US 97 in Oregon: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 157 fatal crashes on US 97 in Oregon killed 197 people, the 5th most of 164 numbered roads in Oregon. In 2024 there were 18 fatal crashes and 27 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 5 counties of Oregon. All fatal crashes in Oregon.
Deaths on US 97 in Oregon by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18 | 27 |
| 2023 | 15 | 21 |
| 2022 | 19 | 26 |
| 2021 | 16 | 18 |
| 2020 | 24 | 26 |
| 2019 | 16 | 16 |
| 2018 | 10 | 14 |
| 2017 | 14 | 15 |
| 2016 | 15 | 22 |
| 2015 | 10 | 12 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 97 in Oregon: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Deschutes County had the most fatal crashes on US 97 from 2015 to 2024: 64, with 76 deaths. Deschutes, Klamath and Jefferson counties together held 87% of fatal crashes on US 97 in Oregon from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deschutes County | 6 | 64 | 76 |
| 2 | Klamath County | 7 | 50 | 67 |
| 3 | Jefferson County | 3 | 22 | 28 |
| 4 | Sherman County | 1 | 11 | 12 |
| 5 | Wasco County | 1 | 10 | 14 |
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 97 in Oregon
157 fatal crashes on US 97 in Oregon 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 December.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 2.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.1 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.5 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 2.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.1 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 5.1 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.3%
- Feb4.5%
- Mar7.6%
- Apr6.4%
- May5.1%
- Jun7.0%
- Jul11.5%
- Aug8.3%
- Sep7.6%
- Oct8.9%
- Nov10.8%
- Dec14.0%
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 97 in Oregon first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 62%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 13%, a pedestrian in 12%, a rollover in 8.3%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 98 | 62% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 20 | 13% |
| Pedestrian | 18 | 12% |
| Rollover | 13 | 8.3% |
| Other | 5 | 3.2% |
| Cyclist | 3 | 1.9% |
| 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 97 in Oregon compare with the state
The largest difference from Oregon: from 2015 to 2024, 77% of fatal crashes on US 97 in Oregon were on rural roads, against 55% across Oregon. Also above the Oregon share: unlit roads at night. Below it: intersections, drinking drivers, unbelted occupants, hit-and-runs, motorcycles and pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Oregon. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 157 crashes.
| US 97 | Oregon | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 77% | 55% | above the Oregon share |
| At or near an intersection | 11% | 20% | below the Oregon share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 39% | 28% | above the Oregon share |
| A drinking driver | 18% | 31% | below the Oregon share |
| Speeding | 31% | 30% | about the same as the Oregon share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 4.5% | 5.7% | about the same as the Oregon share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 21% | 34% | below the Oregon share |
| Hit-and-run | 1.3% | 4.6% | below the Oregon share |
| A motorcycle involved | 5.7% | 15% | below the Oregon share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 9.1% | 16% | below the Oregon 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 97 in Oregon
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 97 in Oregon?
- 157 fatal crashes killed 197 people on US 97 in Oregon from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 18 fatal crashes and 27 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 97 in Oregon do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Deschutes County had the most fatal crashes on US 97 from 2015 to 2024: 64, with 76 deaths. Klamath County was second with 50.
Other roads in Oregon with a page
- I-5
- I-84
- State Highway 126
- State Highway 18
- State Highway 99
- State Highway 99E
- State Highway 99W
- US 101
- US 20
- US 26
- US 30
All fatal crashes in Oregon, with every road ranked.
Where the US 97 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 97 in Oregon (filed under 15 spellings, such as "US-97", "US-97 (ODOT 17)", "US-97 (ODOT 4)", "US-97 (ODOT 42)"). 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.