US 45 in Wisconsin: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 64 fatal crashes on US 45 in Wisconsin killed 67 people, the 9th most of 161 numbered roads in Wisconsin. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 5 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 13 counties of Wisconsin. All fatal crashes in Wisconsin.
Deaths on US 45 in Wisconsin by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 5 |
| 2023 | 4 | 4 |
| 2022 | 10 | 10 |
| 2021 | 5 | 6 |
| 2020 | 6 | 6 |
| 2019 | 8 | 9 |
| 2018 | 6 | 6 |
| 2017 | 4 | 4 |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 |
| 2015 | 10 | 11 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 45 in Wisconsin: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Fond du Lac County had the most fatal crashes on US 45 from 2015 to 2024: 10, with 10 deaths. Fond du Lac, Washington and Waupaca counties together held 42% of fatal crashes on US 45 in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 70%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fond du Lac County | 2 | 10 | 10 |
| 2 | Washington County | 1 | 9 | 9 |
| 3 | Waupaca County | 0 | 8 | 10 |
| 4 | Langlade County | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| 5 | Kenosha County | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Winnebago 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 US 45 in Wisconsin
62 fatal crashes on US 45 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 6 pm to 7 pm; the worst month is February.
| 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 | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 6.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 8.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 9.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 8.1 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.8%
- Feb14.1%
- Mar4.7%
- Apr6.2%
- May7.8%
- Jun10.9%
- Jul7.8%
- Aug14.1%
- Sep7.8%
- Oct4.7%
- Nov6.2%
- Dec7.8%
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 45 in Wisconsin first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 55%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 28%, a pedestrian in 4.7%, a rollover in 4.7%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 35 | 55% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 18 | 28% |
| Other | 4 | 6.2% |
| Pedestrian | 3 | 4.7% |
| Rollover | 3 | 4.7% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.6% |
| 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 45 in Wisconsin compare with the state
From 2015 to 2024, every share for US 45 in Wisconsin is within chance of the Wisconsin share. 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 64 crashes.
| US 45 | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 72% | 63% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| At or near an intersection | 25% | 28% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 30% | 27% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| A drinking driver | 41% | 33% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Speeding | 28% | 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 | 50% | 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 | 19% | 17% | about the same as the Wisconsin share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 4.5% | 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 US 45 in Wisconsin
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 45 in Wisconsin?
- 64 fatal crashes killed 67 people on US 45 in Wisconsin from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 5 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 45 in Wisconsin do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Fond du Lac County had the most fatal crashes on US 45 from 2015 to 2024: 10, with 10 deaths. Washington County was second with 9.
Other roads in Wisconsin with a page
- I-39
- 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
All fatal crashes in Wisconsin, with every road ranked.
Where the US 45 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 45 in Wisconsin (filed under 7 spellings, such as "US-45", "US-45 BOUNDARY RD", "US-45 BRISTOL RD", "US-45 JOHNSON ST"). 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.