I-40 in Tennessee: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 561 fatal crashes on I-40 in Tennessee killed 642 people, the most of any numbered road in Tennessee. In 2024 there were 63 fatal crashes and 71 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 24 counties of Tennessee. All fatal crashes in Tennessee.
Deaths on I-40 in Tennessee by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 45 | 51 |
| 2016 | 52 | 65 |
| 2017 | 49 | 56 |
| 2018 | 42 | 47 |
| 2019 | 59 | 70 |
| 2020 | 70 | 80 |
| 2021 | 71 | 75 |
| 2022 | 51 | 59 |
| 2023 | 59 | 68 |
| 2024 | 63 | 71 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-40 in Tennessee: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Shelby County had the most fatal crashes on I-40 from 2015 to 2024: 87, with 95 deaths. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shelby | 10 | 87 | 95 |
| 2 | Knox | 13 | 73 | 86 |
| 3 | Davidson | 8 | 51 | 60 |
| 4 | Wilson | 4 | 44 | 46 |
| 5 | Cumberland | 3 | 29 | 34 |
| 6 | Putnam | 1 | 28 | 32 |
| 7 | Madison | 3 | 26 | 34 |
| 8 | Haywood | 3 | 24 | 27 |
| 9 | Fayette | 3 | 21 | 24 |
| 10 | Hickman | 0 | 19 | 23 |
| 11 | Humphreys | 3 | 18 | 20 |
| 12 | Smith | 3 | 17 | 22 |
| 13 | Dickson | 0 | 17 | 21 |
| 14 | Henderson | 1 | 17 | 19 |
| 15 | Jefferson | 2 | 17 | 18 |
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-40 in Tennessee
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am, with 27 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 10 pm to 11 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 | 5.0 percent, 27 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 18 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.6 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 14 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.4 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 22 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.2 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 18 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 18 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 18 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 5.0 percent, 27 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 21 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.8%
- Feb7.0%
- Mar6.8%
- Apr7.8%
- May9.3%
- Jun8.9%
- Jul9.4%
- Aug11.6%
- Sep6.8%
- Oct7.8%
- Nov8.4%
- Dec9.4%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on I-40 in Tennessee first hit
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 252 | 45% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 154 | 28% |
| Pedestrian | 73 | 13% |
| Rollover | 47 | 8.4% |
| Parked vehicle | 18 | 3.2% |
| Other | 16 | 2.9% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 0.2% |
| 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-40 in Tennessee compare with the state
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Tennessee. A share is only given over 20 crashes.
| I-40 | Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 44% | 43% | above the Tennessee share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.2% | 19% | below the Tennessee share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 32% | 26% | above the Tennessee share |
| A drinking driver | 21% | 25% | below the Tennessee share |
| Speeding | 9.6% | 17% | below the Tennessee share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 43% | 49% | below the Tennessee share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.7% | 6.6% | about the same as the Tennessee share |
| A motorcycle involved | 7.8% | 15% | below the Tennessee share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 14% | 13% | about the same as the Tennessee share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Other roads in Tennessee with a page
- I-24
- I-240
- I-26
- I-65
- I-75
- I-81
- I-840
- State Highway 111
- State Highway 14
- State Highway 175
- State Highway 33
- State Highway 62
All fatal crashes in Tennessee, with every road ranked.
Where the I-40 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-40 in Tennessee (filed under 8 spellings, such as "I-40", "I-40 DR MLK JR EXPY", "I-40 ISAAC HAYES MEMORIAL HWY", "I-40 SR-66"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. The full method.