HomeConnecticutNew Haven County
Fatal car crashes in New Haven County, Connecticut
From 2020 through 2024, 438 people died in 406 crashes on roads in New Haven County, Connecticut.
That is 10.1 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, above the Connecticut rate of 8.6 and below the US rate of 12.1.
I-95 (Nb Service Area Rdwy) had more fatal crashes than any other road here: 29, killing 37.
Hit-and-runs made up 14% of fatal crashes here, against 9% statewide.
In 2024, 81 people were killed, 2% fewer than in 2020 (83).
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · population: Census 2024 estimate, 864,835 · checked October 2, 2026
people killed in crashes, 2020-2024 (406 crashes)
deaths a year per 100,000 residents (Connecticut 8.6, US 12.1)
pedestrians killed, 24% 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 New Haven County
I-95 (Nb Service Area Rdwy) leads with 29 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-95 Nb Service Area Rdwy | 29 | 37 |
| 2 | I-91 N-134 | 27 | 29 |
| 3 | SR-10 Dixwell Ave | 26 | 27 |
| 4 | SR-15 Berlin Tpke | 19 | 21 |
| 5 | US-1 Boston Post Rd | 17 | 17 |
| 6 | SR-34 Derby Ave | 16 | 18 |
| 7 | SR-69 Carrington Rd | 12 | 13 |
| 8 | SR-8 | 11 | 14 |
| 9 | SR-847 South Main St | 10 | 13 |
| 10 | I-84 | 10 | 12 |
Deaths by year
New Haven County ranks 1st of 8 Connecticut counties by deaths and 4th by death rate (1st = highest), among counties with 10 or more fatal crashes.
When crashes turn deadly
60% of fatal crashes here happened in the dark. The single deadliest hour was 6 pm to 7 pm.
Sunday had the most fatal crashes (84), and 39% fell on a Saturday or Sunday.
By month, November was the worst (42 crashes across the five years).
What was involved
Shares of fatal crashes (or of deaths) in New Haven County, next to Connecticut and the US. Red marks a share at least a quarter higher than the state's.
| Factor | New Haven County | Share | Connecticut | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding was a factor a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions | 142 | 35% | 37% | 28% |
| A driver had been drinking police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver | 127 | 31% | 34% | 26% |
| A large truck was involved a truck over 10,000 lbs | 38 | 9% | 10% | 13% |
| Hit-and-run a driver left the scene | 58 | 14% | 9% | 7% |
| Pedestrians killed share of all deaths | 103 | 24% | 19% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists killed share of all deaths | 77 | 18% | 21% | 15% |
| Bicyclists killed share of all deaths | 9 | 2% | 1% | 3% |
| Teens (15-19) killed share of all deaths | 25 | 6% | 6% | 7% |
After a crash in New Haven County
-
Get the crash report
Statewide copies come from Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), Connecticut State Police Reports and Records Unit; BuyCrash (LexisNexis) for simple State Police crashes, cost Accident Information Summary (preliminary, not the official report): free. Official State Police report: $16.00 non-refundable search fee under CGS 29-10b whether or not a report is produced; BuyCrash and online payments may add convenience fees. and are usually ready Most simple crashes are on BuyCrash within thirty business days of the accident; Accident Information Summaries are available online for thirty days from the date of the accident; all other reports go through the Reports and Records Unit..
-
Know your deadline
Connecticut gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: For injuries caused by a defective road or bridge, written notice must be given within 90 days of the injury (to the municipal clerk, or to the Commissioner of Transportation for state roads). Other municipal negligence claims have separate notice rules not checked here.
-
Who pays
Connecticut is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.
-
If you were partly at fault
If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, but you recover nothing if your negligence is greater than the combined negligence of the people you are suing (more than 50%).
-
The other driver’s minimum coverage
The legal minimum liability coverage in Connecticut is $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per crash and $25,000 for property (25/50/25).
Check your deadline and a rough claim range
A filing date and a rough value range for Connecticut. Both take under a minute.
Cities in New Haven County
| City | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven | 89 | 12.9 | 32 | 137,562 |
| Waterbury | 75 | 12.9 | 20 | 115,908 |
| Meriden | 29 | 9.5 | 6 | 60,849 |
| Milford | 23 | 8.6 | 5 | 53,396 |
| West Haven | 23 | 8.3 | 7 | 55,379 |
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.