Fatal car crashes in Shelby County, Tennessee
From 2020 through 2024, 1,224 people died in 1,113 crashes on roads in Shelby County, Tennessee.
That is 26.9 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, above the Tennessee rate of 17.6 and above the US rate of 12.1.
I-240 had more fatal crashes than any other road here: 57, killing 67.
Hit-and-runs made up 18% of fatal crashes here, against 8% statewide.
In 2024, 218 people were killed, 11% fewer than in 2020 (246).
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · population: Census 2024 estimate, 910,530 · checked October 2, 2026
people killed in crashes, 2020-2024 (1,113 crashes)
deaths a year per 100,000 residents (Tennessee 17.6, 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 Shelby County
I-240 leads with 57 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-240 | 57 | 67 |
| 2 | SR-175 Shelby Dr | 57 | 65 |
| 3 | US-51 SR-3 ELVIS PRESLEY BLVD | 53 | 56 |
| 4 | US-64 70 Sr-1 Summer Ave | 52 | 58 |
| 5 | US-61 SR-14 S THIRD ST | 51 | 60 |
| 6 | I-40 | 50 | 53 |
| 7 | SR-14 Jackson Ave | 47 | 49 |
| 8 | Winchester Rd | 42 | 44 |
| 9 | US-78 SR-4 LAMAR AVE | 36 | 38 |
| 10 | Chelsea Ave | 19 | 20 |
Deaths by year
Shelby County ranks 1st of 89 Tennessee counties by deaths and 21st 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 9 pm to 10 pm.
Friday had the most fatal crashes (185), and 33% fell on a Saturday or Sunday.
By month, September was the worst (106 crashes across the five years).
What was involved
Shares of fatal crashes (or of deaths) in Shelby County, next to Tennessee and the US. Red marks a share at least a quarter higher than the state's.
| Factor | Shelby County | Share | Tennessee | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding was a factor a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions | 219 | 20% | 17% | 28% |
| A driver had been drinking police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver | 258 | 23% | 25% | 26% |
| A large truck was involved a truck over 10,000 lbs | 94 | 8% | 13% | 13% |
| Hit-and-run a driver left the scene | 199 | 18% | 8% | 7% |
| Pedestrians killed share of all deaths | 317 | 26% | 14% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists killed share of all deaths | 94 | 8% | 14% | 15% |
| Bicyclists killed share of all deaths | 11 | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| Teens (15-19) killed share of all deaths | 90 | 7% | 7% | 7% |
After a crash in Shelby County
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Get the crash report
City police and sheriffs: you can contact the investigating agency, and many (for example Nashville) point to the state portal; Nashville says users of PurchaseTNCrash.gov must certify they were involved, have an interest in property involved, or are a legal or insurance representative of a party.
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Know your deadline
Tennessee gives you one year to file a personal injury lawsuit (Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1)(A)). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: Tennessee sets no notice-of-claim period in the Governmental Tort Liability Act; an action against a governmental entity must be commenced within twelve months after the cause of action arises.
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Who pays
Tennessee 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 are 50% or more at fault you recover nothing; below 50%, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault (the 49% rule).
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The other driver’s minimum coverage
The legal minimum liability coverage in Tennessee 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 Tennessee. Both take under a minute.
Cities in Shelby County
| City | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 1,120 | 36.7 | 301 | 610,919 |
Nearby counties
| County | Distance | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeSoto County, Mississippi | 22 mi | 106 | 10.8 | 17 | 195,871 |
| Crittenden County, Arkansas | 23 mi | 78 | 33.5 | 13 | 46,633 |
| Tipton County, Tennessee | 23 mi | 37 | 11.9 | 3 | 62,187 |
| Fayette County, Tennessee | 27 mi | 48 | 21.6 | 4 | 44,476 |
| Marshall County, Mississippi | 36 mi | 89 | 51.8 | 5 | 34,374 |
| Tate County, Mississippi | 37 mi | 46 | 32.2 | 4 | 28,551 |
| Mississippi County, Arkansas | 41 mi | 49 | 25.7 | 6 | 38,095 |
| Lauderdale County, Tennessee | 43 mi | 27 | 21.9 | 1 | 24,630 |
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.