US 87 in Montana: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 64 fatal crashes on US 87 in Montana killed 81 people, the 4th most of 133 numbered roads in Montana. In 2024 there were 11 fatal crashes and 12 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 7 counties of Montana. All fatal crashes in Montana.
Deaths on US 87 in Montana by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11 | 12 |
| 2023 | 4 | 5 |
| 2022 | 6 | 9 |
| 2021 | 5 | 6 |
| 2020 | 4 | 5 |
| 2019 | 3 | 6 |
| 2018 | 8 | 11 |
| 2017 | 4 | 5 |
| 2016 | 7 | 7 |
| 2015 | 12 | 15 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 87 in Montana: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Cascade County had the most fatal crashes on US 87 from 2015 to 2024: 13, with 18 deaths. Cascade, Yellowstone and Chouteau counties together held 56% of fatal crashes on US 87 in Montana from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 95%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cascade County | 3 | 13 | 18 |
| 2 | Yellowstone County | 2 | 13 | 13 |
| 3 | Chouteau County | 3 | 10 | 12 |
| 4 | Judith Basin County | 0 | 9 | 14 |
| 5 | Musselshell County | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| 6 | Fergus County | 0 | 7 | 10 |
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 87 in Montana
64 fatal crashes on US 87 in Montana 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 2 pm to 3 pm; the worst month is July.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 7.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 6.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
By hour
By month
- Jan3.1%
- Feb4.7%
- Mar4.7%
- Apr10.9%
- May4.7%
- Jun12.5%
- Jul14.1%
- Aug10.9%
- Sep9.4%
- Oct12.5%
- Nov3.1%
- Dec9.4%
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 87 in Montana first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 48%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 27%, a rollover in 14%, a pedestrian in 6.2%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 31 | 48% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 17 | 27% |
| Rollover | 9 | 14% |
| Pedestrian | 4 | 6.2% |
| Other | 3 | 4.7% |
| 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 87 in Montana compare with the state
The largest difference from Montana: from 2015 to 2024, 22% of fatal crashes on US 87 in Montana were in the dark on unlit roads, against 35% across Montana. Below the Montana share: drinking drivers. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Montana. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 64 crashes.
| US 87 | Montana | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 83% | 84% | about the same as the Montana share |
| At or near an intersection | 20% | 15% | about the same as the Montana share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 22% | 35% | below the Montana share |
| A drinking driver | 31% | 44% | below the Montana share |
| Speeding | 34% | 36% | about the same as the Montana share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 11% | 8.7% | about the same as the Montana share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 68% | 64% | about the same as the Montana share |
| Hit-and-run | 0.0% | 2.7% | about the same as the Montana share |
| A motorcycle involved | 16% | 14% | about the same as the Montana share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 4.9% | 7.5% | about the same as the Montana 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 87 in Montana
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 87 in Montana?
- 64 fatal crashes killed 81 people on US 87 in Montana from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 11 fatal crashes and 12 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 87 in Montana do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Cascade County had the most fatal crashes on US 87 from 2015 to 2024: 13, with 18 deaths. Yellowstone County was second with 13.
Other roads in Montana with a page
All fatal crashes in Montana, with every road ranked.
Where the US 87 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 87 in Montana (filed under 14 spellings, such as "US-87", "US-87 10TH AVE S", "US-87 15TH ST NE", "US-87 E"). 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.