Fatal crashes in Arkansas
In 2024, 603 people died in 547 fatal crashes on Arkansas roads, 1.2% more than in 2023. That is about 2 deaths a day, and 1.5% of all road deaths in the United States.
Arkansas ranks 25th of 51 by road deaths in 2024.
Road deaths in Arkansas since 1975
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 in Arkansas
I-40 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024: 258, with 303 deaths. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (33 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-40 | 258 | 303 | 79 | Pulaski, Faulkner, Pope |
| 2 | I-30 | 203 | 224 | 70 | Pulaski, Hot Spring, Saline |
| 3 | US 71 | 162 | 174 | 47 | Benton, Washington, Scott |
| 4 | US 67 | 161 | 180 | 52 | Pulaski, White, Randolph |
| 5 | US 70 | 161 | 174 | 54 | Garland, Pulaski, Crittenden |
| 6 | US 65 | 133 | 155 | 33 | Faulkner, Boone, Searcy |
| 7 | US 62 | 129 | 159 | 27 | Carroll, Baxter, Fulton |
| 8 | US 64 | 108 | 116 | 29 | Faulkner, Crawford, Crittenden |
| 9 | State Highway 7 | 101 | 109 | 29 | Garland, Union, Pope |
| 10 | US 412 | 99 | 112 | 28 | Washington, Madison, Greene |
| 11 | US 63 | 98 | 124 | 24 | Lawrence, Craighead, Sharp |
| 12 | State Highway 5 | 95 | 104 | 34 | Pulaski, Baxter, Saline |
| 13 | US 167 | 87 | 99 | 29 | Independence, Union, Grant |
| 14 | US 270 | 85 | 97 | 25 | Garland, Hot Spring, Grant |
| 15 | I-49 | 79 | 85 | 29 | Washington, Benton, Miller |
| 16 | US 49 | 74 | 80 | 24 | Craighead, Phillips, Greene |
| 17 | US 79 | 70 | 74 | 21 | Ouachita, Jefferson, Columbia |
| 18 | State Highway 1 | 60 | 69 | 8 | Cross, St. Francis, Craighead |
| 19 | US 82 | 55 | 64 | 21 | Union, Miller, Ashley |
| 20 | I-530 | 55 | 62 | 20 | Jefferson, Pulaski, Saline |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
The deadliest counties in Arkansas
Pulaski County had the most fatal crashes in Arkansas from 2015 to 2024: 672, with 714 deaths. 76 counties in Arkansas recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pulaski | 89 | 672 | 714 |
| 2 | Washington | 20 | 242 | 262 |
| 3 | Benton | 25 | 239 | 261 |
| 4 | Garland | 21 | 190 | 212 |
| 5 | Craighead | 19 | 163 | 185 |
| 6 | Faulkner | 15 | 152 | 164 |
| 7 | White | 18 | 146 | 155 |
| 8 | Sebastian | 14 | 144 | 151 |
| 9 | Saline | 12 | 142 | 150 |
| 10 | Crittenden | 14 | 135 | 145 |
| 11 | Jefferson | 13 | 130 | 141 |
| 12 | Lonoke | 15 | 110 | 127 |
| 13 | Hot Spring | 6 | 106 | 120 |
| 14 | Miller | 7 | 99 | 112 |
| 15 | Independence | 10 | 92 | 100 |
| 16 | Pope | 10 | 85 | 94 |
| 17 | Union | 9 | 85 | 91 |
| 18 | Crawford | 7 | 82 | 92 |
| 19 | Carroll | 5 | 74 | 87 |
| 20 | Greene | 5 | 73 | 79 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen in Arkansas
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 4 to 8 pm, with 211 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 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 | 2.7 percent, 145 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 102 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 75 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 143 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 159 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 104 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.5 percent, 79 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 99 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 151 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 183 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 116 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.0 percent, 54 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 93 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 125 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 158 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 178 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 116 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.3 percent, 68 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 110 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 152 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 143 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 126 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.0 percent, 54 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 103 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 121 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 145 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 173 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 149 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.3 percent, 67 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 106 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 115 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 146 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 198 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 175 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.4 percent, 130 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 101 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 91 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 167 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 211 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 186 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.8%
- Feb6.5%
- Mar6.9%
- Apr8.7%
- May8.7%
- Jun9.1%
- Jul8.7%
- Aug9.6%
- Sep9.6%
- Oct9.2%
- Nov8.2%
- Dec8.0%
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 Arkansas: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Arkansas | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 63% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 15% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 53% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 8.0% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 34% | 28% | above 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 Arkansas roads in 2024
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 448 | 74% |
| Motorcyclists | 76 | 13% |
| Pedestrians | 69 | 11% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 6 | 1.0% |
| Cyclists | 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 Arkansas: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
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 (3,511 in Arkansas).
| Arkansas | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 27% | 26% | about the same as the US share |
| Speeding | 22% | 27% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 54% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.9% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 16% | 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
What the first harmful event was
What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 2,101 | 40% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 1,880 | 35% |
| Pedestrian | 600 | 11% |
| Rollover | 470 | 8.8% |
| Other | 181 | 3.4% |
| Cyclist | 54 | 1.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 36 | 0.7% |
| Not reported | 2 | 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 Arkansas
Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type (7,839 vehicles).
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 2,522 | 32% |
| Pickups | 1,797 | 23% |
| SUVs | 1,477 | 19% |
| Motorcycles | 819 | 10% |
| Truck-tractors | 699 | 8.9% |
| Other trucks | 255 | 3.3% |
| Vans | 255 | 3.3% |
| Buses | 15 | 0.2% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road pages for Arkansas
Every numbered road in Arkansas with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Arkansas numbers come from
Every figure on this page 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 ("I35 FRONTAGE" and "I-35" are the same road; frontage roads and ramps are left out of road counts). Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". The full method.