I-39 in Wisconsin: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 63 fatal crashes on I-39 in Wisconsin killed 72 people, the 10th most of 161 numbered roads in Wisconsin. In 2024 there were 6 fatal crashes and 6 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 7 counties of Wisconsin. All fatal crashes in Wisconsin.
Deaths on I-39 in Wisconsin by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | 6 |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 |
| 2022 | 10 | 13 |
| 2021 | 12 | 13 |
| 2020 | 3 | 6 |
| 2019 | 5 | 6 |
| 2018 | 5 | 5 |
| 2017 | 8 | 8 |
| 2016 | 3 | 3 |
| 2015 | 6 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-39 in Wisconsin: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Dane County had the most fatal crashes on I-39 from 2015 to 2024: 18, with 21 deaths. Dane, Rock and Columbia counties together held 68% of fatal crashes on I-39 in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 97%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dane County | 2 | 18 | 21 |
| 2 | Rock County | 1 | 15 | 15 |
| 3 | Columbia County | 1 | 10 | 15 |
| 4 | Marathon County | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| 5 | Portage County | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Waushara County | 1 | 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-39 in Wisconsin
62 fatal crashes on I-39 in Wisconsin 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 5 am to 6 am; the worst month is June.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 6.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 3.2 percent, 2 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 | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 6.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.9%
- Feb3.2%
- Mar9.5%
- Apr6.3%
- May6.3%
- Jun12.7%
- Jul9.5%
- Aug12.7%
- Sep12.7%
- Oct6.3%
- Nov7.9%
- Dec4.8%
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-39 in Wisconsin
3.5 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 182 miles of I-39 in Wisconsin, against 4.4 for all interstates in Wisconsin. That ranks 4 of 4 interstates in Wisconsin and 155 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-39 in Wisconsin first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 44%; a rollover in 21%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 21%, a pedestrian in 6.3%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 28 | 44% |
| Rollover | 13 | 21% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 13 | 21% |
| Pedestrian | 4 | 6.3% |
| Other | 3 | 4.8% |
| Parked vehicle | 2 | 3.2% |
| 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-39 in Wisconsin compare with the state
The largest difference from Wisconsin: from 2015 to 2024, 0.0% of fatal crashes on I-39 in Wisconsin were at or near an intersection, against 28% across Wisconsin. Also above the Wisconsin share: unlit roads at night. Below it: drinking drivers. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Wisconsin. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 63 crashes.
| I-39 | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 60% | 63% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 28% | below the Wisconsin share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 43% | 27% | above the Wisconsin share |
| A drinking driver | 19% | 33% | below the Wisconsin share |
| Speeding | 22% | 31% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 13% | 9.9% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 54% | 48% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Hit-and-run | 1.6% | 5.4% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| A motorcycle involved | 7.9% | 17% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 6.9% | 9.5% | about the same as the Wisconsin 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-39 in Wisconsin
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-39 in Wisconsin?
- 63 fatal crashes killed 72 people on I-39 in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 6 fatal crashes and 6 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-39 in Wisconsin do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Dane County had the most fatal crashes on I-39 from 2015 to 2024: 18, with 21 deaths. Rock County was second with 15.
- How dangerous is I-39 in Wisconsin per mile?
- 3.5 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 182 miles of road, against 4.4 for all interstates in Wisconsin. That ranks 4 of 4 interstates in Wisconsin and 155 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 Wisconsin with a page
- I-41
- I-43
- I-94
- State Highway 11
- State Highway 13
- State Highway 145
- State Highway 190
- State Highway 32
- State Highway 35
- US 10
- US 12
- US 14
All fatal crashes in Wisconsin, with every road ranked.
Where the I-39 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-39 in Wisconsin (filed under 3 spellings, such as "I-39", "I-39 US-51", "I-39-90"). 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.