US 321 in Tennessee: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 81 fatal crashes on US 321 in Tennessee killed 94 people, the 18th most of 396 numbered roads in Tennessee. In 2024 there were 10 fatal crashes and 12 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 8 counties of Tennessee. All fatal crashes in Tennessee.
Deaths on US 321 in Tennessee by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | 12 |
| 2023 | 13 | 17 |
| 2022 | 9 | 9 |
| 2021 | 8 | 9 |
| 2020 | 7 | 9 |
| 2019 | 7 | 9 |
| 2018 | 10 | 10 |
| 2017 | 4 | 4 |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 |
| 2015 | 7 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 321 in Tennessee: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Blount County had the most fatal crashes on US 321 from 2015 to 2024: 23, with 25 deaths. Blount, Sevier and Cocke counties together held 69% of fatal crashes on US 321 in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 96%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blount County | 4 | 23 | 25 |
| 2 | Sevier County | 2 | 18 | 20 |
| 3 | Cocke County | 2 | 15 | 20 |
| 4 | Greene County | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| 5 | Carter County | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | Loudon County | 1 | 7 | 7 |
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 US 321 in Tennessee
80 fatal crashes on US 321 in Tennessee 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 11 pm to midnight; 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 | 3.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Mon | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 11.2 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 6.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 7.5 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 6.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.5 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.2%
- Feb7.4%
- Mar3.7%
- Apr9.9%
- May12.3%
- Jun11.1%
- Jul13.6%
- Aug8.6%
- Sep12.3%
- Oct6.2%
- Nov4.9%
- Dec3.7%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 321 in Tennessee first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 59%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 24%, a pedestrian in 11%, a cyclist in 1.2%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 48 | 59% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 19 | 24% |
| Pedestrian | 9 | 11% |
| Other | 3 | 3.7% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.2% |
| Rollover | 1 | 1.2% |
| 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 US 321 in Tennessee compare with the state
The largest difference from Tennessee: from 2015 to 2024, 34% of occupants killed on US 321 in Tennessee were unbelted, against 49% across Tennessee. Also above the Tennessee share: rural roads and intersections. Below it: speeding. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Tennessee. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 81 crashes.
| US 321 | Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 54% | 43% | above the Tennessee share |
| At or near an intersection | 28% | 19% | above the Tennessee share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 30% | 26% | about the same as the Tennessee share |
| A drinking driver | 32% | 25% | about the same as the Tennessee share |
| Speeding | 7.4% | 17% | below the Tennessee share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 3.7% | 6.7% | about the same as the Tennessee share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 34% | 49% | below the Tennessee share |
| Hit-and-run | 2.5% | 6.6% | about the same as the Tennessee share |
| A motorcycle involved | 20% | 15% | about the same as the Tennessee share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 9.6% | 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
Questions about fatal crashes on US 321 in Tennessee
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 321 in Tennessee?
- 81 fatal crashes killed 94 people on US 321 in Tennessee from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 10 fatal crashes and 12 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 321 in Tennessee do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Blount County had the most fatal crashes on US 321 from 2015 to 2024: 23, with 25 deaths. Sevier County was second with 18.
Other roads in Tennessee with a page
- I-24
- I-240
- I-26
- I-40
- I-65
- I-75
- I-81
- I-840
- State Highway 111
- State Highway 14
- State Highway 175
- State Highway 33
All fatal crashes in Tennessee, with every road ranked.
Where the US 321 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 321 in Tennessee (filed under 26 spellings, such as "US-321 SR-32", "US-321 SR-32 COSBY HWY", "US-321 SR-35", "US-321 SR-35 NEWPORT HWY"). 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.