Fatal crashes in Pennsylvania
In 2024, 1,127 people died in 1,060 fatal crashes on Pennsylvania roads, 6.9% fewer than in 2023. That is about 3 deaths a day, and 2.9% of all road deaths in the United States.
Pennsylvania ranks 10th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 42nd by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Pennsylvania since 1975
Road deaths in Pennsylvania peaked in 1979 at 2,153; 2024's 1,127 is 48% below that. The lowest year was 2019 with 1,059. 2024 is 26% below 2000 and 46% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,127 | 1,060 | -6.9% |
| 2023 | 1,211 | 1,133 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 1,179 | 1,092 | -4.1% |
| 2021 | 1,230 | 1,153 | +8.9% |
| 2020 | 1,129 | 1,060 | +6.6% |
| 2019 | 1,059 | 990 | -11.0% |
| 2018 | 1,190 | 1,103 | +4.7% |
| 2017 | 1,137 | 1,083 | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 1,188 | 1,088 | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 1,200 | 1,102 | +0.4% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,195 | 1,107 | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 1,210 | 1,119 | -7.6% |
| 2012 | 1,310 | 1,211 | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 1,286 | 1,191 | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 1,324 | 1,208 | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 1,256 | 1,143 | -14.4% |
| 2008 | 1,468 | 1,358 | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 1,491 | 1,393 | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 1,525 | 1,409 | -5.6% |
| 2005 | 1,616 | 1,497 | +8.5% |
| 2004 | 1,490 | 1,362 | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 1,577 | 1,433 | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 1,614 | 1,462 | +5.4% |
| 2001 | 1,532 | 1,378 | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 1,520 | 1,396 | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 1,549 | 1,382 | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 1,481 | 1,354 | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 1,557 | 1,412 | +6.0% |
| 1996 | 1,469 | 1,353 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 1,480 | 1,337 | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 1,441 | 1,320 | -5.8% |
| 1993 | 1,529 | 1,402 | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 1,545 | 1,385 | -7.0% |
| 1991 | 1,661 | 1,510 | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 1,646 | 1,514 | -12.3% |
| 1989 | 1,877 | 1,714 | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 1,931 | 1,770 | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 1,987 | 1,789 | +4.9% |
| 1986 | 1,894 | 1,710 | +6.9% |
| 1985 | 1,771 | 1,580 | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 1,727 | 1,562 | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 1,721 | 1,544 | -5.4% |
| 1982 | 1,819 | 1,611 | -10.3% |
| 1981 | 2,029 | 1,820 | -2.9% |
| 1980 | 2,089 | 1,882 | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 2,153 | 1,923 | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 2,081 | 1,878 | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 2,067 | 1,856 | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 2,021 | 1,789 | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 2,078 | 1,870 | 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 Pennsylvania
US 30 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024: 194, with 222 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 19% of all fatal crashes in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024; 5 are interstates, 11 US routes, 4 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (108 crashes). Over 2022 to 2024 alone, I-80 had the most, 56 against 51 on US 30. Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Pennsylvania, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US 30 | 194 | 222 | 51 | Lancaster, York, Westmoreland |
| 2 | I-81 | 169 | 214 | 44 | Cumberland, Franklin, Luzerne |
| 3 | I-80 | 151 | 167 | 56 | Luzerne, Monroe, Clinton |
| 4 | US 11 | 141 | 146 | 42 | Luzerne, Cumberland, Perry |
| 5 | US 22 | 130 | 144 | 35 | Dauphin, Westmoreland, Huntingdon |
| 6 | US 1 | 124 | 134 | 27 | Philadelphia, Delaware, Bucks |
| 7 | I-76 | 121 | 140 | 31 | Philadelphia, Chester, Lancaster |
| 8 | State Highway 611 | 109 | 115 | 42 | Philadelphia, Monroe, Bucks |
| 9 | I-95 | 102 | 112 | 32 | Philadelphia, Delaware, Bucks |
| 10 | US 322 | 99 | 109 | 28 | Lancaster, Chester, Crawford |
| 11 | US 422 | 99 | 105 | 21 | Berks, Lebanon, Butler |
| 12 | US 6 | 98 | 104 | 27 | Pike, Tioga, Bradford |
| 13 | US 13 | 84 | 87 | 29 | Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware |
| 14 | State Highway 309 | 76 | 84 | 24 | Luzerne, Montgomery, Bucks |
| 15 | I-79 | 73 | 78 | 12 | Washington, Allegheny, Butler |
| 16 | US 222 | 72 | 82 | 21 | Lancaster, Berks, Lehigh |
| 17 | US 19 | 66 | 72 | 15 | Allegheny, Butler, Erie |
| 18 | State Highway 8 | 61 | 65 | 21 | Allegheny, Butler, Erie |
| 19 | US 209 | 53 | 62 | 16 | Monroe, Schuylkill, Dauphin |
| 20 | State Highway 51 | 52 | 57 | 14 | Allegheny, Fayette, Beaver |
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 Pennsylvania as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/pennsylvania/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia County had the most fatal crashes in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024: 1,131, with 1,196 deaths. Philadelphia, Allegheny and Bucks counties together held 21% of fatal crashes in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 65%. 67 counties in Pennsylvania 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, Fulton County has the highest rate in Pennsylvania: 30.3 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 9.0 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 | Philadelphia County | 133 | 1,131 | 1,196 | 8.7 |
| 2 | Allegheny County | 74 | 659 | 686 | 6.0 |
| 3 | Bucks County | 41 | 487 | 513 | 6.9 |
| 4 | Lancaster County | 49 | 474 | 503 | 9.2 |
| 5 | Berks County | 47 | 416 | 440 | 10.7 |
| 6 | Montgomery County | 45 | 402 | 420 | 5.7 |
| 7 | York County | 37 | 346 | 377 | 8.7 |
| 8 | Westmoreland County | 27 | 330 | 349 | 8.0 |
| 9 | Chester County | 24 | 303 | 319 | 4.3 |
| 10 | Luzerne County | 18 | 295 | 313 | 5.4 |
| 11 | Dauphin County | 26 | 272 | 295 | 8.9 |
| 12 | Lehigh County | 30 | 269 | 296 | 8.3 |
| 13 | Erie County | 33 | 248 | 262 | 13.4 |
| 14 | Delaware County | 27 | 247 | 264 | 5.5 |
| 15 | Washington County | 27 | 222 | 234 | 13.8 |
| 16 | Monroe County | 18 | 198 | 221 | 10.8 |
| 17 | Northampton County | 15 | 194 | 213 | 4.6 |
| 18 | Schuylkill County | 21 | 190 | 208 | 15.2 |
| 19 | Cumberland County | 16 | 189 | 199 | 6.5 |
| 20 | Lackawanna County | 16 | 185 | 200 | 9.2 |
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/pennsylvania/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Pennsylvania
The heaviest slot is Friday, 8 pm to midnight, with 407 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 3 pm to 4 pm; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.3 percent, 362 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 150 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 142 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 327 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 364 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 281 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.3 percent, 145 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 210 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 191 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 302 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 310 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 198 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.0 percent, 109 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 189 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 217 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 324 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 312 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 248 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.9 percent, 94 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 194 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 185 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 332 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 335 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 283 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.3 percent, 146 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 168 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 208 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 299 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 317 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 292 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.7 percent, 189 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 168 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 244 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 367 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 398 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 407 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.6 percent, 388 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 169 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 200 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 317 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 384 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 383 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.0%
- Feb6.1%
- Mar6.7%
- Apr7.5%
- May8.4%
- Jun9.5%
- Jul9.8%
- Aug9.8%
- Sep9.2%
- Oct9.9%
- Nov8.3%
- Dec7.8%
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 Pennsylvania: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
45% of fatal crashes in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 24% happened at or near an intersection, about the US share; 25% in the dark on unlit roads, below the US share of 28%; most, 52%, in daylight. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Pennsylvania | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 45% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 24% | 25% | about the same as the US share |
| In daylight | 52% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 18% | 21% | below 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 Pennsylvania roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 62% of the 1,127 people killed on Pennsylvania roads in 2024; motorcyclists 19% (217), pedestrians 15% (173), cyclists 2.0% (22).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 703 | 62% |
| Motorcyclists | 217 | 19% |
| Pedestrians | 173 | 15% |
| Cyclists | 22 | 2.0% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 12 | 1.1% |
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 Pennsylvania: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 25% of fatal crashes in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024, about the US share; speeding in 40%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 5.1%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 5.3%, below the US share of 8.7%; 58% 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 (6,051 in Pennsylvania).
| Pennsylvania | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 25% | 26% | about the same as the US share |
| Speeding | 40% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 5.3% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 58% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.1% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 18% | 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 39%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 33%, a pedestrian in 14%, a rollover in 5.1%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 4,255 | 39% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 3,561 | 33% |
| Pedestrian | 1,524 | 14% |
| Other | 589 | 5.4% |
| Rollover | 550 | 5.1% |
| Parked vehicle | 191 | 1.8% |
| Cyclist | 189 | 1.7% |
| Not reported | 5 | 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 Pennsylvania
Cars were 40% of the 16,370 vehicles in fatal crashes in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 21%, motorcycles 13%, pickups 11%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 6,552 | 40% |
| SUVs | 3,379 | 21% |
| Motorcycles | 2,055 | 13% |
| Pickups | 1,845 | 11% |
| Truck-tractors | 932 | 5.7% |
| Other trucks | 759 | 4.6% |
| Vans | 749 | 4.6% |
| Buses | 99 | 0.6% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Pennsylvania per resident and per mile driven
| Pennsylvania | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 8.6 | 11.5 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 9.0 | 11.8 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.18 | 1.19 | about the US rate |
Population 13,078,751 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 95,194 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 Pennsylvania
- How many people died in car accidents in Pennsylvania in 2024?
- 1,127 people died in 1,060 fatal crashes on Pennsylvania roads in 2024, 6.9% fewer than in 2023. That is 8.6 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 Pennsylvania?
- US 30 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024: 194, with 222 deaths. I-81 was second with 169.
- Which county in Pennsylvania has the most fatal crashes?
- Philadelphia County, with 1,131 fatal crashes and 1,196 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 133 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Pennsylvania happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Friday, 8 pm to midnight, with 407 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Pennsylvania involved a drinking driver?
- 2,763 of 10,864 fatal crashes in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 25%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Pennsylvania
Every county in Pennsylvania 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.
- Philadelphia County 1,131
- Allegheny County 659
- Bucks County 487
- Lancaster County 474
- Berks County 416
- Montgomery County 402
- York County 346
- Westmoreland County 330
- Chester County 303
- Luzerne County 295
- Dauphin County 272
- Lehigh County 269
- Erie County 248
- Delaware County 247
- Washington County 222
- Monroe County 198
- Northampton County 194
- Schuylkill County 190
- Cumberland County 189
- Lackawanna County 185
- Fayette County 183
- Franklin County 183
- Lebanon County 175
- Butler County 171
- Clearfield County 128
- Lycoming County 127
- Mercer County 126
- Centre County 122
- Adams County 115
- Blair County 113
- Crawford County 112
- Indiana County 108
- Beaver County 107
- Somerset County 104
- Cambria County 103
- Northumberland County 99
- Bradford County 98
- Carbon County 92
- Lawrence County 91
- Susquehanna County 90
- Armstrong County 84
- Bedford County 81
- Wayne County 80
- Perry County 75
- Columbia County 73
- Pike County 71
- Tioga County 66
- Clinton County 64
- Venango County 64
- Huntingdon County 58
- Clarion County 54
- Jefferson County 53
- Mifflin County 52
- Snyder County 52
- Greene County 51
- McKean County 51
- Warren County 49
- Fulton County 43
- Union County 43
- Juniata County 39
- Wyoming County 38
- Elk County 32
Road pages for Pennsylvania
Every numbered road in Pennsylvania with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Pennsylvania 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.