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Fatal car crashes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

From 2020 through 2024, 712 people died in 675 crashes on streets and highways inside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

That is 9.0 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, about the same as the Pennsylvania rate of 9.0 and below the US rate of 12.1.

SR-611 (Broad St) had more fatal crashes than any other road here: 52, killing 52.

Hit-and-runs made up 24% of fatal crashes here, against 6% statewide.

In 2024, 136 people were killed, 18% fewer than in 2020 (166).

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · population: Census 2024 estimate, 1,573,916 · checked October 2, 2026

712

people killed in crashes, 2020-2024 (675 crashes)

9.0

deaths a year per 100,000 residents (Pennsylvania 9.0, US 12.1)

259

pedestrians killed, 36% of all deaths here

14%

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 outline is Philadelphia County; the dots are crashes inside Philadelphia city limits.

one fatal crash, 2020-2024 a large truck was involved (31)

The deadliest roads in Philadelphia

SR-611 (Broad St) leads with 52 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.

#RoadFatal crashesDeaths
1 SR-611 Broad St 52 52
2 US-1 Roosevelt Blvd 36 37
3 I-95 Delaware Expy 31 36
4 US-13 Ankford Ave 26 27
5 SR-3007 Kelly Dr 12 15
6 SR-2009 Aramingo Ave 12 13
7 I-76 Schuylkill Expy 11 16
8 SR-291 Penrose Ave 11 12
9 SSR-2014 LEHIGH AVE 11 12
10 SR-2016 Allegheny Ave 10 12

Deaths by year

When crashes turn deadly

64% of fatal crashes here happened in the dark. The single deadliest hour was 8 pm to 9 pm.

Saturday had the most fatal crashes (119), and 35% fell on a Saturday or Sunday.

By month, July was the worst (72 crashes across the five years).

What was involved

Shares of fatal crashes (or of deaths) in Philadelphia, next to Pennsylvania and the US. Red marks a share at least a quarter higher than the state's.

FactorPhiladelphiaSharePennsylvaniaUS
Speeding was a factor
a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions
247 37% 39% 28%
A driver had been drinking
police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver
96 14% 25% 26%
A large truck was involved
a truck over 10,000 lbs
31 5% 14% 13%
Hit-and-run
a driver left the scene
163 24% 6% 7%
Pedestrians killed
share of all deaths
259 36% 15% 18%
Motorcyclists killed
share of all deaths
123 17% 19% 15%
Bicyclists killed
share of all deaths
29 4% 2% 3%
Teens (15-19) killed
share of all deaths
39 5% 6% 7%

After a crash in Philadelphia

Crash reports here: how to get one from the Philadelphia Police Department.

  1. Get the crash report

    Crashes investigated by municipal police are requested from that department, with the same eligibility under 75 Pa.C.S. 3751(b): for example Jefferson Hills Police charge $15 per copy (not until 15 days after the crash) and Philadelphia's Department of Records takes crash report applications online, with a 2 to 3 week processing estimate.

    How to get a Pennsylvania crash report

  2. Know your deadline

    Pennsylvania gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit (42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2)). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: Within six months of the injury or accrual of the cause of action, a person about to sue a government unit must file a written statement of the claim with that unit (and with the Attorney General for Commonwealth parties).

    Work out your date

  3. Who pays

    Pennsylvania lets drivers choose between no-fault and traditional at-fault coverage.

    Pennsylvania car accident laws

  4. If you were partly at fault

    You can recover if your negligence is not greater than the defendants' (50% or less), with your award reduced by your share; at 51% or more you recover nothing.

    The rule and its statute

  5. The other driver’s minimum coverage

    The legal minimum liability coverage in Pennsylvania is $15,000 per injured person, $30,000 per crash and $5,000 for property (15/30/5).

    Every state’s minimums

Check your deadline and a rough claim range

A filing date and a rough value range for Pennsylvania. Both take under a minute.

Check my deadline Estimate my claim

County around Philadelphia

CountyDeaths 2020-24Per 100K a yearPedestriansPopulation
Philadelphia County 713 9.1 259 1,573,916

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.

All sources and methods