Fatal crash profile · County
Traffic deaths in Worcester County, Massachusetts
County in Massachusetts · United States
- Deaths, 2024
- 49
- Fatal crashes
- 46
- Population
- 883.7K
In 2024, 49 people died in 46 fatal crashes in Worcester County, Massachusetts. That was 8.9% more than in 2023 (45) and the most since 2022. The death rate was 5.5 per 100,000 residents, compared with 5.1 in Massachusetts and 11.5 in the United States. Worcester County had the 2nd most traffic deaths among Massachusetts's counties. Between 2020 and 2024, 264 people died, an average of 53 a year. Pedestrians accounted for 14% of deaths, and 33% of fatal crashes were speeding-related.
Deaths
Traffic deaths
5.5
deaths per 100,000 residents in 2024
- About the same as the rate in Massachusetts: 5.1
- About half the rate in the United States: 11.5
6.1
average deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2020–2024
- About 1.1 times the average in Massachusetts: 5.4
- About half the average in the United States: 12.3
+9%
change in deaths from 2023 to 2024
45 deaths in 2023, 49 in 2024
- Massachusetts: +6%
- The United States: -4%
| Category | Deaths | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 33 | 31 |
| 2021 | 59 | 54 |
| 2022 | 78 | 70 |
| 2023 | 45 | 42 |
| 2024 | 49 | 46 |
People who died within 30 days of a crash. A fatal crash can kill more than one person.
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| Category | Deaths per 100,000 |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3.9 |
| 2021 | 6.8 |
| 2022 | 9.0 |
| 2023 | 5.2 |
| 2024 | 5.5 |
Uses Census population estimates, available from 2000.
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Road users
Who died
14%
of deaths were pedestrians
- About two-thirds of the share in Massachusetts: 21%
- About 80 percent of the share in the United States: 18%
| Category | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants and others | 30 |
| Pedestrians | 7 |
| Motorcyclists | 12 |
| Cyclists | 0 |
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| Type | Deaths | Share in Worcester County | Share in Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedestrians | 7 | 14% | 21% |
| Motorcyclists | 12 | 24% | 19% |
| Cyclists | 0 | 0% | 3% |
| Alcohol-impaired driving crashes | 19 | 39% | 28% |
| Speeding-related crashes | 17 | 35% | 29% |
Alcohol-impaired and speeding-related count everyone killed in those crashes, so a death can appear in more than one row.
Crash factors
Speeding, alcohol, night and weekend crashes
33%
of fatal crashes were speeding-related
- About 1.2 times the share in Massachusetts: 28%
- About 1.2 times the share in the United States: 28%
37%
of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver
- About 1.4 times the share in Massachusetts: 27%
- About 1.5 times the share in the United States: 25%
| Category | Worcester County | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 37.0% | 27.2% | 24.8% |
| Alcohol-involved | 32.6% | 27.5% | 28.1% |
| At night | 54.3% | 46.4% | 53.6% |
| At weekends | 45.7% | 34.4% | 32.6% |
Share of fatal crashes. Alcohol-involved means a police-reported drinking driver.
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Timing
When crashes happen
54%
of fatal crashes happened at night
- About 1.2 times the share in Massachusetts: 46%
- About the same as the share in the United States: 54%
46%
of fatal crashes happened at weekends
- About 1.3 times the share in Massachusetts: 34%
- About 1.4 times the share in the United States: 33%
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| 12am | 5 |
| 1am | 14 |
| 2am | 4 |
| 3am | 3 |
| 4am | 5 |
| 5am | 4 |
| 6am | 6 |
| 7am | 6 |
| 8am | 7 |
| 9am | 4 |
| 10am | 9 |
| 11am | 9 |
| 12pm | 7 |
| 1pm | 12 |
| 2pm | 8 |
| 3pm | 13 |
| 4pm | 16 |
| 5pm | 17 |
| 6pm | 16 |
| 7pm | 10 |
| 8pm | 16 |
| 9pm | 22 |
| 10pm | 18 |
| 11pm | 11 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Sun | 34 |
| Mon | 31 |
| Tue | 24 |
| Wed | 35 |
| Thu | 28 |
| Fri | 38 |
| Sat | 53 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Jan | 11 |
| Feb | 21 |
| Mar | 12 |
| Apr | 19 |
| May | 26 |
| Jun | 18 |
| Jul | 21 |
| Aug | 25 |
| Sep | 27 |
| Oct | 20 |
| Nov | 17 |
| Dec | 26 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Conditions
Weather and light
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Clear | 179 |
| Cloudy | 34 |
| Rain | 22 |
| Fog, Smog, Smoke | 3 |
| Severe Crosswinds | 1 |
| Sleet or Hail | 1 |
All crashes 2020–2024. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Daylight | 110 |
| Dark - Not Lighted | 64 |
| Dark - Lighted | 56 |
| Dawn | 5 |
| Dusk | 5 |
| Dark - Unknown Lighting | 2 |
All crashes 2020–2024. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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Roads and vehicles
Where and what, 2020–2024
Roads with the most fatal crashes
- I-29011
- I-9011
- SR-28
- I-1906
- I-3955
- I-4955
- MAIN ST4
- SR-12 N MAIN ST4
- US-20 WORCESTER RD3
- I-495 S3
Road names as recorded in police reports.
| Category | Vehicles |
|---|---|
| Cars | 158 |
| SUVs | 94 |
| Motorcycles | 40 |
| Pickup trucks | 33 |
| Medium and heavy trucks | 25 |
| Other vehicles | 8 |
| Vans | 6 |
| Buses | 1 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Vehicles most often involved
- Honda CR-V13
- Honda Accord13
- Toyota Corolla11
- Subaru Impreza8
- Chevrolet Silverado8
- Toyota RAV47
- Subaru Forester7
- Honda Civic7
- Toyota Camry6
- Toyota Tacoma5
Reflects how common a vehicle is as well as crash involvement; not a safety rating.
Crashes
Fatal crashes
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Fatal crashes in 2024. Crashes without reported coordinates are not shown.
Filter crashes
| Date | Location | Road | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 2024 | Paxton | SR-122 PLEASANT ST | 1 |
| Dec 18, 2024 | Lancaster | SR-2W | 1 |
| Dec 3, 2024 | Douglas | SR-16 SE MAIN ST | 1 |
| Dec 1, 2024 | Winchendon | SR-12 SPRING ST | 1 |
| Nov 24, 2024 | Bolton | I-495 | 1 |
| Nov 21, 2024 | Webster | I-395 | 1 |
| Nov 11, 2024 | Phillipston | ROYALSTON RD | 1 |
| Oct 20, 2024 | Northbridge | SR-122 PROVIDENCE RD | 1 |
| Oct 19, 2024 | Webster | LAKE ST | 1 |
| Oct 12, 2024 | Uxbridge | SR-146 QUAKER HWY | 1 |
| Oct 6, 2024 | Worcester | PARK AVE | 1 |
| Oct 4, 2024 | Worcester | I-290 | 1 |
| Sep 30, 2024 | Phillipston | SR-2A STATE RD | 1 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Lancaster | SR-117 NORTH MAIN ST | 1 |
| Sep 21, 2024 | Charlton City | SR-169 SOUTHBRIDGE RD | 1 |
| Sep 17, 2024 | Worcester | S LUDLOW ST | 1 |
| Sep 9, 2024 | Worcester | SHREWSBURY ST | 1 |
| Aug 28, 2024 | Spencer | GREENVILLE ST | 1 |
| Aug 24, 2024 | Milford | SR-85 CEDAR ST | 1 |
| Jul 23, 2024 | Uxbridge | SR-122 S MAIN ST | 1 |
| Jul 21, 2024 | Worcester | 131 HEYWOOD ST | 1 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | Royalston | ATHOL RD | 2 |
| Jul 13, 2024 | Gardner | SR-2A W BROADWAY | 1 |
| Jul 6, 2024 | East Brookfield | E MAIN ST | 2 |
| Jun 27, 2024 | Worcester | SR-9 BELMONT ST | 1 |
Explore
Nearby and related
Cities in Worcester County
| Area | Deaths, 2024 | Per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Gardner | 2 | 9.3 |
| Leominster | 1 | 2.3 |
| Worcester | 9 | 4.2 |
Nearby counties
Get updates for Worcester County, Massachusetts
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Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020–2024. A fatal crash is one in which at least one person died within 30 days. Population: US Census Bureau estimates.