State Highway 23 in Minnesota: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 62 fatal crashes on State Highway 23 in Minnesota killed 70 people, the 5th most of 128 numbered roads in Minnesota. In 2024 there were 6 fatal crashes and 6 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 13 counties of Minnesota. All fatal crashes in Minnesota.
Deaths on State Highway 23 in Minnesota by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | 6 |
| 2023 | 4 | 4 |
| 2022 | 6 | 8 |
| 2021 | 7 | 10 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 |
| 2019 | 3 | 3 |
| 2018 | 6 | 7 |
| 2017 | 8 | 8 |
| 2016 | 8 | 10 |
| 2015 | 11 | 11 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 23 in Minnesota: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Stearns County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 23 from 2015 to 2024: 11, with 11 deaths. Stearns, Benton and Lyon counties together held 47% of fatal crashes on State Highway 23 in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 77%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stearns County | 0 | 11 | 11 |
| 2 | Benton County | 1 | 10 | 12 |
| 3 | Lyon County | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| 4 | Pine County | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 5 | Kandiyohi County | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 6 | Kanabec 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 State Highway 23 in Minnesota
62 fatal crashes on State Highway 23 in Minnesota 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 December.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 8.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.1%
- Feb11.3%
- Mar4.8%
- Apr6.5%
- May4.8%
- Jun6.5%
- Jul12.9%
- Aug8.1%
- Sep6.5%
- Oct3.2%
- Nov12.9%
- Dec14.5%
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 23 in Minnesota first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 76%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 11%, a pedestrian in 4.8%, a rollover in 4.8%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 47 | 76% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 7 | 11% |
| Pedestrian | 3 | 4.8% |
| Rollover | 3 | 4.8% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.6% |
| Other | 1 | 1.6% |
| 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 23 in Minnesota compare with the state
The largest difference from Minnesota: from 2015 to 2024, 81% of fatal crashes on State Highway 23 in Minnesota were on rural roads, against 58% across Minnesota. Also above the Minnesota share: distracted drivers. Below it: drinking drivers and speeding. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Minnesota. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 62 crashes.
| State Highway 23 | Minnesota | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 81% | 58% | above the Minnesota share |
| At or near an intersection | 39% | 33% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 23% | 21% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| A drinking driver | 18% | 30% | below the Minnesota share |
| Speeding | 11% | 27% | below the Minnesota share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 18% | 8.0% | above the Minnesota share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 31% | 38% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.2% | 3.3% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| A motorcycle involved | 11% | 16% | about the same as the Minnesota share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 5.7% | 11% | about the same as the Minnesota 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 23 in Minnesota
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 23 in Minnesota?
- 62 fatal crashes killed 70 people on State Highway 23 in Minnesota from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 6 fatal crashes and 6 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 23 in Minnesota do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Stearns County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 23 from 2015 to 2024: 11, with 11 deaths. Benton County was second with 10.
Other roads in Minnesota with a page
All fatal crashes in Minnesota, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 23 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 23 in Minnesota (filed under 2 spellings, such as "SR-23", "SR-23 GRAND 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.