US 278 in Mississippi: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 66 fatal crashes on US 278 in Mississippi killed 79 people, the 19th most of 226 numbered roads in Mississippi. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 6 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 7 counties of Mississippi. All fatal crashes in Mississippi.
Deaths on US 278 in Mississippi by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 6 |
| 2023 | 4 | 5 |
| 2022 | 6 | 6 |
| 2021 | 7 | 10 |
| 2020 | 6 | 9 |
| 2019 | 5 | 6 |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 |
| 2017 | 9 | 12 |
| 2016 | 14 | 14 |
| 2015 | 6 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 278 in Mississippi: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Lafayette County had the most fatal crashes on US 278 from 2015 to 2024: 21, with 25 deaths. Lafayette, Pontotoc and Panola counties together held 79% of fatal crashes on US 278 in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024; the 5 listed held 95%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lafayette County | 2 | 21 | 25 |
| 2 | Pontotoc County | 1 | 18 | 18 |
| 3 | Panola County | 1 | 13 | 18 |
| 4 | Quitman County | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| 5 | Monroe County | 0 | 5 | 6 |
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 278 in Mississippi
66 fatal crashes on US 278 in Mississippi 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 4 pm to 5 pm; the worst month is March.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 6.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 10.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan4.5%
- Feb7.6%
- Mar16.7%
- Apr6.1%
- May7.6%
- Jun3.0%
- Jul7.6%
- Aug10.6%
- Sep15.2%
- Oct3.0%
- Nov13.6%
- Dec4.5%
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 278 in Mississippi first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 64%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 21%, a pedestrian in 6.1%, a rollover in 4.5%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 42 | 64% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 14 | 21% |
| Pedestrian | 4 | 6.1% |
| Rollover | 3 | 4.5% |
| Other | 2 | 3.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 1 | 1.5% |
| Cyclist | 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 278 in Mississippi compare with the state
The largest difference from Mississippi: from 2015 to 2024, 85% of fatal crashes on US 278 in Mississippi were on rural roads, against 70% across Mississippi. Also above the Mississippi share: intersections. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Mississippi. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 66 crashes.
| US 278 | Mississippi | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 85% | 70% | above the Mississippi share |
| At or near an intersection | 27% | 15% | above the Mississippi share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 41% | 35% | about the same as the Mississippi share |
| A drinking driver | 23% | 19% | about the same as the Mississippi share |
| Speeding | 7.6% | 15% | about the same as the Mississippi share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 1.5% | 1.7% | about the same as the Mississippi share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 48% | 53% | about the same as the Mississippi share |
| Hit-and-run | 0.0% | 3.6% | about the same as the Mississippi share |
| A motorcycle involved | 6.1% | 7.3% | about the same as the Mississippi share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 5.1% | 12% | about the same as the Mississippi 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 278 in Mississippi
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 278 in Mississippi?
- 66 fatal crashes killed 79 people on US 278 in Mississippi from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 6 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 278 in Mississippi do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Lafayette County had the most fatal crashes on US 278 from 2015 to 2024: 21, with 25 deaths. Pontotoc County was second with 18.
Other roads in Mississippi with a page
- I-10
- I-20
- I-22
- I-55
- I-59
- State Highway 12
- State Highway 13
- State Highway 15
- State Highway 16
- State Highway 18
- State Highway 19
- State Highway 25
All fatal crashes in Mississippi, with every road ranked.
Where the US 278 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 278 in Mississippi (filed under 2 spellings, such as "US-278", "US-278 SR-6"). 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.