US 169 in Minnesota: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 114 fatal crashes on US 169 in Minnesota killed 123 people, the most of any numbered road in Minnesota. In 2024 there were 13 fatal crashes and 14 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 11 counties of Minnesota. All fatal crashes in Minnesota.
Deaths on US 169 in Minnesota by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 14 |
| 2023 | 13 | 15 |
| 2022 | 13 | 13 |
| 2021 | 16 | 16 |
| 2020 | 11 | 11 |
| 2019 | 8 | 10 |
| 2018 | 6 | 6 |
| 2017 | 15 | 17 |
| 2016 | 8 | 8 |
| 2015 | 11 | 13 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 169 in Minnesota: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Hennepin County had the most fatal crashes on US 169 from 2015 to 2024: 19, with 20 deaths. Hennepin, Itasca and Scott counties together held 45% of fatal crashes on US 169 in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024; the 9 listed held 95%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hennepin County | 1 | 19 | 20 |
| 2 | Itasca County | 3 | 18 | 19 |
| 3 | Scott County | 2 | 14 | 14 |
| 4 | Sherburne County | 1 | 13 | 14 |
| 5 | St. Louis County | 1 | 11 | 13 |
| 6 | Mille Lacs County | 0 | 11 | 12 |
| 7 | Blue Earth County | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| 8 | Nicollet County | 2 | 8 | 9 |
| 9 | Aitkin County | 1 | 6 | 7 |
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 169 in Minnesota
114 fatal crashes on US 169 in Minnesota 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 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is May.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 6.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 5.3 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 6.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 6.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan9.6%
- Feb4.4%
- Mar7.9%
- Apr4.4%
- May11.4%
- Jun7.0%
- Jul10.5%
- Aug7.0%
- Sep10.5%
- Oct11.4%
- Nov9.6%
- Dec6.1%
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 169 in Minnesota first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 63%; a pedestrian in 14%, a rollover in 9.6%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 9.6%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 72 | 63% |
| Pedestrian | 16 | 14% |
| Rollover | 11 | 9.6% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 11 | 9.6% |
| Other | 4 | 3.5% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| 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 169 in Minnesota compare with the state
The largest difference from Minnesota: from 2015 to 2024, 16% of occupants killed on US 169 in Minnesota were unbelted, against 38% across Minnesota. Also above the Minnesota share: intersections. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Minnesota. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 114 crashes.
| US 169 | Minnesota | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 57% | 58% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| At or near an intersection | 42% | 33% | above the Minnesota share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 20% | 21% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| A drinking driver | 25% | 30% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| Speeding | 24% | 27% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 7.9% | 8.0% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 16% | 38% | below the Minnesota share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.4% | 3.3% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| A motorcycle involved | 14% | 16% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 13% | 11% | about the same as the Minnesota 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 169 in Minnesota
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 169 in Minnesota?
- 114 fatal crashes killed 123 people on US 169 in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 13 fatal crashes and 14 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 169 in Minnesota do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Hennepin County had the most fatal crashes on US 169 from 2015 to 2024: 19, with 20 deaths. Itasca County was second with 18.
Other roads in Minnesota with a page
All fatal crashes in Minnesota, with every road ranked.
Where the US 169 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 169 in Minnesota (filed under 2 spellings, such as "US-169", "US-169 POKEGAMA AVE 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.