State Highway 20 in West Virginia: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 45 fatal crashes on State Highway 20 in West Virginia killed 48 people, the 14th most of 128 numbered roads in West Virginia. In 2024 there were 4 fatal crashes and 5 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 9 counties of West Virginia. All fatal crashes in West Virginia.
Deaths on State Highway 20 in West Virginia by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 5 |
| 2023 | 7 | 7 |
| 2022 | 9 | 9 |
| 2021 | 2 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | 4 | 6 |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 |
| 2016 | 5 | 5 |
| 2015 | 8 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Counties along State Highway 20 in West Virginia
Mercer, Harrison and Upshur counties together held 49% of fatal crashes on State Highway 20 in West Virginia from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 87%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercer County | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| 2 | Harrison County | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 3 | Upshur County | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| 4 | Nicholas County | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | Webster County | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 6 | Summers County | 1 | 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 State Highway 20 in West Virginia
45 fatal crashes on State Highway 20 in West 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 3 pm to 4 pm; the worst month is August.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 8.9 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Mon | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 6.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 6.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 8.9 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Sat | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan4.4%
- Feb11.1%
- Mar11.1%
- Apr4.4%
- May8.9%
- Jun8.9%
- Jul8.9%
- Aug15.6%
- Sep4.4%
- Oct4.4%
- Nov13.3%
- Dec4.4%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on State Highway 20 in West Virginia first hit
The first harmful event was a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 42%; a collision with another vehicle in 36%, a pedestrian in 13%, a rollover in 2.2%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 19 | 42% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 16 | 36% |
| Pedestrian | 6 | 13% |
| Other | 3 | 6.7% |
| Rollover | 1 | 2.2% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| 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 State Highway 20 in West Virginia compare with the state
The largest difference from West Virginia: from 2015 to 2024, 80% of fatal crashes on State Highway 20 in West Virginia were on rural roads, against 64% across West Virginia. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of West Virginia. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 45 crashes.
| State Highway 20 | West Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 80% | 64% | above the West Virginia share |
| At or near an intersection | 6.7% | 12% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 27% | 32% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| A drinking driver | 40% | 27% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| Speeding | 18% | 27% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 2.2% | 4.4% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 53% | 52% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| Hit-and-run | 6.7% | 3.3% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| A motorcycle involved | 16% | 13% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 13% | 8.7% | about the same as the West 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 State Highway 20 in West Virginia
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 20 in West Virginia?
- 45 fatal crashes killed 48 people on State Highway 20 in West Virginia from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 4 fatal crashes and 5 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Other roads in West Virginia with a page
All fatal crashes in West Virginia, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 20 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as State Highway 20 in West Virginia (filed under 9 spellings, such as "SR-20", "SR-20 - SHORTLINE HWY", "SR-20 - THORN ST", "SR-20 BUCKHANNON PIKE"). 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.