Fatal crashes in Mississippi
In 2024, 753 people died in 678 fatal crashes on Mississippi roads, 2.7% more than in 2023. That is about 2 deaths a day, and 1.9% of all road deaths in the United States.
Mississippi ranks 18th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 1st by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Mississippi since 1975
Road deaths in Mississippi peaked in 2000 at 949; 2024's 753 is 21% below that. The lowest year was 1975 with 546. 2024 is 21% below 2000 and 38% above 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 753 | 678 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 733 | 667 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 703 | 646 | -8.2% |
| 2021 | 766 | 695 | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 748 | 685 | +16.5% |
| 2019 | 642 | 580 | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 663 | 596 | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 685 | 609 | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 687 | 625 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 677 | 604 | +11.5% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 607 | 543 | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 613 | 558 | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 582 | 507 | -7.6% |
| 2011 | 630 | 567 | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 641 | 581 | -8.4% |
| 2009 | 700 | 631 | -10.6% |
| 2008 | 783 | 711 | -11.4% |
| 2007 | 884 | 804 | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 911 | 812 | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 931 | 840 | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 900 | 786 | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 872 | 786 | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 885 | 769 | +12.9% |
| 2001 | 784 | 704 | -17.4% |
| 2000 | 949 | 846 | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 927 | 832 | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 948 | 842 | +10.1% |
| 1997 | 861 | 741 | +6.2% |
| 1996 | 811 | 695 | -6.6% |
| 1995 | 868 | 738 | +9.7% |
| 1994 | 791 | 689 | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 813 | 697 | +6.1% |
| 1992 | 766 | 649 | +7.3% |
| 1991 | 714 | 606 | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 750 | 629 | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 727 | 621 | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 722 | 632 | -4.5% |
| 1987 | 756 | 657 | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 771 | 670 | +16.5% |
| 1985 | 662 | 582 | -2.5% |
| 1984 | 679 | 594 | -5.0% |
| 1983 | 715 | 626 | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 730 | 617 | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 744 | 632 | +7.1% |
| 1980 | 695 | 603 | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 715 | 630 | -8.8% |
| 1978 | 784 | 670 | +14.6% |
| 1977 | 684 | 578 | +17.7% |
| 1976 | 581 | 496 | +6.4% |
| 1975 | 546 | 483 | 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 Mississippi
I-55 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024: 290, with 333 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 37% of all fatal crashes in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024; 4 are interstates, 11 US routes, 5 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (29 crashes). Over 2022 to 2024 alone, US 49 had the most, 103 against 90 on I-55. Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Mississippi, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-55 | 290 | 333 | 90 | Hinds, DeSoto, Madison |
| 2 | US 49 | 278 | 306 | 103 | Forrest, Harrison, Covington |
| 3 | US 61 | 169 | 196 | 41 | Bolivar, Tunica, Washington |
| 4 | I-20 | 149 | 172 | 42 | Hinds, Lauderdale, Rankin |
| 5 | US 45 | 140 | 159 | 39 | Lee, Monroe, Lowndes |
| 6 | US 82 | 136 | 157 | 55 | Washington, Leflore, Sunflower |
| 7 | I-59 | 121 | 139 | 36 | Pearl River, Jones, Forrest |
| 8 | US 98 | 106 | 123 | 33 | Lamar, Pike, Marion |
| 9 | I-10 | 105 | 119 | 40 | Jackson, Harrison, Hancock |
| 10 | State Highway 15 | 101 | 115 | 27 | Jasper, Neshoba, Jones |
| 11 | US 90 | 95 | 102 | 35 | Harrison, Jackson, Hancock |
| 12 | US 84 | 81 | 89 | 23 | Covington, Jones, Wayne |
| 13 | US 51 | 81 | 88 | 25 | Grenada, Panola, Copiah |
| 14 | State Highway 25 | 79 | 91 | 23 | Tishomingo, Oktibbeha, Winston |
| 15 | State Highway 35 | 71 | 79 | 22 | Scott, Leake, Marion |
| 16 | US 72 | 68 | 81 | 25 | Alcorn, Marshall, Benton |
| 17 | US 80 | 68 | 75 | 20 | Hinds, Rankin, Scott |
| 18 | State Highway 16 | 67 | 83 | 17 | Neshoba, Madison, Leake |
| 19 | US 278 | 66 | 79 | 15 | Lafayette, Pontotoc, Panola |
| 20 | State Highway 18 | 62 | 71 | 23 | Hinds, Rankin, Claiborne |
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 Mississippi as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/mississippi/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Mississippi
Hinds County had the most fatal crashes in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024: 481, with 529 deaths. Hinds, Harrison and Jackson counties together held 16% of fatal crashes in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 51%. 82 counties in Mississippi 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, Covington County has the highest rate in Mississippi: 53.3 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 23.8 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 | Hinds County | 53 | 481 | 529 | 27.8 |
| 2 | Harrison County | 23 | 289 | 308 | 11.2 |
| 3 | Jackson County | 24 | 239 | 263 | 17.7 |
| 4 | DeSoto County | 18 | 205 | 223 | 10.7 |
| 5 | Rankin County | 28 | 180 | 193 | 17.4 |
| 6 | Lee County | 14 | 165 | 180 | 19.3 |
| 7 | Lauderdale County | 13 | 163 | 178 | 19.8 |
| 8 | Forrest County | 25 | 161 | 173 | 34.4 |
| 9 | Marshall County | 18 | 157 | 176 | 58.2 |
| 10 | Pearl River County | 13 | 135 | 148 | 25.4 |
| 11 | Washington County | 21 | 130 | 142 | 58.3 |
| 12 | Madison County | 12 | 129 | 140 | 11.4 |
| 13 | Jones County | 15 | 123 | 139 | 24.3 |
| 14 | Panola County | 10 | 116 | 135 | 39.7 |
| 15 | Pike County | 16 | 114 | 126 | 46.2 |
| 16 | Scott County | 7 | 111 | 119 | Not enough data |
| 17 | Hancock County | 10 | 98 | 112 | 21.5 |
| 18 | Lamar County | 12 | 98 | 107 | 21.0 |
| 19 | Lowndes County | 14 | 96 | 102 | 24.5 |
| 20 | Lafayette County | 13 | 95 | 103 | 21.7 |
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/mississippi/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Mississippi
The heaviest slot is Friday, 8 pm to midnight, with 258 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 8 pm to 9 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 | 3.8 percent, 242 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 136 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 110 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 170 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 175 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 183 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.1 percent, 72 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 111 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 134 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 152 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 173 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 139 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.1 percent, 73 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 123 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 110 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 149 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 200 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 170 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.9 percent, 57 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 117 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 120 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 171 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 195 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 156 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.2 percent, 74 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 133 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 115 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 163 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 182 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 189 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.4 percent, 88 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 143 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 111 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 195 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 230 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 258 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.2 percent, 206 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 117 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 128 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 164 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 217 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 232 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.4%
- Feb7.2%
- Mar7.8%
- Apr8.0%
- May9.3%
- Jun7.9%
- Jul8.3%
- Aug9.1%
- Sep8.9%
- Oct9.9%
- Nov8.7%
- 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 Mississippi: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
70% of fatal crashes in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 15% happened at or near an intersection, below the US share of 25%; 35% in the dark on unlit roads, above the US share of 28%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Mississippi | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 70% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 15% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 49% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 10% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 35% | 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 Mississippi roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 77% of the 753 people killed on Mississippi roads in 2024; pedestrians 14% (104), motorcyclists 7.3% (55), cyclists 1.2% (9).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 583 | 77% |
| Pedestrians | 104 | 14% |
| Motorcyclists | 55 | 7.3% |
| Cyclists | 9 | 1.2% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 2 | 0.3% |
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 Mississippi: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 19% of fatal crashes in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024, below the US share of 26%; speeding in 15%, below the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 3.6%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 1.7%, below the US share of 8.7%; 53% 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 (4,819 in Mississippi).
| Mississippi | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 19% | 26% | below the US share |
| Speeding | 15% | 27% | below the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 1.7% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 53% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.6% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 7.3% | 16% | below 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 38%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 37%, a pedestrian in 12%, a rollover in 8.5%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 2,451 | 38% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 2,344 | 37% |
| Pedestrian | 771 | 12% |
| Rollover | 544 | 8.5% |
| Other | 149 | 2.3% |
| Cyclist | 93 | 1.5% |
| Parked vehicle | 32 | 0.5% |
| 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 Mississippi
Cars were 41% of the 9,020 vehicles in fatal crashes in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024, pickups 23%, SUVs 18%, truck-tractors 7.1%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 3,687 | 41% |
| Pickups | 2,034 | 23% |
| SUVs | 1,645 | 18% |
| Truck-tractors | 640 | 7.1% |
| Motorcycles | 484 | 5.4% |
| Other trucks | 272 | 3.0% |
| Vans | 230 | 2.5% |
| Buses | 28 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Mississippi per resident and per mile driven
| Mississippi | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 25.6 | 11.5 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 23.8 | 11.8 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.81 | 1.19 | above the US rate |
Population 2,943,045 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 41,554 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 Mississippi
- How many people died in car accidents in Mississippi in 2024?
- 753 people died in 678 fatal crashes on Mississippi roads in 2024, 2.7% more than in 2023. That is 25.6 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 Mississippi?
- I-55 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024: 290, with 333 deaths. US 49 was second with 278.
- Which county in Mississippi has the most fatal crashes?
- Hinds County, with 481 fatal crashes and 529 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 53 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Mississippi happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Friday, 8 pm to midnight, with 258 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Mississippi involved a drinking driver?
- 1,179 of 6,385 fatal crashes in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 19%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Mississippi
Every county in Mississippi 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.
- Hinds County 481
- Harrison County 289
- Jackson County 239
- DeSoto County 205
- Rankin County 180
- Lee County 165
- Lauderdale County 163
- Forrest County 161
- Marshall County 157
- Pearl River County 135
- Washington County 130
- Madison County 129
- Jones County 123
- Panola County 116
- Pike County 114
- Scott County 111
- Hancock County 98
- Lamar County 98
- Lowndes County 96
- Lafayette County 95
- Copiah County 93
- Lincoln County 92
- Warren County 91
- Neshoba County 90
- Alcorn County 87
- Covington County 87
- Tate County 83
- Pontotoc County 80
- Monroe County 79
- Grenada County 78
- Oktibbeha County 73
- George County 72
- Holmes County 71
- Leake County 70
- Bolivar County 68
- Jasper County 65
- Simpson County 65
- Marion County 62
- Union County 60
- Sunflower County 58
- Itawamba County 58
- Wayne County 57
- Yazoo County 57
- Prentiss County 56
- Stone County 53
- Tishomingo County 53
- Leflore County 51
- Coahoma County 50
- Jefferson Davis County 48
- Tunica County 47
- Newton County 47
- Chickasaw County 46
- Tippah County 45
- Perry County 44
- Amite County 43
- Attala County 43
- Yalobusha County 43
- Adams County 41
- Clarke County 40
- Greene County 40
- Noxubee County 38
- Winston County 37
- Benton County 36
- Calhoun County 36
- Clay County 36
- Claiborne County 35
- Smith County 33
- Kemper County 33
- Tallahatchie County 32
- Carroll County 31
- Wilkinson County 31
- Humphreys County 30
Road pages for Mississippi
Every numbered road in Mississippi with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Mississippi 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.