Fatal crashes in Indiana
In 2024, 832 people died in 785 fatal crashes on Indiana roads, 8.0% fewer than in 2023. That is about 2 deaths a day, and 2.1% of all road deaths in the United States.
Indiana ranks 17th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and joint 24th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Indiana since 1975
Road deaths in Indiana peaked in 1979 at 1,299; 2024's 832 is 36% below that. The lowest year was 2009 with 693. 2024 is 6% below 2000 and 26% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 832 | 785 | -8.0% |
| 2023 | 904 | 848 | -7.4% |
| 2022 | 976 | 911 | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 932 | 863 | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 897 | 815 | +10.7% |
| 2019 | 810 | 752 | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 860 | 776 | -6.1% |
| 2017 | 916 | 838 | +10.5% |
| 2016 | 829 | 776 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 817 | 752 | +9.7% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 745 | 704 | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 784 | 710 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 781 | 720 | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 751 | 676 | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 754 | 701 | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 693 | 632 | -15.5% |
| 2008 | 820 | 727 | -8.7% |
| 2007 | 898 | 804 | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 902 | 820 | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 938 | 855 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 947 | 857 | +13.7% |
| 2003 | 833 | 753 | +5.2% |
| 2002 | 792 | 714 | -12.9% |
| 2001 | 909 | 825 | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 886 | 793 | -13.1% |
| 1999 | 1,020 | 892 | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 982 | 884 | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 935 | 846 | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 984 | 872 | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 960 | 860 | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 971 | 869 | +7.8% |
| 1993 | 901 | 791 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 901 | 797 | -11.8% |
| 1991 | 1,022 | 903 | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 1,049 | 928 | +8.0% |
| 1989 | 971 | 882 | -11.6% |
| 1988 | 1,099 | 957 | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 1,055 | 956 | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 1,038 | 931 | +6.6% |
| 1985 | 974 | 880 | +5.3% |
| 1984 | 925 | 838 | -9.0% |
| 1983 | 1,016 | 876 | +5.7% |
| 1982 | 961 | 846 | -16.1% |
| 1981 | 1,146 | 1,000 | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 1,166 | 1,029 | -10.2% |
| 1979 | 1,299 | 1,147 | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 1,266 | 1,108 | +4.6% |
| 1977 | 1,210 | 1,061 | -3.8% |
| 1976 | 1,258 | 1,080 | +11.5% |
| 1975 | 1,128 | 976 | 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.
The deadliest roads and most dangerous highways in Indiana
I-65 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Indiana from 2015 to 2024: 178, with 199 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 20% of all fatal crashes in Indiana from 2015 to 2024; 6 are interstates, 10 US routes, 4 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (40 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Indiana, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-65 | 178 | 199 | 67 | Marion, Lake, Jasper |
| 2 | US 31 | 115 | 121 | 44 | Miami, Hamilton, Bartholomew |
| 3 | US 20 | 114 | 126 | 33 | LaPorte, Porter, Lake |
| 4 | I-80 | 111 | 124 | 39 | Lake, LaGrange, St. Joseph |
| 5 | US 41 | 107 | 116 | 42 | Lake, Vigo, Vanderburgh |
| 6 | I-70 | 101 | 117 | 35 | Marion, Hancock, Henry |
| 7 | I-69 | 97 | 113 | 48 | Allen, Vanderburgh, Madison |
| 8 | State Highway 37 | 94 | 113 | 34 | Monroe, Allen, Lawrence |
| 9 | US 231 | 74 | 86 | 27 | Jasper, Dubois, Owen |
| 10 | US 30 | 72 | 83 | 28 | Kosciusko, Lake, Porter |
| 11 | US 50 | 68 | 78 | 22 | Jennings, Dearborn, Jackson |
| 12 | US 40 | 67 | 74 | 26 | Marion, Hendricks, Hancock |
| 13 | I-465 | 64 | 68 | 30 | Marion, Boone, Hamilton |
| 14 | US 421 | 60 | 65 | 19 | LaPorte, Ripley, Clinton |
| 15 | State Highway 62 | 60 | 62 | 18 | Vanderburgh, Clark, Jefferson |
| 16 | State Highway 3 | 58 | 64 | 25 | Jennings, Henry, Decatur |
| 17 | US 35 | 56 | 62 | 21 | LaPorte, Howard, Delaware |
| 18 | US 6 | 56 | 57 | 14 | Elkhart, Porter, Marshall |
| 19 | State Highway 67 | 55 | 61 | 24 | Delaware, Morgan, Marion |
| 20 | I-74 | 54 | 56 | 24 | Shelby, Decatur, Marion |
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 Indiana as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/indiana/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Indiana
Marion County had the most fatal crashes in Indiana from 2015 to 2024: 1,152, with 1,218 deaths. Marion, Lake and Allen counties together held 25% of fatal crashes in Indiana from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 56%. 92 counties in Indiana recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, Newton County has the highest rate in Indiana: 38.0 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 13.0 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 | Marion County | 125 | 1,152 | 1,218 | 13.0 |
| 2 | Lake County | 35 | 500 | 539 | 7.2 |
| 3 | Allen County | 37 | 353 | 385 | 10.3 |
| 4 | Elkhart County | 29 | 255 | 278 | 15.4 |
| 5 | St. Joseph County | 23 | 235 | 259 | 8.4 |
| 6 | Porter County | 22 | 180 | 194 | 13.1 |
| 7 | Vanderburgh County | 20 | 171 | 180 | 11.6 |
| 8 | LaPorte County | 19 | 170 | 185 | 19.8 |
| 9 | Hamilton County | 18 | 161 | 176 | 4.7 |
| 10 | Madison County | 10 | 161 | 171 | 7.5 |
| 11 | Tippecanoe County | 16 | 142 | 157 | 8.9 |
| 12 | Delaware County | 17 | 139 | 152 | 15.9 |
| 13 | Bartholomew County | 9 | 129 | 138 | Not enough data |
| 14 | Vigo County | 11 | 127 | 142 | 10.4 |
| 15 | Clark County | 13 | 126 | 132 | 11.0 |
| 16 | Kosciusko County | 15 | 123 | 137 | 21.1 |
| 17 | Hendricks County | 12 | 119 | 130 | 7.3 |
| 18 | Howard County | 7 | 116 | 126 | Not enough data |
| 19 | Johnson County | 7 | 101 | 105 | Not enough data |
| 20 | Grant County | 9 | 98 | 107 | 15.0 |
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/indiana/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Indiana
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 308 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 4 pm to 5 pm; 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 | 3.5 percent, 284 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 121 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 121 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 193 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 243 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 213 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.3 percent, 103 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 150 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 166 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 214 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 258 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 195 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.9 percent, 70 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 159 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 165 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 216 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 245 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 190 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.0 percent, 79 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 151 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 151 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 227 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 209 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 176 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.4 percent, 110 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 176 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 167 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 219 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 243 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 210 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.5 percent, 120 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 192 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 158 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 238 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 301 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 274 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.0 percent, 244 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 148 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 188 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 232 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 280 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 308 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.6%
- Feb6.1%
- Mar7.3%
- Apr7.0%
- May9.1%
- Jun9.8%
- Jul9.8%
- Aug9.4%
- Sep9.4%
- Oct9.8%
- Nov7.9%
- Dec7.6%
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 Indiana: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
58% of fatal crashes in Indiana from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 27% happened at or near an intersection, above the US share of 25%; 31% in the dark on unlit roads, above the US share of 28%; most, 51%, in daylight. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Indiana | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 58% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 27% | 25% | above the US share |
| In daylight | 51% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 14% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 31% | 28% | above 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 Indiana roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 68% of the 832 people killed on Indiana roads in 2024; motorcyclists 17% (137), pedestrians 13% (104), cyclists 2.3% (19).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 567 | 68% |
| Motorcyclists | 137 | 17% |
| Pedestrians | 104 | 13% |
| Cyclists | 19 | 2.3% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 5 | 0.6% |
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 Indiana: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 20% of fatal crashes in Indiana from 2015 to 2024, below the US share of 26%; speeding in 26%, below the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 5.3%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 5.7%, below the US share of 8.7%; 46% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, below 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 (4,856 in Indiana).
| Indiana | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 20% | 26% | below the US share |
| Speeding | 26% | 27% | below the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 5.7% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 46% | 49% | below the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.3% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 16% | 16% | about the same as 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 collision with another vehicle in 44%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 29%, a pedestrian in 11%, a rollover in 6.5%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 3,602 | 44% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 2,341 | 29% |
| Pedestrian | 906 | 11% |
| Rollover | 528 | 6.5% |
| Other | 431 | 5.3% |
| Cyclist | 191 | 2.4% |
| Parked vehicle | 116 | 1.4% |
| Not reported | 1 | 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 Indiana
Cars were 38% of the 12,473 vehicles in fatal crashes in Indiana from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 19%, pickups 15%, motorcycles 11%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 4,689 | 38% |
| SUVs | 2,320 | 19% |
| Pickups | 1,905 | 15% |
| Motorcycles | 1,315 | 11% |
| Truck-tractors | 1,023 | 8.2% |
| Vans | 670 | 5.4% |
| Other trucks | 497 | 4.0% |
| Buses | 54 | 0.4% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Indiana per resident and per mile driven
| Indiana | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 12.0 | 11.5 | about the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 13.0 | 11.8 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 0.94 | 1.19 | below the US rate |
Population 6,924,275 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 88,231 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 Indiana
- How many people died in car accidents in Indiana in 2024?
- 832 people died in 785 fatal crashes on Indiana roads in 2024, 8.0% fewer than in 2023. That is 12 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in Indiana?
- I-65 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Indiana from 2015 to 2024: 178, with 199 deaths. US 31 was second with 115.
- Which county in Indiana has the most fatal crashes?
- Marion County, with 1,152 fatal crashes and 1,218 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 125 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Indiana happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 308 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Indiana involved a drinking driver?
- 1,591 of 8,116 fatal crashes in Indiana from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 20%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Indiana
Every county in Indiana 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.
- Marion County 1,152
- Lake County 500
- Allen County 353
- Elkhart County 255
- St. Joseph County 235
- Porter County 180
- Vanderburgh County 171
- LaPorte County 170
- Hamilton County 161
- Madison County 161
- Tippecanoe County 142
- Delaware County 139
- Bartholomew County 129
- Vigo County 127
- Clark County 126
- Kosciusko County 123
- Hendricks County 119
- Howard County 116
- Johnson County 101
- Grant County 98
- Harrison County 97
- Monroe County 95
- Shelby County 93
- Hancock County 91
- Morgan County 91
- Henry County 81
- Jackson County 80
- Marshall County 79
- Boone County 76
- Floyd County 74
- Jasper County 71
- Wayne County 67
- Steuben County 66
- Gibson County 66
- Jennings County 66
- LaGrange County 66
- Huntington County 65
- Dearborn County 64
- Putnam County 62
- Warrick County 62
- Clinton County 61
- Montgomery County 60
- DeKalb County 59
- White County 59
- Washington County 58
- Lawrence County 58
- Noble County 57
- Greene County 56
- Scott County 55
- Miami County 55
- Randolph County 54
- Whitley County 54
- Jefferson County 54
- Cass County 53
- Spencer County 52
- Wabash County 51
- Knox County 50
- Newton County 49
- Daviess County 47
- Decatur County 47
- Adams County 45
- Clay County 45
- Ripley County 44
- Jay County 44
- Starke County 42
- Dubois County 40
- Wells County 39
- Pulaski County 37
- Sullivan County 36
- Tipton County 36
- Fulton County 36
- Fayette County 35
- Carroll County 34
- Franklin County 33
- Vermillion County 32
- Owen County 32
Road pages for Indiana
Every numbered road in Indiana with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Indiana 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.