Fatal crashes in Wisconsin
In 2024, 595 people died in 529 fatal crashes on Wisconsin roads, 1.5% more than in 2023. That is about 2 deaths a day, and 1.5% of all road deaths in the United States.
Wisconsin ranks 26th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 33rd by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Wisconsin since 1975
Road deaths in Wisconsin peaked in 1979 at 985; 2024's 595 is 40% below that. The lowest year was 2014 with 506. 2024 is 26% below 2000 and 36% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 595 | 529 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 586 | 533 | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 604 | 556 | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 620 | 572 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 612 | 559 | +7.9% |
| 2019 | 567 | 527 | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 589 | 531 | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 613 | 557 | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 607 | 544 | +7.2% |
| 2015 | 566 | 523 | +11.9% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 506 | 459 | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 543 | 507 | -11.7% |
| 2012 | 615 | 549 | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 582 | 532 | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 572 | 528 | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 561 | 505 | -7.3% |
| 2008 | 605 | 561 | -20.0% |
| 2007 | 756 | 675 | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 724 | 670 | -11.2% |
| 2005 | 815 | 714 | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 792 | 722 | -6.6% |
| 2003 | 848 | 761 | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 803 | 721 | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 763 | 683 | -4.5% |
| 2000 | 799 | 716 | +7.2% |
| 1999 | 745 | 675 | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 714 | 632 | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 725 | 635 | -4.7% |
| 1996 | 761 | 658 | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 745 | 663 | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 712 | 622 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 714 | 626 | +9.5% |
| 1992 | 652 | 586 | -18.2% |
| 1991 | 797 | 677 | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 769 | 678 | -5.9% |
| 1989 | 817 | 714 | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 807 | 704 | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 797 | 711 | +6.7% |
| 1986 | 747 | 651 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 744 | 666 | -9.5% |
| 1984 | 822 | 704 | +13.4% |
| 1983 | 725 | 648 | -5.8% |
| 1982 | 770 | 669 | -15.9% |
| 1981 | 916 | 802 | -5.8% |
| 1980 | 972 | 847 | -1.3% |
| 1979 | 985 | 867 | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 971 | 839 | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 931 | 797 | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 935 | 808 | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 930 | 806 | No data |
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads and most dangerous highways in Wisconsin
US 12 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024: 109, with 121 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 24% of all fatal crashes in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024; 5 are interstates, 9 US routes, 6 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (41 crashes). Over 2022 to 2024 alone, I-94 had the most, 37 against 28 on US 12. Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Wisconsin, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US 12 | 109 | 121 | 28 | Dane, Walworth, Eau Claire |
| 2 | I-94 | 104 | 119 | 37 | Waukesha, St. Croix, Milwaukee |
| 3 | I-41 | 92 | 101 | 26 | Milwaukee, Washington, Outagamie |
| 4 | State Highway 35 | 82 | 92 | 27 | Polk, Pierce, St. Croix |
| 5 | I-43 | 79 | 93 | 28 | Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Ozaukee |
| 6 | State Highway 32 | 76 | 79 | 25 | Kenosha, Racine, Oconto |
| 7 | US 151 | 71 | 80 | 23 | Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac |
| 8 | US 51 | 69 | 72 | 18 | Dane, Rock, Oneida |
| 9 | US 45 | 64 | 67 | 19 | Fond du Lac, Washington, Waupaca |
| 10 | I-39 | 63 | 72 | 21 | Dane, Rock, Columbia |
| 11 | US 14 | 59 | 65 | 19 | Rock, Dane, La Crosse |
| 12 | US 8 | 57 | 63 | 15 | Polk, Barron, Rusk |
| 13 | US 10 | 55 | 66 | 17 | Waupaca, Portage, Wood |
| 14 | State Highway 29 | 51 | 57 | 14 | Shawano, Marathon, Chippewa |
| 15 | State Highway 13 | 48 | 51 | 16 | Adams, Price, Marathon |
| 16 | State Highway 11 | 47 | 53 | 15 | Racine, Walworth, Green |
| 17 | US 53 | 47 | 49 | 14 | Douglas, La Crosse, Eau Claire |
| 18 | State Highway 33 | 46 | 54 | 12 | Dodge, Columbia, Sauk |
| 19 | I-90 | 43 | 52 | 10 | Sauk, Juneau, Monroe |
| 20 | US 18 | 43 | 46 | 17 | Milwaukee, Iowa, Waukesha |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every numbered road in Wisconsin as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/wisconsin/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Wisconsin
Milwaukee County had the most fatal crashes in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024: 780, with 861 deaths. Milwaukee, Dane and Waukesha counties together held 24% of fatal crashes in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 59%. 72 counties in Wisconsin recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, Burnett County has the highest rate in Wisconsin: 28.6 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 10.2 for the state as a whole. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents are hatched rather than shaded: a few crashes on a highway through a small county make a rate that says more about its population than its roads.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | Deaths per 100,000100K, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee County | 84 | 780 | 861 | 10.1 |
| 2 | Dane County | 30 | 311 | 352 | 6.5 |
| 3 | Waukesha County | 17 | 198 | 207 | 4.8 |
| 4 | Rock County | 12 | 191 | 210 | 9.7 |
| 5 | Racine County | 13 | 155 | 171 | 7.0 |
| 6 | Kenosha County | 8 | 138 | 149 | Not enough data |
| 7 | Brown County | 17 | 133 | 154 | 7.3 |
| 8 | Walworth County | 12 | 128 | 140 | 11.3 |
| 9 | Outagamie County | 12 | 126 | 131 | 6.1 |
| 10 | Dodge County | 13 | 111 | 127 | 20.3 |
| 11 | Marathon County | 9 | 110 | 119 | Not enough data |
| 12 | Fond du Lac County | 12 | 107 | 119 | 11.5 |
| 13 | Winnebago County | 13 | 102 | 108 | 8.1 |
| 14 | Sauk County | 7 | 101 | 107 | Not enough data |
| 15 | Washington County | 10 | 93 | 99 | 7.2 |
| 16 | Columbia County | 8 | 92 | 114 | 20.6 |
| 17 | St. Croix County | 6 | 90 | 97 | Not enough data |
| 18 | Sheboygan County | 4 | 85 | 99 | Not enough data |
| 19 | Jefferson County | 12 | 85 | 96 | 13.9 |
| 20 | Wood County | 12 | 85 | 94 | 16.2 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/wisconsin/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Wisconsin
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 4 to 8 pm, with 232 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. 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 | 3.6 percent, 191 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 57 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 164 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 204 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 150 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.2 percent, 63 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 75 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 89 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 134 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 140 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 100 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.0 percent, 55 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 86 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 164 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 132 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 90 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.1 percent, 57 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 68 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 124 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 156 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 155 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 119 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.4 percent, 74 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 83 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 98 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 152 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 180 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 106 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.7 percent, 91 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 86 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 118 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 152 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 188 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 198 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.1 percent, 164 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 72 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 125 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 191 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 232 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 200 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.1%
- Feb5.9%
- Mar5.8%
- Apr7.1%
- May8.9%
- Jun9.9%
- Jul10.4%
- Aug10.8%
- Sep10.8%
- Oct9.7%
- Nov7.9%
- Dec6.6%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in Wisconsin: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
63% of fatal crashes in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 28% happened at or near an intersection, above the US share of 25%; 27% in the dark on unlit roads, about the US share; most, 53%, in daylight. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Wisconsin | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 63% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 28% | 25% | above the US share |
| In daylight | 53% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 14% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 27% | 28% | about the same as the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on Wisconsin roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 70% of the 595 people killed on Wisconsin roads in 2024; motorcyclists 18% (106), pedestrians 9.7% (58), cyclists 1.3% (8).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 419 | 70% |
| Motorcyclists | 106 | 18% |
| Pedestrians | 58 | 9.7% |
| Cyclists | 8 | 1.3% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 4 | 0.7% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in Wisconsin: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 33% of fatal crashes in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024, above the US share of 26%; speeding in 31%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 5.4%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 9.9%, above the US share of 8.7%; 48% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, about the US share.
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (3,387 in Wisconsin).
| Wisconsin | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 33% | 26% | above the US share |
| Speeding | 31% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 9.9% | 8.7% | above the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 48% | 49% | about the same as the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.4% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 17% | 16% | above the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 42%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 31%, a pedestrian in 9.5%, a rollover in 9.1%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 2,255 | 42% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 1,656 | 31% |
| Pedestrian | 514 | 9.5% |
| Rollover | 496 | 9.1% |
| Other | 349 | 6.4% |
| Cyclist | 99 | 1.8% |
| Parked vehicle | 61 | 1.1% |
| Not reported | 1 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in Wisconsin
Cars were 38% of the 7,899 vehicles in fatal crashes in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 20%, pickups 14%, motorcycles 12%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 2,985 | 38% |
| SUVs | 1,613 | 20% |
| Pickups | 1,095 | 14% |
| Motorcycles | 969 | 12% |
| Vans | 457 | 5.8% |
| Truck-tractors | 409 | 5.2% |
| Other trucks | 336 | 4.3% |
| Buses | 35 | 0.4% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Wisconsin per resident and per mile driven
| Wisconsin | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 10.0 | 11.5 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 10.2 | 11.8 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 0.86 | 1.19 | below the US rate |
Population 5,960,975 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 69,226 million vehicle-miles (FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-2). The only figures on this page not counted from FARS.
Questions about fatal crashes in Wisconsin
- How many people died in car accidents in Wisconsin in 2024?
- 595 people died in 529 fatal crashes on Wisconsin roads in 2024, 1.5% more than in 2023. That is 10 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in Wisconsin?
- US 12 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024: 109, with 121 deaths. I-94 was second with 104.
- Which county in Wisconsin has the most fatal crashes?
- Milwaukee County, with 780 fatal crashes and 861 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 84 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Wisconsin happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 4 to 8 pm, with 232 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Wisconsin involved a drinking driver?
- 1,815 of 5,431 fatal crashes in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 33%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Wisconsin
Every county in Wisconsin with 30 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, roads, hour and weekday, and deaths per 100,000 residents.
- Milwaukee County 780
- Dane County 311
- Waukesha County 198
- Rock County 191
- Racine County 155
- Kenosha County 138
- Brown County 133
- Walworth County 128
- Outagamie County 126
- Dodge County 111
- Marathon County 110
- Fond du Lac County 107
- Winnebago County 102
- Sauk County 101
- Washington County 93
- Columbia County 92
- St. Croix County 90
- Wood County 85
- Jefferson County 85
- Sheboygan County 85
- Oconto County 83
- Polk County 83
- Manitowoc County 80
- Waupaca County 68
- Grant County 67
- Barron County 66
- La Crosse County 66
- Monroe County 65
- Chippewa County 64
- Marinette County 63
- Clark County 62
- Dunn County 62
- Eau Claire County 62
- Shawano County 62
- Juneau County 59
- Lincoln County 54
- Portage County 54
- Oneida County 53
- Ozaukee County 52
- Douglas County 51
- Waushara County 46
- Pierce County 46
- Adams County 45
- Green County 44
- Burnett County 41
- Jackson County 39
- Vernon County 39
- Calumet County 38
- Iowa County 38
- Sawyer County 37
- Bayfield County 35
- Door County 35
- Vilas County 34
- Rusk County 32
Road pages for Wisconsin
Every numbered road in Wisconsin with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Wisconsin numbers come from
Every figure on this page except the rates is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I-35", "I 35" and "I-35/PURPLE HEART TRL" are the same road); frontage roads and ramps ("I35 FRONTAGE") are left out of road counts. Totals from the state highway department and news reports can differ by a few: they count from the state's own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked and revised once a year. Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". Rates per resident and per mile use Census Bureau population estimates and FHWA vehicle-miles, the only figures not counted from FARS. The full method.