Fatal crashes in Minnesota
In 2024, 477 people died in 431 fatal crashes on Minnesota roads, 18.7% more than in 2023. That is about 1 death a day, and 1.2% of all road deaths in the United States.
Minnesota ranks 29th of 51 by road deaths in 2024.
Road deaths in Minnesota 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 Minnesota
US 169 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024: 114, with 123 deaths. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (39 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 | US 169 | 114 | 123 | 39 | Hennepin, Itasca, Scott |
| 2 | I-94 | 89 | 99 | 29 | Hennepin, Stearns, Wright |
| 3 | I-35 | 80 | 84 | 24 | Chisago, Pine, Rice |
| 4 | US 10 | 69 | 75 | 22 | Sherburne, Morrison, Benton |
| 5 | State Highway 23 | 62 | 70 | 16 | Stearns, Benton, Pine |
| 6 | State Highway 65 | 59 | 66 | 16 | Anoka, Isanti, Kanabec |
| 7 | State Highway 55 | 57 | 64 | 17 | Hennepin, Dakota, Wright |
| 8 | US 61 | 54 | 62 | 20 | Ramsey, Washington, Wabasha |
| 9 | US 71 | 46 | 53 | 9 | Wadena, Todd, Stearns |
| 10 | State Highway 210 | 45 | 48 | 14 | Otter Tail, Crow Wing, Carlton |
| 11 | State Highway 47 | 43 | 45 | 10 | Anoka, Isanti, Aitkin |
| 12 | I-90 | 39 | 48 | 18 | Winona, Faribault, Olmsted |
| 13 | State Highway 7 | 37 | 42 | 15 | Hennepin, Mcleod, Carver |
| 14 | US 14 | 37 | 41 | 9 | Olmsted, Nicollet, Blue Earth |
| 15 | US 59 | 32 | 37 | 9 | Pennington, Becker, Lyon |
| 16 | US 12 | 32 | 34 | 7 | Hennepin, Kandiyohi, Wright |
| 17 | US 52 | 31 | 33 | 8 | Goodhue, Olmsted, Dakota |
| 18 | US 2 | 30 | 36 | 5 | Itasca, Beltrami, Polk |
| 19 | State Highway 95 | 29 | 30 | 5 | Washington, Isanti, Chisago |
| 20 | State Highway 60 | 28 | 28 | 11 | Rice, Blue Earth, Wabasha |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
The deadliest counties in Minnesota
Hennepin County had the most fatal crashes in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024: 477, with 509 deaths. 88 counties in Minnesota recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hennepin | 53 | 477 | 509 |
| 2 | Ramsey | 27 | 214 | 225 |
| 3 | Anoka | 12 | 184 | 200 |
| 4 | Dakota | 19 | 167 | 185 |
| 5 | Stearns | 9 | 114 | 122 |
| 6 | Washington | 8 | 100 | 105 |
| 7 | Sherburne | 9 | 96 | 108 |
| 8 | St Louis | 21 | 91 | 101 |
| 9 | Olmsted | 11 | 89 | 97 |
| 10 | Wright | 13 | 88 | 91 |
| 11 | St. Louis | 0 | 76 | 82 |
| 12 | Scott | 8 | 76 | 79 |
| 13 | Crow Wing | 9 | 69 | 71 |
| 14 | Cass | 8 | 61 | 67 |
| 15 | Otter Tail | 10 | 61 | 64 |
| 16 | Pine | 5 | 60 | 65 |
| 17 | Chisago | 5 | 59 | 65 |
| 18 | Isanti | 5 | 59 | 63 |
| 19 | Carver | 6 | 58 | 61 |
| 20 | Morrison | 7 | 55 | 60 |
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 Minnesota
The heaviest slot is Thursday, 4 to 8 pm, with 144 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 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 | 2.6 percent, 100 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 47 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 66 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 103 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 128 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 78 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.8 percent, 31 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 93 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 72 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 112 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 124 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 73 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.9 percent, 35 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 68 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 93 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 125 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 87 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.1 percent, 42 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 80 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 95 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 104 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 116 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 76 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.8 percent, 31 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 56 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 82 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 115 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 144 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 82 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.3 percent, 48 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 74 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 78 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 119 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 141 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 123 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.9 percent, 108 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 56 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 92 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 138 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 127 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 123 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan5.1%
- Feb5.3%
- Mar5.9%
- Apr6.4%
- May9.1%
- Jun10.5%
- Jul10.5%
- Aug10.2%
- Sep10.6%
- Oct10.5%
- Nov8.2%
- Dec7.9%
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 Minnesota: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Minnesota | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 58% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 33% | 25% | above the US share |
| In daylight | 57% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 16% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 21% | 28% | below 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 Minnesota roads in 2024
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 335 | 70% |
| Motorcyclists | 75 | 16% |
| Pedestrians | 57 | 12% |
| Cyclists | 7 | 1.5% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 3 | 0.6% |
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 Minnesota: 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 (2,240 in Minnesota).
| Minnesota | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 30% | 26% | above the US share |
| Speeding | 27% | 27% | about the same as the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 38% | 49% | below the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.3% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 16% | 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 | 1,710 | 45% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 878 | 23% |
| Rollover | 482 | 13% |
| Pedestrian | 426 | 11% |
| Other | 183 | 4.8% |
| Cyclist | 80 | 2.1% |
| Parked vehicle | 28 | 0.7% |
| 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 Minnesota
Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type (5,655 vehicles).
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 1,966 | 35% |
| SUVs | 1,152 | 20% |
| Pickups | 916 | 16% |
| Motorcycles | 649 | 11% |
| Truck-tractors | 379 | 6.7% |
| Vans | 306 | 5.4% |
| Other trucks | 257 | 4.5% |
| Buses | 30 | 0.5% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road pages for Minnesota
Every numbered road in Minnesota with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Minnesota 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.