I-44 in Oklahoma: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 245 fatal crashes on I-44 in Oklahoma killed 268 people, the most of any numbered road in Oklahoma. In 2024 there were 20 fatal crashes and 22 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 15 counties of Oklahoma. All fatal crashes in Oklahoma. I-44 in every state.
Deaths on I-44 in Oklahoma by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 20 | 22 |
| 2023 | 32 | 35 |
| 2022 | 34 | 37 |
| 2021 | 19 | 20 |
| 2020 | 25 | 26 |
| 2019 | 13 | 16 |
| 2018 | 25 | 27 |
| 2017 | 21 | 23 |
| 2016 | 33 | 34 |
| 2015 | 23 | 28 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-44 in Oklahoma: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Oklahoma County had the most fatal crashes on I-44 from 2015 to 2024: 59, with 61 deaths. Oklahoma, Tulsa and Creek counties together held 53% of fatal crashes on I-44 in Oklahoma from 2015 to 2024; the 11 listed held 96%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma County | 5 | 59 | 61 |
| 2 | Tulsa County | 5 | 38 | 39 |
| 3 | Creek County | 4 | 32 | 36 |
| 4 | Lincoln County | 1 | 28 | 32 |
| 5 | Rogers County | 2 | 18 | 20 |
| 6 | Grady County | 0 | 17 | 19 |
| 7 | Ottawa County | 2 | 13 | 17 |
| 8 | Comanche County | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| 9 | Cleveland County | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| 10 | McClain County | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| 11 | Mayes County | 0 | 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 I-44 in Oklahoma
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 11 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 9 pm to 10 pm; 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 | 4.1 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 3.7 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.1 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.6 percent, 11 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.1%
- Feb7.3%
- Mar9.0%
- Apr7.3%
- May7.8%
- Jun6.1%
- Jul11.0%
- Aug7.8%
- Sep10.2%
- Oct7.3%
- Nov9.0%
- Dec11.0%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-44 in Oklahoma
7.7 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 318 miles of I-44 in Oklahoma, against 7.7 for all interstates in Oklahoma. That ranks 2 of 3 interstates in Oklahoma and 93 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-44 in Oklahoma first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 41%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 25%, a pedestrian in 18%, a rollover in 7.3%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 101 | 41% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 60 | 25% |
| Pedestrian | 44 | 18% |
| Rollover | 18 | 7.3% |
| Parked vehicle | 15 | 6.1% |
| Other | 7 | 2.9% |
| 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-44 in Oklahoma compare with the state
The largest difference from Oklahoma: from 2015 to 2024, 0.0% of fatal crashes on I-44 in Oklahoma were at or near an intersection, against 21% across Oklahoma. Also above the Oklahoma share: pedestrians. Below it: rural roads and motorcycles. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Oklahoma. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 245 crashes.
| I-44 | Oklahoma | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 51% | 60% | below the Oklahoma share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 21% | below the Oklahoma share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 33% | 34% | about the same as the Oklahoma share |
| A drinking driver | 26% | 27% | about the same as the Oklahoma share |
| Speeding | 21% | 26% | about the same as the Oklahoma share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 6.9% | 8.5% | about the same as the Oklahoma share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 48% | 53% | about the same as the Oklahoma share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.7% | 4.9% | about the same as the Oklahoma share |
| A motorcycle involved | 9.0% | 14% | below the Oklahoma share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 20% | 12% | above the Oklahoma 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-44 in Oklahoma
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-44 in Oklahoma?
- 245 fatal crashes killed 268 people on I-44 in Oklahoma from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 20 fatal crashes and 22 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-44 in Oklahoma do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Oklahoma County had the most fatal crashes on I-44 from 2015 to 2024: 59, with 61 deaths. Tulsa County was second with 38.
- When do fatal crashes on I-44 in Oklahoma happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 11 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-44 in Oklahoma per mile?
- 7.7 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 318 miles of road, against 7.7 for all interstates in Oklahoma. That ranks 2 of 3 interstates in Oklahoma and 93 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Oklahoma with a page
- I-35
- I-40
- State Highway 11
- State Highway 3
- State Highway 33
- State Highway 51
- State Highway 66
- State Highway 74
- State Highway 9
- US 177
- US 270
- US 412
All fatal crashes in Oklahoma, with every road ranked.
Where the I-44 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-44 in Oklahoma (filed under 10 spellings, such as "I 44", "I-44", "I-44 H E BAILEY TPKE", "I-44 HE BAILEY TURNPIKE"). 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.