I-79 in West Virginia: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 92 fatal crashes on I-79 in West Virginia killed 106 people, the 3rd most of 128 numbered roads in West Virginia. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 6 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 8 counties of West Virginia. All fatal crashes in West Virginia. I-79 in every state.
Deaths on I-79 in West Virginia by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 6 |
| 2023 | 4 | 4 |
| 2022 | 12 | 15 |
| 2021 | 11 | 12 |
| 2020 | 6 | 6 |
| 2019 | 9 | 9 |
| 2018 | 12 | 15 |
| 2017 | 10 | 12 |
| 2016 | 15 | 19 |
| 2015 | 8 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-79 in West Virginia: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Braxton County had the most fatal crashes on I-79 from 2015 to 2024: 20, with 21 deaths. Braxton, Monongalia and Kanawha counties together held 58% of fatal crashes on I-79 in West Virginia from 2015 to 2024; the 7 listed held 98%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Braxton County | 1 | 20 | 21 |
| 2 | Monongalia County | 4 | 18 | 20 |
| 3 | Kanawha County | 0 | 15 | 18 |
| 4 | Lewis County | 0 | 13 | 18 |
| 5 | Marion County | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| 6 | Harrison County | 0 | 8 | 10 |
| 7 | Roane County | 0 | 6 | 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 I-79 in West Virginia
92 fatal crashes on I-79 in West Virginia 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 3 pm to 4 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 | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Mon | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Sat | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.3 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.7%
- Feb4.3%
- Mar2.2%
- Apr9.8%
- May7.6%
- Jun9.8%
- Jul12.0%
- Aug13.0%
- Sep5.4%
- Oct6.5%
- Nov9.8%
- Dec10.9%
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-79 in West Virginia
5.7 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 161 miles of I-79 in West Virginia, against 5.5 for all interstates in West Virginia. That ranks 2 of 3 interstates in West Virginia and 124 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-79 in West Virginia first hit
The first harmful event was a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 35%; a collision with another vehicle in 30%, a rollover in 22%, a pedestrian in 5.4%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 32 | 35% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 28 | 30% |
| Rollover | 20 | 22% |
| Other | 6 | 6.5% |
| Pedestrian | 5 | 5.4% |
| Parked vehicle | 1 | 1.1% |
| 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-79 in West Virginia compare with the state
The largest difference from West Virginia: from 2015 to 2024, 11% of fatal crashes on I-79 in West Virginia were with a drinking driver, against 27% across West Virginia. Below the West Virginia share: intersections and speeding. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of West Virginia. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 92 crashes.
| I-79 | West Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 71% | 64% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 12% | below the West Virginia share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 29% | 32% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| A drinking driver | 11% | 27% | below the West Virginia share |
| Speeding | 16% | 27% | below the West Virginia share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 3.3% | 4.4% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 51% | 52% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| Hit-and-run | 1.1% | 3.3% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| A motorcycle involved | 7.6% | 13% | about the same as the West Virginia share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 4.7% | 8.7% | about the same as the West Virginia 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-79 in West Virginia
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-79 in West Virginia?
- 92 fatal crashes killed 106 people on I-79 in West Virginia from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 6 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-79 in West Virginia do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Braxton County had the most fatal crashes on I-79 from 2015 to 2024: 20, with 21 deaths. Monongalia County was second with 18.
- How dangerous is I-79 in West Virginia per mile?
- 5.7 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 161 miles of road, against 5.5 for all interstates in West Virginia. That ranks 2 of 3 interstates in West Virginia and 124 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 West Virginia with a page
- I-64
- I-77
- State Highway 10
- State Highway 16
- State Highway 2
- State Highway 20
- State Highway 3
- US 119
- US 19
- US 50
- US 60
All fatal crashes in West Virginia, with every road ranked.
Where the I-79 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-79 in West Virginia. 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.