I-70: fatal crashes in every state
From 2015 to 2024, 1,354 fatal crashes on I-70 killed 1,522 people across the 10 states it runs through, the 8th most of 69 interstates. In 2024 there were 132 fatal crashes and 144 deaths on the road.
2,062 miles in all; 6.6 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles. All interstates ranked.
I-70 by state: fatal crashes, deaths and per mile
Missouri has the most fatal crashes on I-70, 342 from 2015 to 2024. Each state's stretch is counted within that state; the per-mile figure needs 20 miles or more of road.
| State | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2024 | Miles | Per 100 miles a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-70 in Missouri | 342 | 369 | 36 | 249 | 13.7 |
| 2 | I-70 in Colorado | 287 | 322 | 28 | 450 | 6.4 |
| 3 | I-70 in Kansas | 178 | 213 | 14 | 424 | 4.2 |
| 4 | I-70 in Ohio | 152 | 171 | 7 | 226 | 6.7 |
| 5 | I-70 in Maryland | 105 | 110 | 14 | 92 | 11.4 |
| 6 | I-70 in Indiana | 101 | 117 | 12 | 155 | 6.5 |
| 7 | I-70 in Illinois | 70 | 78 | 8 | 139 | 5.0 |
| 8 | I-70 in Utah | 67 | 82 | 7 | 232 | 2.9 |
| 9 | I-70 in Pennsylvania | 39 | 43 | 5 | 81 | 4.8 |
| 10 | I-70 in West Virginia | 13 | 17 | 1 | 14 | Under 20 miles |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every interstate in every state it crosses as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/deadliest-roads/i-70/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS.
Deaths on I-70 by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 132 | 144 |
| 2023 | 131 | 147 |
| 2022 | 150 | 163 |
| 2021 | 152 | 166 |
| 2020 | 103 | 115 |
| 2019 | 131 | 151 |
| 2018 | 128 | 141 |
| 2017 | 133 | 161 |
| 2016 | 143 | 166 |
| 2015 | 151 | 168 |
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-70
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 65 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 11 pm to midnight; the worst month is July.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.8 percent, 65 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 36 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 26 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 31 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 30 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 34 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.9 percent, 26 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 32 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 18 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 38 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 39 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.6 percent, 22 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 31 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 26 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 27 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 28 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.6 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 30 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 24 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 32 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 32 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 37 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.8 percent, 24 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 26 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 31 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 23 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 36 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 43 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 3.0 percent, 40 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 23 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 24 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 28 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 47 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 51 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.1 percent, 56 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 36 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 30 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 28 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 42 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 37 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan5.8%
- Feb8.0%
- Mar7.8%
- Apr6.4%
- May7.2%
- Jun9.1%
- Jul10.2%
- Aug9.7%
- Sep9.7%
- Oct10.2%
- Nov7.8%
- Dec8.2%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on I-70 first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 38%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 29%, a rollover in 15%, a pedestrian in 11%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 514 | 38% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 390 | 29% |
| Rollover | 198 | 15% |
| Pedestrian | 146 | 11% |
| Other | 58 | 4.3% |
| Parked vehicle | 48 | 3.5% |
| Cyclist | 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 I-70 compare with the United States
A drinking driver was recorded in 24% of fatal crashes on I-70 from 2015 to 2024, below the US share of 26%; speeding in 28%, about the US share; a hit-and-run in 3.9%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 13%, above the US share of 8.7%; 52% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, above the US share of 49%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all US roads.
| I-70 | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 52% | 43% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 34% | 28% | above the US share |
| A drinking driver | 24% | 26% | below the US share |
| Speeding | 28% | 27% | about the same as the US share |
| A distracted driver | 13% | 8.7% | above the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 52% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.9% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 9.4% | 16% | below the US share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 12% | 17% | below the US 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-70
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-70?
- 1,354 fatal crashes killed 1,522 people on I-70 from 2015 to 2024, across the 10 states it runs through. In 2024 there were 132 fatal crashes and 144 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state has the most fatal crashes on I-70?
- Missouri, with 342 fatal crashes and 369 deaths from 2015 to 2024; Colorado is second with 287. Per mile, Missouri's stretch has 13.7 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles.
- How dangerous is I-70 per mile?
- 6.6 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 2,062 miles of road. That is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic. By fatal crashes, I-70 ranks 8th of 69 interstates on this site.
- When do fatal crashes on I-70 happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 65 fatal crashes.
Other interstates
- I-10 3,274
- I-95 2,778
- I-40 2,208
- I-75 2,062
- I-20 1,789
- I-80 1,774
- I-5 1,745
- I-35 1,241
- I-15 1,188
- I-90 996
- I-85 922
- I-65 913
The deadliest roads in America, every interstate ranked.
Where the I-70 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-70, in every state, with ramps, frontage and service roads 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. The full method.