I-35E in Texas: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 321 fatal crashes on I-35E in Texas killed 349 people, the 7th most of 443 numbered roads in Texas. In 2024 there were 23 fatal crashes and 25 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 4 counties of Texas. All fatal crashes in Texas. I-35E in every state.
Deaths on I-35E in Texas by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 23 | 25 |
| 2023 | 45 | 51 |
| 2022 | 35 | 37 |
| 2021 | 40 | 44 |
| 2020 | 27 | 30 |
| 2019 | 30 | 30 |
| 2018 | 37 | 39 |
| 2017 | 28 | 31 |
| 2016 | 28 | 32 |
| 2015 | 28 | 30 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-35E in Texas: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Dallas County had the most fatal crashes on I-35E from 2015 to 2024: 213, with 230 deaths. Dallas, Denton and Ellis counties together held 98% of fatal crashes on I-35E in Texas from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas County | 15 | 213 | 230 |
| 2 | Denton County | 3 | 54 | 59 |
| 3 | Ellis County | 5 | 46 | 51 |
| 4 | Hill County | 0 | 8 | 9 |
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-35E in Texas
The heaviest slot is Saturday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Friday), with 25 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 2 am to 3 am; 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 | 6.5 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 4.7 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 3.4 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.8 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 13 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 12 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 7.8 percent, 25 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 0.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 12 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.9%
- Feb5.9%
- Mar7.5%
- Apr10.6%
- May6.2%
- Jun8.7%
- Jul10.0%
- Aug5.0%
- Sep8.7%
- Oct10.6%
- Nov8.4%
- Dec11.5%
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-35E in Texas
33.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 97 miles of I-35E in Texas, against 15.4 for all interstates in Texas. That ranks 1 of 12 interstates in Texas and 1 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-35E in Texas first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 33%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 24%, a pedestrian in 23%, a rollover in 5.0%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 105 | 33% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 76 | 24% |
| Pedestrian | 74 | 23% |
| Other | 38 | 12% |
| Rollover | 16 | 5.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 7 | 2.2% |
| Cyclist | 5 | 1.6% |
| 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-35E in Texas compare with the state
The largest difference from Texas: from 2015 to 2024, 10% of fatal crashes on I-35E in Texas were on rural roads, against 38% across Texas. Also above the Texas share: hit-and-runs and pedestrians. Below it: intersections and unlit roads at night. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Texas. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 321 crashes.
| I-35E | Texas | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 10% | 38% | below the Texas share |
| At or near an intersection | 3.4% | 22% | below the Texas share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 20% | 31% | below the Texas share |
| A drinking driver | 28% | 26% | about the same as the Texas share |
| Speeding | 34% | 32% | about the same as the Texas share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 10% | 10% | about the same as the Texas share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 48% | 45% | about the same as the Texas share |
| Hit-and-run | 11% | 7.6% | above the Texas share |
| A motorcycle involved | 10% | 14% | about the same as the Texas share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 25% | 18% | above the Texas 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-35E in Texas
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-35E in Texas?
- 321 fatal crashes killed 349 people on I-35E in Texas from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 23 fatal crashes and 25 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-35E in Texas do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Dallas County had the most fatal crashes on I-35E from 2015 to 2024: 213, with 230 deaths. Denton County was second with 54.
- When do fatal crashes on I-35E in Texas happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Friday), with 25 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-35E in Texas per mile?
- 33.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 97 miles of road, against 15.4 for all interstates in Texas. That ranks 1 of 12 interstates in Texas and 1 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 Texas with a page
All fatal crashes in Texas, with every road ranked.
Where the I-35E numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-35E in Texas (filed under 38 spellings, such as "I-35", "I-35 /STEMMONS FWY", "I-35 E", "I-35 E RL THORNTON FWY"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where I-35E splits into I-35E and I-35, a crash filed under the plain number is counted on the branch it happened on, by its county and coordinates. 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.