State Highway 85 in Arizona: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 43 fatal crashes on State Highway 85 in Arizona killed 54 people, the 21st most of 104 numbered roads in Arizona. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 7 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 2 counties of Arizona. All fatal crashes in Arizona.
Deaths on State Highway 85 in Arizona by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 7 |
| 2023 | 6 | 8 |
| 2022 | 6 | 7 |
| 2021 | 3 | 4 |
| 2020 | 7 | 10 |
| 2019 | 1 | 3 |
| 2018 | 3 | 3 |
| 2017 | 3 | 3 |
| 2016 | 2 | 3 |
| 2015 | 5 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 85 in Arizona: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Maricopa County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 85 from 2015 to 2024: 33, with 41 deaths. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maricopa County | 5 | 33 | 41 |
| 2 | Pima County | 2 | 10 | 13 |
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 85 in Arizona
43 fatal crashes on State Highway 85 in Arizona 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 10 am to 11 am; the worst month is June.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 7.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Mon | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 7.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 7.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 11.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 7.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 1 fatal crash |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.0%
- Feb4.7%
- Mar11.6%
- Apr9.3%
- May9.3%
- Jun14.0%
- Jul2.3%
- Aug2.3%
- Sep14.0%
- Oct4.7%
- Nov11.6%
- Dec9.3%
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 85 in Arizona first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 61%; a rollover in 21%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 7.0%, a pedestrian in 2.3%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 26 | 61% |
| Rollover | 9 | 21% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 3 | 7.0% |
| Other | 3 | 7.0% |
| Pedestrian | 1 | 2.3% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 2.3% |
| 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 85 in Arizona compare with the state
The largest difference from Arizona: from 2015 to 2024, 72% of fatal crashes on State Highway 85 in Arizona were on rural roads, against 31% across Arizona. Below the Arizona share: pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Arizona. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 43 crashes.
| State Highway 85 | Arizona | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 72% | 31% | above the Arizona share |
| At or near an intersection | 28% | 31% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 26% | 17% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| A drinking driver | 23% | 22% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| Speeding | 42% | 33% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 12% | 8.1% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 50% | 54% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| Hit-and-run | 0.0% | 7.8% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| A motorcycle involved | 7.0% | 18% | about the same as the Arizona share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 1.9% | 21% | below the Arizona 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 85 in Arizona
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 85 in Arizona?
- 43 fatal crashes killed 54 people on State Highway 85 in Arizona from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 7 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 85 in Arizona do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Maricopa County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 85 from 2015 to 2024: 33, with 41 deaths. Pima County was second with 10.
Other roads in Arizona with a page
- I-10
- I-17
- I-19
- I-40
- I-8
- State Highway 101
- State Highway 202
- State Highway 260
- State Highway 77
- State Highway 86
- State Highway 87
- State Highway 89
All fatal crashes in Arizona, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 85 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 85 in Arizona (filed under 3 spellings, such as "SR-85", "SR-85 NONCARD", "SR-85 S OGLESBY RD"). 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.