Fatal crashes in Ohio
In 2024, 1,157 people died in 1,077 fatal crashes on Ohio roads, 6.8% fewer than in 2023. That is about 3 deaths a day, and 2.9% of all road deaths in the United States.
Ohio ranks 9th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 35th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Ohio since 1975
Road deaths in Ohio peaked in 1979 at 2,281; 2024's 1,157 is 49% below that. The lowest year was 2013 with 989. 2024 is 15% below 2000 and 34% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,157 | 1,077 | -6.8% |
| 2023 | 1,242 | 1,150 | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 1,274 | 1,179 | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 1,354 | 1,242 | +10.1% |
| 2020 | 1,230 | 1,154 | +6.7% |
| 2019 | 1,153 | 1,039 | +8.0% |
| 2018 | 1,068 | 996 | -9.4% |
| 2017 | 1,179 | 1,094 | +4.2% |
| 2016 | 1,132 | 1,053 | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 1,110 | 1,029 | +10.3% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,006 | 917 | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 989 | 917 | -11.8% |
| 2012 | 1,121 | 1,022 | +10.2% |
| 2011 | 1,017 | 942 | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 1,080 | 984 | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 1,022 | 945 | -14.2% |
| 2008 | 1,191 | 1,099 | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 1,255 | 1,161 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 1,238 | 1,141 | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 1,321 | 1,223 | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 1,286 | 1,163 | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 1,274 | 1,165 | -10.2% |
| 2002 | 1,418 | 1,285 | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 1,378 | 1,257 | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 1,366 | 1,244 | -4.5% |
| 1999 | 1,430 | 1,284 | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 1,422 | 1,289 | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 1,441 | 1,270 | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 1,391 | 1,244 | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 1,360 | 1,219 | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 1,370 | 1,207 | -7.3% |
| 1993 | 1,478 | 1,327 | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 1,439 | 1,302 | -12.0% |
| 1991 | 1,636 | 1,451 | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 1,638 | 1,479 | -7.6% |
| 1989 | 1,772 | 1,574 | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 1,748 | 1,586 | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 1,772 | 1,588 | +5.9% |
| 1986 | 1,673 | 1,503 | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 1,646 | 1,480 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1,646 | 1,479 | +4.0% |
| 1983 | 1,582 | 1,416 | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 1,607 | 1,447 | -9.5% |
| 1981 | 1,776 | 1,566 | -12.6% |
| 1980 | 2,033 | 1,805 | -10.9% |
| 1979 | 2,281 | 2,010 | +11.4% |
| 1978 | 2,047 | 1,800 | +11.6% |
| 1977 | 1,835 | 1,636 | -3.1% |
| 1976 | 1,893 | 1,669 | +7.2% |
| 1975 | 1,766 | 1,593 | 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 Ohio
I-71 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Ohio from 2015 to 2024: 212, with 242 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 20% of all fatal crashes in Ohio from 2015 to 2024; 7 are interstates, 11 US routes, 2 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (63 crashes). Over 2022 to 2024 alone, I-75 had the most, 75 against 68 on I-71. Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Ohio, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-71 | 212 | 242 | 68 | Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton |
| 2 | I-75 | 206 | 239 | 75 | Montgomery, Hamilton, Wood |
| 3 | I-70 | 152 | 171 | 42 | Franklin, Clark, Montgomery |
| 4 | US 23 | 136 | 146 | 49 | Delaware, Pickaway, Franklin |
| 5 | US 6 | 120 | 135 | 35 | Cuyahoga, Wood, Henry |
| 6 | US 62 | 118 | 126 | 30 | Franklin, Stark, Licking |
| 7 | US 20 | 113 | 125 | 34 | Fulton, Sandusky, Lucas |
| 8 | US 40 | 111 | 117 | 31 | Franklin, Licking, Clark |
| 9 | I-80 | 110 | 130 | 39 | Erie, Cuyahoga, Fulton |
| 10 | US 33 | 97 | 109 | 22 | Franklin, Fairfield, Union |
| 11 | I-90 | 95 | 100 | 35 | Cuyahoga, Lake, Ashtabula |
| 12 | US 22 | 91 | 103 | 26 | Fairfield, Muskingum, Harrison |
| 13 | US 42 | 87 | 93 | 33 | Hamilton, Ashland, Cuyahoga |
| 14 | State Highway 4 | 86 | 98 | 30 | Montgomery, Butler, Hamilton |
| 15 | I-270 | 84 | 95 | 25 | Franklin, Cuyahoga |
| 16 | State Highway 7 | 83 | 93 | 27 | Washington, Gallia, Meigs |
| 17 | I-77 | 81 | 89 | 29 | Summit, Cuyahoga, Tuscarawas |
| 18 | US 50 | 76 | 86 | 15 | Hamilton, Ross, Athens |
| 19 | US 35 | 71 | 86 | 20 | Jackson, Montgomery, Ross |
| 20 | US 127 | 69 | 76 | 28 | Mercer, Butler, Darke |
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 Ohio as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/ohio/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Ohio
Franklin County had the most fatal crashes in Ohio from 2015 to 2024: 990, with 1,057 deaths. Franklin, Cuyahoga and Hamilton counties together held 22% of fatal crashes in Ohio from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 58%. 88 counties in Ohio 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, Harrison County has the highest rate in Ohio: 31.2 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 10.1 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 | Franklin County | 83 | 990 | 1,057 | 6.6 |
| 2 | Cuyahoga County | 111 | 893 | 949 | 9.5 |
| 3 | Hamilton County | 60 | 593 | 626 | 7.5 |
| 4 | Montgomery County | 60 | 541 | 606 | 12.1 |
| 5 | Lucas County | 29 | 394 | 420 | 8.2 |
| 6 | Summit County | 37 | 380 | 405 | 6.9 |
| 7 | Stark County | 28 | 282 | 301 | 7.5 |
| 8 | Butler County | 32 | 281 | 295 | 8.8 |
| 9 | Lorain County | 25 | 248 | 270 | 8.1 |
| 10 | Licking County | 17 | 204 | 221 | 9.2 |
| 11 | Mahoning County | 17 | 194 | 210 | 8.0 |
| 12 | Clark County | 17 | 171 | 183 | 13.3 |
| 13 | Trumbull County | 17 | 171 | 182 | 9.0 |
| 14 | Clermont County | 15 | 168 | 186 | 8.9 |
| 15 | Ashtabula County | 20 | 160 | 171 | 21.7 |
| 16 | Wood County | 19 | 156 | 174 | 14.3 |
| 17 | Warren County | 10 | 156 | 167 | 4.3 |
| 18 | Delaware County | 19 | 144 | 159 | 8.4 |
| 19 | Wayne County | 10 | 142 | 156 | 8.6 |
| 20 | Portage County | 11 | 138 | 149 | 7.3 |
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/ohio/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Ohio
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 442 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 6 pm to 7 pm; the worst month is August.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.5 percent, 387 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 139 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 120 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 283 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 393 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 281 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.4 percent, 159 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 148 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 200 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 303 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 366 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 247 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.1 percent, 116 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 166 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 196 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 287 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 324 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 284 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.4 percent, 155 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 193 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 195 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 310 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 340 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 281 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.3 percent, 146 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 186 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 176 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 301 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 338 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 308 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.0 percent, 219 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 195 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 187 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 341 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 412 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 419 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.5 percent, 390 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 180 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 174 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 332 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 392 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 442 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.8%
- Feb5.7%
- Mar7.0%
- Apr6.8%
- May8.9%
- Jun9.5%
- Jul10.1%
- Aug10.5%
- Sep9.9%
- Oct9.4%
- Nov8.1%
- Dec7.4%
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 Ohio: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
42% of fatal crashes in Ohio from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, about the US share; 27% happened at or near an intersection, above the US share of 25%; 25% in the dark on unlit roads, below the US share of 28%; most, 50%, in daylight. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Ohio | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 42% | 43% | about the same as the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 27% | 25% | above the US share |
| In daylight | 50% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 20% | 21% | about the same as the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 25% | 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 Ohio roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 67% of the 1,157 people killed on Ohio roads in 2024; motorcyclists 19% (222), pedestrians 11% (122), cyclists 2.1% (24).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 780 | 67% |
| Motorcyclists | 222 | 19% |
| Pedestrians | 122 | 11% |
| Cyclists | 24 | 2.1% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 9 | 0.8% |
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 Ohio: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 32% of fatal crashes in Ohio from 2015 to 2024, above the US share of 26%; speeding in 23%, below the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 5.9%, about the US share; a driver recorded as distracted in 5.0%, below the US share of 8.7%; 55% 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 (6,882 in Ohio).
| Ohio | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 32% | 26% | above the US share |
| Speeding | 23% | 27% | below the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 5.0% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 55% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.9% | 6.5% | about the same as the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 17% | 16% | above 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 42%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 34%, a pedestrian in 11%, a rollover in 4.1%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 4,635 | 42% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 3,756 | 34% |
| Pedestrian | 1,240 | 11% |
| Other | 531 | 4.8% |
| Rollover | 456 | 4.1% |
| Cyclist | 207 | 1.9% |
| Parked vehicle | 184 | 1.7% |
| Not reported | 4 | 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 Ohio
Cars were 41% of the 16,785 vehicles in fatal crashes in Ohio from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 18%, pickups 13%, motorcycles 12%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 6,848 | 41% |
| SUVs | 3,099 | 18% |
| Pickups | 2,218 | 13% |
| Motorcycles | 1,978 | 12% |
| Truck-tractors | 1,076 | 6.4% |
| Vans | 829 | 4.9% |
| Other trucks | 688 | 4.1% |
| Buses | 49 | 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 Ohio per resident and per mile driven
| Ohio | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 9.7 | 11.5 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 10.1 | 11.8 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.00 | 1.19 | below the US rate |
Population 11,883,304 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 116,036 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 Ohio
- How many people died in car accidents in Ohio in 2024?
- 1,157 people died in 1,077 fatal crashes on Ohio roads in 2024, 6.8% fewer than in 2023. That is 9.7 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 Ohio?
- I-71 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Ohio from 2015 to 2024: 212, with 242 deaths. I-75 was second with 206.
- Which county in Ohio has the most fatal crashes?
- Franklin County, with 990 fatal crashes and 1,057 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 83 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Ohio happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 442 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Ohio involved a drinking driver?
- 3,486 of 11,013 fatal crashes in Ohio from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 32%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Ohio
Every county in Ohio 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.
- Franklin County 990
- Cuyahoga County 893
- Hamilton County 593
- Montgomery County 541
- Lucas County 394
- Summit County 380
- Stark County 282
- Butler County 281
- Lorain County 248
- Licking County 204
- Mahoning County 194
- Clark County 171
- Trumbull County 171
- Clermont County 168
- Ashtabula County 160
- Warren County 156
- Wood County 156
- Delaware County 144
- Wayne County 142
- Portage County 138
- Fairfield County 135
- Richland County 118
- Greene County 116
- Medina County 116
- Miami County 116
- Allen County 112
- Geauga County 111
- Muskingum County 110
- Ross County 108
- Lake County 106
- Tuscarawas County 101
- Pickaway County 99
- Scioto County 95
- Hancock County 94
- Erie County 90
- Marion County 90
- Sandusky County 88
- Preble County 84
- Columbiana County 83
- Fulton County 78
- Darke County 76
- Morrow County 75
- Huron County 73
- Logan County 73
- Madison County 71
- Clinton County 70
- Shelby County 69
- Athens County 67
- Knox County 67
- Ashland County 66
- Mercer County 66
- Washington County 66
- Coshocton County 65
- Henry County 64
- Seneca County 62
- Belmont County 61
- Guernsey County 61
- Union County 61
- Highland County 60
- Williams County 60
- Fayette County 58
- Champaign County 57
- Perry County 57
- Jackson County 56
- Brown County 55
- Auglaize County 51
- Defiance County 51
- Pike County 51
- Adams County 49
- Gallia County 49
- Hocking County 48
- Holmes County 47
- Lawrence County 47
- Meigs County 46
- Ottawa County 45
- Hardin County 44
- Jefferson County 43
- Harrison County 42
- Carroll County 40
- Crawford County 40
- Van Wert County 38
- Morgan County 36
- Wyandot County 34
- Noble County 32
- Vinton County 30
Road pages for Ohio
Every numbered road in Ohio with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Ohio 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.