Fatal crashes in Minnesota
In 2024, 477 people died in 431 fatal crashes on Minnesota roads, 18.7% more than in 2023. That is about 1 death a day, and 1.2% of all road deaths in the United States.
Minnesota ranks 29th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 44th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Minnesota since 1975
Road deaths in Minnesota peaked in 1978 at 962; 2024's 477 is 50% below that. The lowest year was 2017 with 358. 2024 is 24% below 2000 and 37% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 477 | 431 | +18.7% |
| 2023 | 402 | 364 | -9.5% |
| 2022 | 444 | 418 | -9.0% |
| 2021 | 488 | 451 | +23.9% |
| 2020 | 394 | 369 | +8.2% |
| 2019 | 364 | 333 | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 381 | 349 | +6.4% |
| 2017 | 358 | 341 | -8.7% |
| 2016 | 392 | 357 | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 411 | 375 | +13.9% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 361 | 324 | -6.7% |
| 2013 | 387 | 357 | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 395 | 349 | +7.3% |
| 2011 | 368 | 334 | -10.5% |
| 2010 | 411 | 364 | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 421 | 371 | -7.5% |
| 2008 | 455 | 420 | -10.8% |
| 2007 | 510 | 463 | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 494 | 456 | -11.6% |
| 2005 | 559 | 500 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 567 | 520 | -13.4% |
| 2003 | 655 | 583 | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 657 | 590 | +15.7% |
| 2001 | 568 | 508 | -9.1% |
| 2000 | 625 | 557 | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 626 | 567 | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 650 | 575 | +8.3% |
| 1997 | 600 | 528 | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 576 | 503 | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 597 | 515 | -7.6% |
| 1994 | 646 | 552 | +20.1% |
| 1993 | 538 | 477 | -7.4% |
| 1992 | 581 | 494 | +9.4% |
| 1991 | 531 | 469 | -6.2% |
| 1990 | 566 | 501 | -6.3% |
| 1989 | 604 | 538 | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 612 | 543 | +15.5% |
| 1987 | 530 | 466 | -7.2% |
| 1986 | 571 | 505 | -6.1% |
| 1985 | 608 | 536 | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 582 | 517 | +4.9% |
| 1983 | 555 | 498 | -2.8% |
| 1982 | 571 | 508 | -24.2% |
| 1981 | 753 | 663 | -11.2% |
| 1980 | 848 | 742 | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 867 | 776 | -9.9% |
| 1978 | 962 | 834 | +14.9% |
| 1977 | 837 | 730 | +4.4% |
| 1976 | 802 | 712 | +6.4% |
| 1975 | 754 | 665 | 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 Minnesota
US 169 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024: 114, with 123 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 27% of all fatal crashes in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024; 4 are interstates, 9 US routes, 7 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (39 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Minnesota, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US 169 | 114 | 123 | 39 | Hennepin, Itasca, Scott |
| 2 | I-94 | 89 | 99 | 29 | Hennepin, Stearns, Wright |
| 3 | US 10 | 69 | 75 | 22 | Sherburne, Morrison, Benton |
| 4 | I-35 | 69 | 73 | 21 | Chisago, Pine, Rice |
| 5 | State Highway 23 | 62 | 70 | 16 | Stearns, Benton, Pine |
| 6 | State Highway 65 | 59 | 66 | 16 | Anoka, Isanti, Kanabec |
| 7 | State Highway 55 | 57 | 64 | 17 | Hennepin, Dakota, Wright |
| 8 | US 61 | 54 | 62 | 20 | Ramsey, Washington, Wabasha |
| 9 | US 71 | 46 | 53 | 9 | Wadena, Todd, Stearns |
| 10 | State Highway 210 | 45 | 48 | 14 | Otter Tail, Crow Wing, Carlton |
| 11 | State Highway 47 | 43 | 45 | 10 | Anoka, Isanti, Aitkin |
| 12 | I-90 | 39 | 48 | 18 | Winona, Faribault, Olmsted |
| 13 | State Highway 7 | 37 | 42 | 15 | Hennepin, McLeod, Carver |
| 14 | US 14 | 37 | 41 | 9 | Olmsted, Nicollet, Blue Earth |
| 15 | I-35W | 36 | 40 | 12 | Hennepin, Dakota, Ramsey |
| 16 | US 59 | 32 | 37 | 9 | Pennington, Becker, Lyon |
| 17 | US 12 | 32 | 34 | 7 | Hennepin, Kandiyohi, Wright |
| 18 | US 52 | 31 | 33 | 8 | Goodhue, Olmsted, Dakota |
| 19 | US 2 | 30 | 36 | 5 | St. Louis, Itasca, Beltrami |
| 20 | State Highway 95 | 29 | 30 | 5 | Washington, Isanti, Chisago |
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 Minnesota as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/minnesota/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Minnesota
Hennepin County had the most fatal crashes in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024: 477, with 509 deaths. Hennepin, Ramsey and Anoka counties together held 23% of fatal crashes in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 61%. 87 counties in Minnesota 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, Aitkin County has the highest rate in Minnesota: 23.8 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 7.3 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 | Hennepin County | 53 | 477 | 509 | 4.3 |
| 2 | Ramsey County | 27 | 214 | 225 | 5.2 |
| 3 | Anoka County | 12 | 184 | 200 | 3.4 |
| 4 | Dakota County | 19 | 167 | 185 | 5.1 |
| 5 | St. Louis County | 21 | 167 | 183 | 12.5 |
| 6 | Stearns County | 9 | 114 | 122 | 7.3 |
| 7 | Washington County | 8 | 100 | 105 | Not enough data |
| 8 | Sherburne County | 9 | 96 | 108 | 10.7 |
| 9 | Olmsted County | 11 | 89 | 97 | 6.6 |
| 10 | Wright County | 13 | 88 | 91 | 9.7 |
| 11 | Scott County | 8 | 76 | 79 | Not enough data |
| 12 | Crow Wing County | 9 | 69 | 71 | Not enough data |
| 13 | Cass County | 8 | 61 | 67 | 31.8 |
| 14 | Otter Tail County | 10 | 61 | 64 | 16.4 |
| 15 | Pine County | 5 | 60 | 65 | Not enough data |
| 16 | Chisago County | 5 | 59 | 65 | Not enough data |
| 17 | Isanti County | 5 | 59 | 63 | Not enough data |
| 18 | Carver County | 6 | 58 | 61 | Not enough data |
| 19 | Morrison County | 7 | 55 | 60 | Not enough data |
| 20 | Itasca County | 7 | 52 | 58 | Not enough data |
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/minnesota/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Minnesota
The heaviest slot is Thursday, 4 to 8 pm, with 144 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is September.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 2.6 percent, 100 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 47 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 66 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 103 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 128 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 78 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.8 percent, 31 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 93 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 72 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 112 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 124 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 73 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.9 percent, 35 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 68 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 93 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 125 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 87 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.1 percent, 42 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 80 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 95 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 104 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 116 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 76 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.8 percent, 31 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 56 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 82 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 115 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 144 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 82 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.3 percent, 48 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 74 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 78 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 119 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 141 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 123 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.9 percent, 108 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 56 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 92 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 138 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 127 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 123 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan5.1%
- Feb5.3%
- Mar5.9%
- Apr6.4%
- May9.1%
- Jun10.5%
- Jul10.5%
- Aug10.2%
- Sep10.6%
- Oct10.5%
- Nov8.2%
- Dec7.9%
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 Minnesota: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
58% of fatal crashes in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 33% happened at or near an intersection, above the US share of 25%; 21% in the dark on unlit roads, below the US share of 28%; most, 57%, in daylight. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Minnesota | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 58% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 33% | 25% | above the US share |
| In daylight | 57% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 16% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 21% | 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 Minnesota roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 70% of the 477 people killed on Minnesota roads in 2024; motorcyclists 16% (75), pedestrians 12% (57), cyclists 1.5% (7).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 335 | 70% |
| Motorcyclists | 75 | 16% |
| Pedestrians | 57 | 12% |
| Cyclists | 7 | 1.5% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 3 | 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 Minnesota: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 30% of fatal crashes in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024, above the US share of 26%; speeding in 27%, about the US share; a hit-and-run in 3.3%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 8.0%, about the US share; 38% 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 (2,240 in Minnesota).
| Minnesota | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 30% | 26% | above the US share |
| Speeding | 27% | 27% | about the same as the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 8.0% | 8.7% | about the same as the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 38% | 49% | below the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.3% | 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 45%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 23%, a rollover in 13%, a pedestrian in 11%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 1,710 | 45% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 878 | 23% |
| Rollover | 482 | 13% |
| Pedestrian | 426 | 11% |
| Other | 183 | 4.8% |
| Cyclist | 80 | 2.1% |
| Parked vehicle | 28 | 0.7% |
| 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 Minnesota
Cars were 35% of the 5,655 vehicles in fatal crashes in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 20%, pickups 16%, motorcycles 11%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 1,966 | 35% |
| SUVs | 1,152 | 20% |
| Pickups | 916 | 16% |
| Motorcycles | 649 | 11% |
| Truck-tractors | 379 | 6.7% |
| Vans | 306 | 5.4% |
| Other trucks | 257 | 4.5% |
| Buses | 30 | 0.5% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Minnesota per resident and per mile driven
| Minnesota | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 8.2 | 11.5 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 7.3 | 11.8 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 0.81 | 1.19 | below the US rate |
Population 5,793,151 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 59,181 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 Minnesota
- How many people died in car accidents in Minnesota in 2024?
- 477 people died in 431 fatal crashes on Minnesota roads in 2024, 18.7% more than in 2023. That is 8.2 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 Minnesota?
- US 169 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024: 114, with 123 deaths. I-94 was second with 89.
- Which county in Minnesota has the most fatal crashes?
- Hennepin County, with 477 fatal crashes and 509 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 53 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Minnesota happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Thursday, 4 to 8 pm, with 144 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Minnesota involved a drinking driver?
- 1,146 of 3,788 fatal crashes in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 30%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Minnesota
Every county in Minnesota 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.
- Hennepin County 477
- Ramsey County 214
- Anoka County 184
- St. Louis County 167
- Dakota County 167
- Stearns County 114
- Washington County 100
- Sherburne County 96
- Olmsted County 89
- Wright County 88
- Scott County 76
- Crow Wing County 69
- Cass County 61
- Otter Tail County 61
- Pine County 60
- Chisago County 59
- Isanti County 59
- Carver County 58
- Morrison County 55
- Itasca County 52
- Beltrami County 51
- Rice County 49
- Becker County 49
- Blue Earth County 49
- Goodhue County 47
- Kandiyohi County 45
- Douglas County 42
- Benton County 41
- Carlton County 39
- Winona County 39
- Clay County 38
- Mille Lacs County 38
- McLeod County 36
- Kanabec County 34
- Le Sueur County 33
- Aitkin County 32
- Wabasha County 31
- Faribault County 30
- Freeborn County 30
Road pages for Minnesota
Every numbered road in Minnesota with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Minnesota 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.