US 17 in Virginia: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 164 fatal crashes on US 17 in Virginia killed 172 people, the 8th most of 347 numbered roads in Virginia. In 2024 there were 26 fatal crashes and 27 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 14 counties of Virginia. All fatal crashes in Virginia.
Deaths on US 17 in Virginia by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26 | 27 |
| 2023 | 20 | 20 |
| 2022 | 23 | 25 |
| 2021 | 15 | 15 |
| 2020 | 12 | 13 |
| 2019 | 10 | 11 |
| 2018 | 13 | 13 |
| 2017 | 16 | 17 |
| 2016 | 12 | 12 |
| 2015 | 17 | 19 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 17 in Virginia: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Gloucester County had the most fatal crashes on US 17 from 2015 to 2024: 30, with 30 deaths. Gloucester, Fauquier and Newport News city together held 46% of fatal crashes on US 17 in Virginia from 2015 to 2024; the 12 listed held 97%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gloucester County | 6 | 30 | 30 |
| 2 | Fauquier County | 3 | 26 | 29 |
| 3 | Newport News city | 2 | 19 | 19 |
| 4 | Chesapeake city | 1 | 14 | 14 |
| 5 | Essex County | 5 | 13 | 14 |
| 6 | Stafford County | 0 | 12 | 13 |
| 7 | Isle of Wight County | 1 | 9 | 9 |
| 8 | York County | 3 | 9 | 9 |
| 9 | Portsmouth city | 0 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | Spotsylvania County | 3 | 8 | 8 |
| 11 | Caroline County | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 12 | Suffolk city | 0 | 5 | 6 |
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 17 in Virginia
164 fatal crashes on US 17 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 8 pm to 9 pm; the worst month is June.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 3.0 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.3%
- Feb6.1%
- Mar6.7%
- Apr4.9%
- May11.6%
- Jun12.8%
- Jul6.7%
- Aug9.1%
- Sep6.7%
- Oct12.2%
- Nov9.1%
- Dec6.7%
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 17 in Virginia first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 49%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 23%, a pedestrian in 18%, a rollover in 3.7%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 81 | 49% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 38 | 23% |
| Pedestrian | 30 | 18% |
| Rollover | 6 | 3.7% |
| Other | 5 | 3.0% |
| Cyclist | 3 | 1.8% |
| Parked vehicle | 1 | 0.6% |
| 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 US 17 in Virginia compare with the state
The largest difference from Virginia: from 2015 to 2024, 43% of fatal crashes on US 17 in Virginia were at or near an intersection, against 23% across Virginia. Also above the Virginia share: pedestrians. 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 164 crashes.
| US 17 | Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 54% | 55% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| At or near an intersection | 43% | 23% | above the Virginia share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 29% | 31% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| A drinking driver | 25% | 29% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| Speeding | 24% | 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 | 53% | 55% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.9% | 4.1% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 13% | about the same as the Virginia share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 19% | 14% | above 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 17 in Virginia
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 17 in Virginia?
- 164 fatal crashes killed 172 people on US 17 in Virginia from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 26 fatal crashes and 27 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 17 in Virginia do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Gloucester County had the most fatal crashes on US 17 from 2015 to 2024: 30, with 30 deaths. Fauquier County was second with 26.
Other roads in Virginia with a page
All fatal crashes in Virginia, with every road ranked.
Where the US 17 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 17 in Virginia (filed under 8 spellings, such as "US-17", "US-17 DOMINION BLVD", "US-17 GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORI", "US-17 JAMES RIVER BRIDGE"). 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.