US 15 in Virginia: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 86 fatal crashes on US 15 in Virginia killed 101 people, the 14th most of 347 numbered roads in Virginia. In 2024 there were 11 fatal crashes and 16 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 13 counties of Virginia. All fatal crashes in Virginia.
Deaths on US 15 in Virginia by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11 | 16 |
| 2023 | 11 | 14 |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 |
| 2021 | 11 | 12 |
| 2020 | 8 | 9 |
| 2019 | 11 | 11 |
| 2018 | 9 | 9 |
| 2017 | 11 | 16 |
| 2016 | 2 | 2 |
| 2015 | 8 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 15 in Virginia: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Culpeper County had the most fatal crashes on US 15 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 16 deaths. Culpeper, Fauquier and Loudoun counties together held 45% of fatal crashes on US 15 in Virginia from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 77%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culpeper County | 3 | 15 | 16 |
| 2 | Fauquier County | 1 | 12 | 14 |
| 3 | Loudoun County | 0 | 12 | 13 |
| 4 | Buckingham County | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| 5 | Charlotte County | 2 | 10 | 10 |
| 6 | Prince Edward County | 0 | 7 | 7 |
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 15 in Virginia
86 fatal crashes on US 15 in Virginia 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 2 pm to 3 pm; the worst month is January.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 5.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 7.0 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan10.5%
- Feb9.3%
- Mar5.8%
- Apr9.3%
- May8.1%
- Jun5.8%
- Jul9.3%
- Aug7.0%
- Sep7.0%
- Oct10.5%
- Nov10.5%
- Dec7.0%
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 15 in Virginia first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 61%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 22%, a pedestrian in 11%, a rollover in 3.5%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 52 | 61% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 19 | 22% |
| Pedestrian | 9 | 11% |
| Rollover | 3 | 3.5% |
| Other | 2 | 2.3% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.2% |
| 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 15 in Virginia compare with the state
The largest difference from Virginia: from 2015 to 2024, 81% of fatal crashes on US 15 in Virginia were on rural roads, against 55% across Virginia. Below the Virginia share: unbelted occupants. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Virginia. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 86 crashes.
| US 15 | Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 81% | 55% | above the Virginia share |
| At or near an intersection | 19% | 23% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 35% | 31% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| A drinking driver | 21% | 29% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| Speeding | 23% | 29% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 15% | 11% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 43% | 55% | below the Virginia share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.5% | 4.1% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| A motorcycle involved | 8.1% | 13% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 9.9% | 14% | about the same as the Virginia 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 15 in Virginia
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 15 in Virginia?
- 86 fatal crashes killed 101 people on US 15 in Virginia from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 11 fatal crashes and 16 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 15 in Virginia do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Culpeper County had the most fatal crashes on US 15 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 16 deaths. Fauquier County was second with 12.
Other roads in Virginia with a page
All fatal crashes in Virginia, with every road ranked.
Where the US 15 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 15 in Virginia (filed under 2 spellings, such as "US-15", "US-15 JAMES MADISON HWY"). 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.