US 421 in Indiana: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 60 fatal crashes on US 421 in Indiana killed 65 people, the 14th most of 431 numbered roads in Indiana. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 8 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 10 counties of Indiana. All fatal crashes in Indiana.
Deaths on US 421 in Indiana by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 8 |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 |
| 2022 | 7 | 7 |
| 2021 | 8 | 11 |
| 2020 | 3 | 4 |
| 2019 | 5 | 5 |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
| 2016 | 10 | 10 |
| 2015 | 6 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 421 in Indiana: the counties with the most fatal crashes
LaPorte County had the most fatal crashes on US 421 from 2015 to 2024: 17, with 18 deaths. LaPorte, Ripley and Clinton counties together held 53% of fatal crashes on US 421 in Indiana from 2015 to 2024; the 7 listed held 88%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaPorte County | 1 | 17 | 18 |
| 2 | Ripley County | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| 3 | Clinton County | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| 4 | Carroll County | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | Decatur County | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Jefferson County | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| 7 | Pulaski County | 0 | 5 | 5 |
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 421 in Indiana
60 fatal crashes on US 421 in Indiana 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 8 am to 9 am; the worst month is January.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 6.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan13.3%
- Feb10.0%
- Mar3.3%
- Apr6.7%
- May5.0%
- Jun11.7%
- Jul11.7%
- Aug10.0%
- Sep13.3%
- Oct3.3%
- Nov8.3%
- Dec3.3%
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 421 in Indiana first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 70%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 15%, a pedestrian in 5.0%, a cyclist in 5.0%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 42 | 70% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 9 | 15% |
| Pedestrian | 3 | 5.0% |
| Cyclist | 3 | 5.0% |
| Rollover | 2 | 3.3% |
| Other | 1 | 1.7% |
| Parked vehicle | 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 US 421 in Indiana compare with the state
The largest difference from Indiana: from 2015 to 2024, 92% of fatal crashes on US 421 in Indiana were on rural roads, against 58% across Indiana. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Indiana. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 60 crashes.
| US 421 | Indiana | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 92% | 58% | above the Indiana share |
| At or near an intersection | 22% | 27% | about the same as the Indiana share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 38% | 31% | about the same as the Indiana share |
| A drinking driver | 25% | 20% | about the same as the Indiana share |
| Speeding | 23% | 26% | about the same as the Indiana share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 8.3% | 5.7% | about the same as the Indiana share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 46% | 46% | about the same as the Indiana share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.3% | 5.3% | about the same as the Indiana share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 16% | about the same as the Indiana share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 4.6% | 11% | about the same as the Indiana 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 421 in Indiana
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 421 in Indiana?
- 60 fatal crashes killed 65 people on US 421 in Indiana from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 8 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 421 in Indiana do the most fatal crashes happen?
- LaPorte County had the most fatal crashes on US 421 from 2015 to 2024: 17, with 18 deaths. Ripley County was second with 8.
Other roads in Indiana with a page
- I-465
- I-65
- I-69
- I-70
- I-74
- I-80
- State Highway 135
- State Highway 19
- State Highway 3
- State Highway 37
- State Highway 62
- State Highway 64
All fatal crashes in Indiana, with every road ranked.
Where the US 421 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 421 in Indiana (filed under 4 spellings, such as "US- 421", "US-421", "US-421 N", "US-421 S"). 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.