
| 1987 | 53 | 51 | +20.5% |
| 1986 | 44 | 44 | -26.7% |
| 1985 | 60 | 57 | -6.3% |
| 1984 | 64 | 56 | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 66 | 58 | +88.6% |
| 1982 | 35 | 34 | -28.6% |
| 1981 | 49 | 46 | +19.5% |
| 1980 | 41 | 38 | -6.8% |
| 1979 | 44 | 42 | -10.2% |
| 1978 | 49 | 47 | -15.5% |
| 1977 | 58 | 57 | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 56 | 52 | -20.0% |
| 1975 | 70 | 70 | No data |
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
Roads with fatal crashes in the District of Columbia
The 2 roads listed held 4.4% of all fatal crashes in the District of Columbia from 2015 to 2024; 2 are interstates. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (2 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in the District of Columbia, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-295 | 7 | 8 | 5 | District of Columbia |
| 2 | I-395 | 7 | 7 | 4 | District of Columbia |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every numbered road in the District of Columbia as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/district-of-columbia/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in the District of Columbia
District of Columbia had the most fatal crashes in the District of Columbia from 2015 to 2024: 317, with 335 deaths. 1 county in the District of Columbia recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 1 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, District of Columbia has the highest rate in the District of Columbia: 4.9 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 4.9 for the state as a whole. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents are hatched rather than shaded: a few crashes on a highway through a small county make a rate that says more about its population than its roads.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | Deaths per 100,000100K, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 46 | 317 | 335 | 6.7 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/district-of-columbia/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in the District of Columbia
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 20 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 11 pm to midnight; 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 | 6.3 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 15 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 3.2 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 11 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 5.7 percent, 18 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 11 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 3.5 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 4.1 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 5.7 percent, 18 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 14 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan5.7%
- Feb6.3%
- Mar6.9%
- Apr9.1%
- May6.9%
- Jun12.0%
- Jul8.8%
- Aug8.5%
- Sep9.8%
- Oct11.0%
- Nov6.0%
- Dec8.8%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in the District of Columbia: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
0.0% of fatal crashes in the District of Columbia from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, below the US share of 43%; 47% happened at or near an intersection, above the US share of 25%; 3.2% in the dark on unlit roads, below the US share of 28%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| District of Columbia | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 0.0% | 43% | below the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 47% | 25% | above the US share |
| In daylight | 31% | 46% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 63% | 21% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 3.2% | 28% | below the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on the District of Columbia roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 40% of the 47 people killed on the District of Columbia roads in 2024; pedestrians 38% (18), motorcyclists 19% (9), cyclists 2.1% (1).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 19 | 40% |
| Pedestrians | 18 | 38% |
| Motorcyclists | 9 | 19% |
| Cyclists | 1 | 2.1% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 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 happen in the District of Columbia: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 25% of fatal crashes in the District of Columbia from 2015 to 2024, below the US share of 26%; speeding in 44%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 24%, above the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 3.5%, below the US share of 8.7%; 56% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, above the US share of 49%.
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (93 in the District of Columbia).
| District of Columbia | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 25% | 26% | below the US share |
| Speeding | 44% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 3.5% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 56% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 24% | 6.5% | above the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 19% | 16% | above the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
The first harmful event was a pedestrian in 36%; a collision with another vehicle in 32%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 21%, a cyclist in 5.7%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pedestrian | 114 | 36% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 101 | 32% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 65 | 21% |
| Cyclist | 18 | 5.7% |
| Other | 11 | 3.5% |
| Parked vehicle | 6 | 1.9% |
| Rollover | 2 | 0.6% |
| 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
Vehicles in fatal crashes in the District of Columbia
Cars were 52% of the 437 vehicles in fatal crashes in the District of Columbia from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 20%, motorcycles 14%, pickups 4.6%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 227 | 52% |
| SUVs | 89 | 20% |
| Motorcycles | 59 | 14% |
| Pickups | 20 | 4.6% |
| Buses | 15 | 3.4% |
| Other trucks | 14 | 3.2% |
| Vans | 12 | 2.7% |
| Truck-tractors | 1 | 0.2% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in the District of Columbia per resident and per mile driven
| the District of Columbia | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 6.7 | 11.5 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 4.9 | 11.8 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.33 | 1.19 | above the US rate |
Population 702,250 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 3,539 million vehicle-miles (FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-2). The only figures on this page not counted from FARS.
Questions about fatal crashes in the District of Columbia
- How many people died in car accidents in the District of Columbia in 2024?
- 47 people died in 46 fatal crashes on the District of Columbia roads in 2024, 6.8% more than in 2023. That is 6.7 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which county in the District of Columbia has the most fatal crashes?
- District of Columbia, with 317 fatal crashes and 335 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 46 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in the District of Columbia happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 20 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in the District of Columbia involved a drinking driver?
- 80 of 317 fatal crashes in the District of Columbia from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 25%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for the District of Columbia
Every county in the District of Columbia with 30 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, roads, hour and weekday, and deaths per 100,000 residents.
Where the the District of Columbia numbers come from
Every figure on this page except the rates is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I-35", "I 35" and "I-35/PURPLE HEART TRL" are the same road); frontage roads and ramps ("I35 FRONTAGE") are left out of road counts. Totals from the state highway department and news reports can differ by a few: they count from the state's own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked and revised once a year. Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". Rates per resident and per mile use Census Bureau population estimates and FHWA vehicle-miles, the only figures not counted from FARS. The full method.