I-71 in Ohio: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 212 fatal crashes on I-71 in Ohio killed 242 people, the most of any numbered road in Ohio. In 2024 there were 19 fatal crashes and 24 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 16 counties of Ohio. All fatal crashes in Ohio. I-71 in every state.
Deaths on I-71 in Ohio by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 19 | 24 |
| 2023 | 18 | 18 |
| 2022 | 31 | 32 |
| 2021 | 27 | 34 |
| 2020 | 23 | 26 |
| 2019 | 17 | 22 |
| 2018 | 16 | 18 |
| 2017 | 15 | 18 |
| 2016 | 17 | 21 |
| 2015 | 29 | 29 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-71 in Ohio: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Franklin County had the most fatal crashes on I-71 from 2015 to 2024: 56, with 66 deaths. Franklin, Cuyahoga and Hamilton counties together held 51% of fatal crashes on I-71 in Ohio from 2015 to 2024; the 13 listed held 96%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin County | 2 | 56 | 66 |
| 2 | Cuyahoga County | 3 | 28 | 29 |
| 3 | Hamilton County | 3 | 25 | 26 |
| 4 | Morrow County | 1 | 18 | 21 |
| 5 | Delaware County | 0 | 14 | 19 |
| 6 | Richland County | 3 | 13 | 15 |
| 7 | Warren County | 0 | 11 | 12 |
| 8 | Medina County | 3 | 10 | 10 |
| 9 | Ashland County | 0 | 6 | 10 |
| 10 | Clinton County | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 11 | Madison County | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 12 | Wayne County | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| 13 | Fayette County | 1 | 5 | 5 |
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 I-71 in Ohio
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 10 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 11 pm to midnight; 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 | 4.7 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 3.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.9 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 4.7 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 0.5 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 3.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.7 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.1%
- Feb7.1%
- Mar5.7%
- Apr8.0%
- May11.8%
- Jun7.1%
- Jul8.0%
- Aug9.0%
- Sep10.4%
- Oct8.0%
- Nov9.0%
- Dec9.9%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-71 in Ohio
8.6 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 247 miles of I-71 in Ohio, against 7.2 for all interstates in Ohio. That ranks 3 of 7 interstates in Ohio and 79 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-71 in Ohio first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 40%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 30%, a pedestrian in 9.4%, a parked vehicle in 9.0%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 85 | 40% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 63 | 30% |
| Pedestrian | 20 | 9.4% |
| Parked vehicle | 19 | 9.0% |
| Other | 13 | 6.1% |
| Rollover | 11 | 5.2% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 0.5% |
| 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 I-71 in Ohio compare with the state
The largest difference from Ohio: from 2015 to 2024, 0.0% of fatal crashes on I-71 in Ohio were at or near an intersection, against 27% across Ohio. Below the Ohio share: motorcycles. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Ohio. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 212 crashes.
| I-71 | Ohio | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 38% | 42% | about the same as the Ohio share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 27% | below the Ohio share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 28% | 25% | about the same as the Ohio share |
| A drinking driver | 34% | 32% | about the same as the Ohio share |
| Speeding | 18% | 23% | about the same as the Ohio share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 6.1% | 5.0% | about the same as the Ohio share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 55% | 55% | about the same as the Ohio share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.7% | 5.9% | about the same as the Ohio share |
| A motorcycle involved | 6.6% | 17% | below the Ohio share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 12% | 12% | about the same as the Ohio 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 I-71 in Ohio
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-71 in Ohio?
- 212 fatal crashes killed 242 people on I-71 in Ohio from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 19 fatal crashes and 24 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-71 in Ohio do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Franklin County had the most fatal crashes on I-71 from 2015 to 2024: 56, with 66 deaths. Cuyahoga County was second with 28.
- When do fatal crashes on I-71 in Ohio happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 10 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-71 in Ohio per mile?
- 8.6 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 247 miles of road, against 7.2 for all interstates in Ohio. That ranks 3 of 7 interstates in Ohio and 79 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Ohio with a page
All fatal crashes in Ohio, with every road ranked.
Where the I-71 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-71 in Ohio (filed under 7 spellings, such as "I-71", "I-71 CONNEAUT CINCINNATI HWY", "I-71 MEDINA FWY", "I-71 N"). 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.