Fatal car crashes in Maricopa County, Arizona
From 2020 through 2024, 3,053 people died in 2,854 crashes on roads in Maricopa County, Arizona.
That is 13.1 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, below the Arizona rate of 16.1 and above the US rate of 12.1.
I-10 (Noncard) had more fatal crashes than any other road here: 141, killing 162.
Bicyclists were 4% of the people killed here, against 4% statewide.
In 2024, 596 people were killed, 21% more than in 2020 (492).
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · population: Census 2024 estimate, 4,673,096 · checked October 2, 2026
people killed in crashes, 2020-2024 (2,854 crashes)
deaths a year per 100,000 residents (Arizona 16.1, US 12.1)
pedestrians killed, 26% of all deaths here
of fatal crashes involved a driver police reported as drinking
Where the fatal crashes happened
Each dot is one crash that killed at least one person, placed at the coordinates in the police report.
The deadliest roads in Maricopa County
I-10 (Noncard) leads with 141 fatal crashes in five years. Roads are counted by the name in the crash report; a highway's frontage roads and ramps count toward it.
| # | Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-10 Noncard | 141 | 162 |
| 2 | US-60 W Grand Ave | 103 | 116 |
| 3 | SR-101 Noncard | 89 | 94 |
| 4 | SR-202 Noncard | 84 | 98 |
| 5 | I-17 Noncard | 75 | 87 |
| 6 | W Thomas Rd | 44 | 48 |
| 7 | SR-87 Arizona Ave | 39 | 42 |
| 8 | W Camelback Rd | 36 | 38 |
| 9 | N 51St Ave | 34 | 34 |
| 10 | W Indian School Rd | 33 | 37 |
Deaths by year
Maricopa County ranks 1st of 14 Arizona counties by deaths and 13th by death rate (1st = highest), among counties with 10 or more fatal crashes.
When crashes turn deadly
54% of fatal crashes here happened in the dark. The single deadliest hour was 7 pm to 8 pm.
Saturday had the most fatal crashes (529), and 33% fell on a Saturday or Sunday.
By month, December was the worst (268 crashes across the five years).
What was involved
Shares of fatal crashes (or of deaths) in Maricopa County, next to Arizona and the US. Red marks a share at least a quarter higher than the state's.
| Factor | Maricopa County | Share | Arizona | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding was a factor a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions | 973 | 34% | 33% | 28% |
| A driver had been drinking police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver | 594 | 21% | 20% | 26% |
| A large truck was involved a truck over 10,000 lbs | 234 | 8% | 11% | 13% |
| Hit-and-run a driver left the scene | 297 | 10% | 8% | 7% |
| Pedestrians killed share of all deaths | 801 | 26% | 21% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists killed share of all deaths | 604 | 20% | 17% | 15% |
| Bicyclists killed share of all deaths | 136 | 4% | 4% | 3% |
| Teens (15-19) killed share of all deaths | 214 | 7% | 6% | 7% |
After a crash in Maricopa County
Crash reports here: how to get one from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
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Get the crash report
Statewide copies come from Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Department Records Unit, cost $9.00 by email (up to 5 MB) or fax (20-page limit); $9.00 on paper by mail for the first nine pages plus $0.10 per additional page; $10.00 on CD and are usually ready DPS receives completed trooper reports within 14 days of the incident; wait at least 14 days before checking.
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Know your deadline
Arizona gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-542(1)). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: Written claim must be filed with the public entity within 180 days after the cause of action accrues, and must state a specific settlement amount.
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Who pays
Arizona is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.
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If you were partly at fault
If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you can still recover even if you were mostly at fault (except for intentional, willful or wanton conduct).
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The other driver’s minimum coverage
The legal minimum liability coverage in Arizona is $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per crash and $15,000 for property (25/50/15).
Check your deadline and a rough claim range
A filing date and a rough value range for Arizona. Both take under a minute.
Cities in Maricopa County
| City | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | 1,428 | 17.1 | 494 | 1,673,164 |
| Mesa | 297 | 11.5 | 72 | 517,151 |
| Glendale | 215 | 16.7 | 59 | 258,143 |
| Tempe | 127 | 13.4 | 25 | 190,114 |
| Chandler | 115 | 8.2 | 16 | 281,231 |
| Scottsdale | 110 | 8.9 | 24 | 246,170 |
| Peoria | 92 | 9.2 | 19 | 199,924 |
| Buckeye | 85 | 14.9 | 14 | 114,334 |
| Gilbert | 73 | 5.1 | 10 | 288,790 |
| Goodyear | 65 | 11.0 | 7 | 118,186 |
| Surprise | 61 | 7.3 | 14 | 167,564 |
| Avondale | 48 | 9.9 | 11 | 96,609 |
| Queen Creek | 24 | 5.7 | 2 | 83,781 |
Nearby counties
| County | Distance | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinal County, Arizona | 72 mi | 382 | 14.9 | 42 | 513,862 |
| Yavapai County, Arizona | 91 mi | 288 | 22.9 | 22 | 252,013 |
| Yuma County, Arizona | 91 mi | 135 | 12.3 | 20 | 220,310 |
| La Paz County, Arizona | 93 mi | 94 | 110.6 | 7 | 16,992 |
| Pima County, Arizona | 94 mi | 868 | 16.1 | 242 | 1,080,149 |
| Gila County, Arizona | 102 mi | 103 | 38.1 | 14 | 54,073 |
| Graham County, Arizona | 154 mi | 64 | 31.8 | 9 | 40,242 |
| Santa Cruz County, Arizona | 158 mi | 39 | 15.4 | 5 | 50,508 |
About these numbers
FARS counts every crash on a public road in which someone died within 30 days. It leaves out the far larger number of crashes that only injured people. Places are as coded in the report: a crash on a county road just outside city limits counts for the county, not the city. Rates use the Census 2024 population estimate and the five-year average.