I-5 in Washington: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 339 fatal crashes on I-5 in Washington killed 370 people, the most of any numbered road in Washington. In 2024 there were 37 fatal crashes and 39 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 9 counties of Washington. All fatal crashes in Washington. I-5 in every state.
Deaths on I-5 in Washington by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 37 | 39 |
| 2023 | 29 | 39 |
| 2022 | 42 | 45 |
| 2021 | 41 | 45 |
| 2020 | 27 | 28 |
| 2019 | 28 | 29 |
| 2018 | 32 | 37 |
| 2017 | 39 | 40 |
| 2016 | 31 | 34 |
| 2015 | 33 | 34 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-5 in Washington: the counties with the most fatal crashes
King County had the most fatal crashes on I-5 from 2015 to 2024: 100, with 108 deaths. King, Pierce and Snohomish counties together held 60% of fatal crashes on I-5 in Washington from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King County | 12 | 100 | 108 |
| 2 | Pierce County | 10 | 60 | 67 |
| 3 | Snohomish County | 5 | 44 | 47 |
| 4 | Thurston County | 3 | 32 | 35 |
| 5 | Whatcom County | 1 | 26 | 27 |
| 6 | Clark County | 2 | 24 | 26 |
| 7 | Cowlitz County | 2 | 23 | 29 |
| 8 | Skagit County | 0 | 17 | 17 |
| 9 | Lewis County | 2 | 13 | 14 |
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-5 in Washington
The heaviest slot is Saturday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Friday), with 26 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 3 am to 4 am; the worst month is March.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 7.1 percent, 24 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 12 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.4 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 2.4 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 10 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.5 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.9 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 10 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 15 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 7.7 percent, 26 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 14 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan5.3%
- Feb8.3%
- Mar12.1%
- Apr4.7%
- May6.8%
- Jun7.7%
- Jul10.9%
- Aug8.8%
- Sep8.8%
- Oct9.7%
- Nov8.3%
- Dec8.6%
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-5 in Washington
12.3 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 277 miles of I-5 in Washington, against 8 for all interstates in Washington. That ranks 1 of 3 interstates in Washington and 46 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-5 in Washington first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 39%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 26%, a pedestrian in 20%, a rollover in 5.9%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 131 | 39% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 89 | 26% |
| Pedestrian | 67 | 20% |
| Rollover | 20 | 5.9% |
| Parked vehicle | 17 | 5.0% |
| Other | 12 | 3.5% |
| Cyclist | 3 | 0.9% |
| 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-5 in Washington compare with the state
The largest difference from Washington: from 2015 to 2024, 1.2% of fatal crashes on I-5 in Washington were at or near an intersection, against 26% across Washington. Below the Washington share: rural roads and unbelted occupants. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Washington. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 339 crashes.
| I-5 | Washington | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 20% | 42% | below the Washington share |
| At or near an intersection | 1.2% | 26% | below the Washington share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 28% | 24% | about the same as the Washington share |
| A drinking driver | 32% | 31% | about the same as the Washington share |
| Speeding | 34% | 31% | about the same as the Washington share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 19% | 21% | about the same as the Washington share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 33% | 40% | below the Washington share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.3% | 6.3% | about the same as the Washington share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 17% | about the same as the Washington share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 21% | 18% | about the same as the Washington 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-5 in Washington
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-5 in Washington?
- 339 fatal crashes killed 370 people on I-5 in Washington from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 37 fatal crashes and 39 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-5 in Washington do the most fatal crashes happen?
- King County had the most fatal crashes on I-5 from 2015 to 2024: 100, with 108 deaths. Pierce County was second with 60.
- When do fatal crashes on I-5 in Washington happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Friday), with 26 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-5 in Washington per mile?
- 12.3 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 277 miles of road, against 8 for all interstates in Washington. That ranks 1 of 3 interstates in Washington and 46 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 Washington with a page
- I-82
- I-90
- State Highway 14
- State Highway 20
- State Highway 3
- State Highway 7
- State Highway 99
- US 101
- US 12
- US 2
- US 395
- US 97
All fatal crashes in Washington, with every road ranked.
Where the I-5 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-5 in Washington (filed under 3 spellings, such as "I-5", "I-5 CD16563", "I-5 RL005EXP"). 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.