Fatal crashes in Tennessee
In 2024, 1,197 people died in 1,093 fatal crashes on Tennessee roads, 9.5% fewer than in 2023. That is about 3 deaths a day, and 3% of all road deaths in the United States.
Tennessee ranks 7th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 8th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Tennessee since 1975
Road deaths in Tennessee peaked in 2004 at 1,339; 2024's 1,197 is 11% below that. The lowest year was 2011 with 937. 2024 is 8% below 2000 and 6% above 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,197 | 1,093 | -9.5% |
| 2023 | 1,323 | 1,219 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 1,313 | 1,214 | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 1,327 | 1,229 | +9.0% |
| 2020 | 1,217 | 1,119 | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 1,136 | 1,041 | +9.2% |
| 2018 | 1,040 | 973 | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 1,024 | 942 | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 1,037 | 962 | +7.8% |
| 2015 | 962 | 888 | -0.1% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 963 | 893 | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 995 | 911 | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 1,015 | 929 | +8.3% |
| 2011 | 937 | 867 | -9.2% |
| 2010 | 1,032 | 958 | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 986 | 915 | -5.5% |
| 2008 | 1,043 | 958 | -13.9% |
| 2007 | 1,211 | 1,111 | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 1,284 | 1,161 | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 1,270 | 1,161 | -5.2% |
| 2004 | 1,339 | 1,191 | +12.2% |
| 2003 | 1,193 | 1,091 | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 1,177 | 1,058 | -5.9% |
| 2001 | 1,251 | 1,126 | -4.3% |
| 2000 | 1,307 | 1,177 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 1,302 | 1,169 | +7.1% |
| 1998 | 1,216 | 1,110 | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 1,225 | 1,104 | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 1,239 | 1,120 | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 1,259 | 1,130 | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 1,214 | 1,109 | +3.8% |
| 1993 | 1,170 | 1,041 | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 1,153 | 1,027 | +3.6% |
| 1991 | 1,113 | 1,002 | -5.4% |
| 1990 | 1,177 | 1,045 | +8.2% |
| 1989 | 1,088 | 977 | -14.1% |
| 1988 | 1,266 | 1,116 | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 1,247 | 1,101 | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 1,230 | 1,102 | +11.7% |
| 1985 | 1,101 | 997 | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 1,095 | 990 | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 1,037 | 919 | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 1,055 | 944 | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 1,104 | 983 | -4.2% |
| 1980 | 1,153 | 1,007 | -4.7% |
| 1979 | 1,210 | 1,045 | -2.5% |
| 1978 | 1,241 | 1,099 | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 1,223 | 1,080 | +6.4% |
| 1976 | 1,149 | 1,013 | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 1,126 | 987 | 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 Tennessee
I-40 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024: 561, with 642 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 27% of all fatal crashes in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024; 5 are interstates, 13 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 (94 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Tennessee, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-40 | 561 | 642 | 173 | Shelby, Knox, Davidson |
| 2 | I-24 | 307 | 350 | 96 | Davidson, Rutherford, Montgomery |
| 3 | US 70 | 212 | 224 | 77 | Davidson, Wilson, Cumberland |
| 4 | US 64 | 174 | 199 | 63 | Shelby, Polk, Hardin |
| 5 | I-75 | 158 | 174 | 58 | McMinn, Hamilton, Bradley |
| 6 | US 41 | 158 | 168 | 67 | Davidson, Rutherford, Robertson |
| 7 | I-65 | 140 | 157 | 42 | Davidson, Williamson, Robertson |
| 8 | US 51 | 137 | 142 | 47 | Shelby, Tipton, Lauderdale |
| 9 | US 11 | 115 | 122 | 38 | Hamilton, Knox, McMinn |
| 10 | US 41A | 97 | 100 | 40 | Montgomery, Davidson, Bedford |
| 11 | US 11E | 96 | 103 | 33 | Greene, Washington, Knox |
| 12 | I-240 | 91 | 101 | 33 | Shelby |
| 13 | State Highway 175 | 90 | 102 | 33 | Shelby |
| 14 | US 231 | 90 | 96 | 24 | Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford |
| 15 | US 11W | 84 | 92 | 18 | Hawkins, Sullivan, Grainger |
| 16 | State Highway 14 | 82 | 87 | 29 | Shelby, Tipton |
| 17 | US 27 | 82 | 86 | 28 | Hamilton, Scott, Morgan |
| 18 | US 321 | 81 | 94 | 32 | Blount, Sevier, Cocke |
| 19 | US 411 | 77 | 92 | 20 | Sevier, Blount, Polk |
| 20 | US 412 | 76 | 83 | 24 | Madison, Henderson, Crockett |
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 Tennessee as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/tennessee/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Tennessee
Shelby County had the most fatal crashes in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024: 1,755, with 1,909 deaths. Shelby, Davidson and Knox counties together held 31% of fatal crashes in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 61%. 95 counties in Tennessee 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, Haywood County has the highest rate in Tennessee: 45.6 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 16.8 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 | Shelby County | 195 | 1,755 | 1,909 | 23.9 |
| 2 | Davidson County | 106 | 981 | 1,039 | 15.6 |
| 3 | Knox County | 73 | 611 | 659 | 16.2 |
| 4 | Hamilton County | 35 | 406 | 440 | 10.1 |
| 5 | Rutherford County | 38 | 340 | 366 | 11.7 |
| 6 | Montgomery County | 24 | 268 | 289 | 10.6 |
| 7 | Wilson County | 22 | 196 | 210 | 14.7 |
| 8 | Sullivan County | 16 | 189 | 202 | 10.4 |
| 9 | Blount County | 24 | 183 | 203 | 17.6 |
| 10 | Greene County | 21 | 167 | 177 | 32.7 |
| 11 | Madison County | 23 | 164 | 190 | 26.9 |
| 12 | Sevier County | 14 | 159 | 170 | 14.0 |
| 13 | Williamson County | 12 | 151 | 162 | 4.5 |
| 14 | Sumner County | 11 | 148 | 160 | 5.2 |
| 15 | Maury County | 13 | 144 | 156 | 12.3 |
| 16 | Robertson County | 11 | 136 | 154 | 14.0 |
| 17 | McMinn County | 14 | 135 | 145 | 28.2 |
| 18 | Cumberland County | 12 | 133 | 143 | 21.3 |
| 19 | Bradley County | 13 | 129 | 136 | 13.2 |
| 20 | Coffee County | 14 | 124 | 134 | 24.5 |
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/tennessee/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Tennessee
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 400 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is September.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.5 percent, 359 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 153 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 129 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 270 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 326 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 304 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.3 percent, 133 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 175 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 200 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 307 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 298 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 236 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.8 percent, 82 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 161 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 166 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 269 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 287 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 259 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.0 percent, 107 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 149 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 179 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 282 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 341 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 282 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.3 percent, 129 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 159 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 222 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 301 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 383 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 290 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.4 percent, 138 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 158 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 202 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 306 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 335 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 371 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.1 percent, 313 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 154 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 190 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 318 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 398 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 400 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.6%
- Feb6.5%
- Mar7.3%
- Apr8.0%
- May8.9%
- Jun9.0%
- Jul9.2%
- Aug9.4%
- Sep9.4%
- Oct9.3%
- Nov8.1%
- Dec8.3%
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 Tennessee: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
43% of fatal crashes in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, about the US share; 19% happened at or near an intersection, below the US share of 25%; 26% in the dark on unlit roads, below the US share of 28%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Tennessee | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 43% | 43% | about the same as the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 19% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 50% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 20% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 26% | 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 Tennessee roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 70% of the 1,197 people killed on Tennessee roads in 2024; motorcyclists 16% (188), pedestrians 13% (158), cyclists 0.8% (9).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 833 | 70% |
| Motorcyclists | 188 | 16% |
| Pedestrians | 158 | 13% |
| Cyclists | 9 | 0.8% |
| 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 Tennessee: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 25% of fatal crashes in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024, below the US share of 26%; speeding in 17%, below the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 6.6%, about the US share; a driver recorded as distracted in 6.7%, below the US share of 8.7%; 49% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, about the US share.
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 (7,133 in Tennessee).
| Tennessee | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 25% | 26% | below the US share |
| Speeding | 17% | 27% | below the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 6.7% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 49% | 49% | about the same as the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 6.6% | 6.5% | about the same as the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 16% | about the same as 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 13%, a rollover in 5.8%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 4,450 | 42% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 3,616 | 34% |
| Pedestrian | 1,373 | 13% |
| Rollover | 624 | 5.8% |
| Other | 409 | 3.8% |
| Parked vehicle | 110 | 1.0% |
| Cyclist | 96 | 0.9% |
| Not reported | 2 | 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 Tennessee
Cars were 41% of the 16,052 vehicles in fatal crashes in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 18%, pickups 18%, motorcycles 10%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 6,517 | 41% |
| SUVs | 2,961 | 18% |
| Pickups | 2,883 | 18% |
| Motorcycles | 1,616 | 10% |
| Truck-tractors | 913 | 5.7% |
| Other trucks | 567 | 3.5% |
| Vans | 555 | 3.5% |
| Buses | 40 | 0.2% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Tennessee per resident and per mile driven
| Tennessee | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 16.6 | 11.5 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 16.8 | 11.8 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.52 | 1.19 | above the US rate |
Population 7,227,750 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 78,904 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 Tennessee
- How many people died in car accidents in Tennessee in 2024?
- 1,197 people died in 1,093 fatal crashes on Tennessee roads in 2024, 9.5% fewer than in 2023. That is 16.6 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 Tennessee?
- I-40 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024: 561, with 642 deaths. I-24 was second with 307.
- Which county in Tennessee has the most fatal crashes?
- Shelby County, with 1,755 fatal crashes and 1,909 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 195 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Tennessee happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 400 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Tennessee involved a drinking driver?
- 2,620 of 10,680 fatal crashes in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 25%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Tennessee
Every county in Tennessee 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.
- Shelby County 1,755
- Davidson County 981
- Knox County 611
- Hamilton County 406
- Rutherford County 340
- Montgomery County 268
- Wilson County 196
- Sullivan County 189
- Blount County 183
- Greene County 167
- Madison County 164
- Sevier County 159
- Williamson County 151
- Sumner County 148
- Maury County 144
- Robertson County 136
- McMinn County 135
- Cumberland County 133
- Bradley County 129
- Coffee County 124
- Washington County 124
- Putnam County 121
- Dickson County 118
- Monroe County 115
- Anderson County 105
- Roane County 98
- Hawkins County 94
- Henderson County 91
- Loudon County 90
- Cocke County 86
- Marion County 86
- Hamblen County 84
- Campbell County 83
- Giles County 79
- Jefferson County 79
- Carter County 78
- Fayette County 78
- Cheatham County 77
- Bedford County 76
- Hickman County 76
- Lawrence County 75
- Gibson County 72
- Hardin County 71
- Haywood County 71
- Dyer County 70
- Warren County 69
- Tipton County 68
- Henry County 63
- Humphreys County 61
- McNairy County 61
- Lincoln County 60
- Franklin County 57
- Scott County 55
- Lauderdale County 54
- Hardeman County 53
- Rhea County 51
- Marshall County 50
- Morgan County 50
- Weakley County 50
- Claiborne County 49
- Grainger County 49
- Smith County 48
- Carroll County 47
- Polk County 46
- Obion County 45
- Sequatchie County 44
- DeKalb County 42
- Johnson County 41
- Macon County 41
- White County 41
- Cannon County 39
- Fentress County 39
- Union County 39
- Bledsoe County 37
- Stewart County 37
- Crockett County 36
- Wayne County 36
- Benton County 35
- Overton County 35
- Meigs County 34
- Decatur County 32
- Chester County 30
Road pages for Tennessee
Every numbered road in Tennessee with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Tennessee 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.