US 51 in Wisconsin: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 69 fatal crashes on US 51 in Wisconsin killed 72 people, the 8th most of 161 numbered roads in Wisconsin. In 2024 there were 8 fatal crashes and 10 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 9 counties of Wisconsin. All fatal crashes in Wisconsin.
Deaths on US 51 in Wisconsin by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8 | 10 |
| 2023 | 6 | 6 |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 |
| 2021 | 12 | 13 |
| 2020 | 6 | 6 |
| 2019 | 7 | 7 |
| 2018 | 7 | 7 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
| 2016 | 7 | 7 |
| 2015 | 7 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 51 in Wisconsin: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Dane County had the most fatal crashes on US 51 from 2015 to 2024: 20, with 21 deaths. Dane, Rock and Oneida counties together held 59% of fatal crashes on US 51 in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024; the 7 listed held 93%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dane County | 3 | 20 | 21 |
| 2 | Rock County | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| 3 | Oneida County | 3 | 9 | 10 |
| 4 | Marathon County | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| 5 | Columbia County | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 6 | Iron County | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | Lincoln County | 2 | 5 | 5 |
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 51 in Wisconsin
69 fatal crashes on US 51 in Wisconsin 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 September.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Mon | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 7.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan13.0%
- Feb4.3%
- Mar7.2%
- Apr10.1%
- May8.7%
- Jun11.6%
- Jul5.8%
- Aug8.7%
- Sep14.5%
- Oct5.8%
- Nov8.7%
- Dec1.4%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 51 in Wisconsin first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 64%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 12%, a pedestrian in 8.7%, a rollover in 7.2%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 44 | 64% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 8 | 12% |
| Pedestrian | 6 | 8.7% |
| Rollover | 5 | 7.2% |
| Other | 3 | 4.3% |
| Cyclist | 2 | 2.9% |
| Parked vehicle | 1 | 1.4% |
| 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 51 in Wisconsin compare with the state
The largest difference from Wisconsin: from 2015 to 2024, 24% of occupants killed on US 51 in Wisconsin were unbelted, against 48% across Wisconsin. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Wisconsin. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 69 crashes.
| US 51 | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 62% | 63% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| At or near an intersection | 29% | 28% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 17% | 27% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| A drinking driver | 32% | 33% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Speeding | 32% | 31% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 16% | 9.9% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 24% | 48% | below the Wisconsin share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.8% | 5.4% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| A motorcycle involved | 20% | 17% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 9.7% | 9.5% | about the same as the Wisconsin 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 51 in Wisconsin
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 51 in Wisconsin?
- 69 fatal crashes killed 72 people on US 51 in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 8 fatal crashes and 10 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 51 in Wisconsin do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Dane County had the most fatal crashes on US 51 from 2015 to 2024: 20, with 21 deaths. Rock County was second with 12.
Other roads in Wisconsin with a page
- I-39
- I-41
- I-43
- I-94
- State Highway 11
- State Highway 13
- State Highway 145
- State Highway 190
- State Highway 32
- State Highway 35
- US 10
- US 12
All fatal crashes in Wisconsin, with every road ranked.
Where the US 51 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 51 in Wisconsin (filed under 6 spellings, such as "US-51", "US-51 N STOUGHTON RD", "US-51 / STOUGHTON RD N", "US-51 CENTER AVE"). 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.