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Fatal car crashes in Pierce County, Washington
From 2020 through 2024, 476 people died in 434 crashes on roads in Pierce County, Washington.
That is 10.1 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, above the Washington rate of 8.9 and below the US rate of 12.1.
SR-7 had more fatal crashes than any other road here: 54, killing 57.
In 2024, 102 people were killed, 40% more than in 2020 (73).
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · population: Census 2024 estimate, 941,170 · checked October 2, 2026
people killed in crashes, 2020-2024 (434 crashes)
deaths a year per 100,000 residents (Washington 8.9, US 12.1)
pedestrians killed, 20% 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 Pierce County
SR-7 leads with 54 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 | SR-7 | 54 | 57 |
| 2 | I-5 | 36 | 41 |
| 3 | SR-161 | 15 | 15 |
| 4 | SR-509 | 14 | 20 |
| 5 | E Portland Ave | 11 | 11 |
| 6 | SR-167 | 11 | 11 |
| 7 | Cr-Canyon Rd E | 9 | 10 |
| 8 | SR-16 Alt | 9 | 10 |
| 9 | SR-512 | 8 | 13 |
| 10 | CR-176TH ST E | 8 | 8 |
Deaths by year
Pierce County ranks 2nd of 34 Washington counties by deaths and 21st by death rate (1st = highest), among counties with 10 or more fatal crashes.
When crashes turn deadly
50% of fatal crashes here happened in the dark. The single deadliest hour was 9 pm to 10 pm.
Saturday had the most fatal crashes (87), and 34% fell on a Saturday or Sunday.
By month, August was the worst (49 crashes across the five years).
What was involved
Shares of fatal crashes (or of deaths) in Pierce County, next to Washington and the US. Red marks a share at least a quarter higher than the state's.
| Factor | Pierce County | Share | Washington | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding was a factor a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions | 138 | 32% | 32% | 28% |
| A driver had been drinking police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver | 123 | 28% | 30% | 26% |
| A large truck was involved a truck over 10,000 lbs | 39 | 9% | 11% | 13% |
| Hit-and-run a driver left the scene | 38 | 9% | 7% | 7% |
| Pedestrians killed share of all deaths | 97 | 20% | 19% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists killed share of all deaths | 83 | 17% | 16% | 15% |
| Bicyclists killed share of all deaths | 5 | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| Teens (15-19) killed share of all deaths | 37 | 8% | 7% | 7% |
After a crash in Pierce County
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Get the crash report
Local police departments send requesters to WSP: the Seattle Police page says 'Washington State Patrol is the custodian of all collision reports within the State of Washington. You can request a copy of any collision report through their website,' and for collisions outside Seattle, contact the local agency or search the WSP collision report search.
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Know your deadline
Washington gives you three years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2)). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: Before suing a city, county or other local government for damages, you must present a claim to its designated agent and wait 60 calendar days; the limitation period is tolled during those 60 days. (The three-year limitation period still applies.)
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Who pays
Washington 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
You can recover even if you were mostly at fault; your damages are reduced in proportion to your share of fault and you are never barred outright.
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The other driver’s minimum coverage
The legal minimum liability coverage in Washington is $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per crash and $10,000 for property (25/50/10).
Check your deadline and a rough claim range
A filing date and a rough value range for Washington. Both take under a minute.
Cities in Pierce County
| City | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma | 148 | 13.0 | 33 | 228,202 |
| Auburn | 52 | 12.2 | 10 | 85,513 |
| Lakewood | 30 | 9.6 | 5 | 62,709 |
Nearby counties
| County | Distance | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston County, Washington | 33 mi | 121 | 8.0 | 24 | 302,912 |
| King County, Washington | 33 mi | 718 | 6.1 | 228 | 2,340,211 |
| Lewis County, Washington | 34 mi | 53 | 12.2 | 6 | 87,049 |
| Kitsap County, Washington | 47 mi | 91 | 6.5 | 15 | 281,420 |
| Mason County, Washington | 52 mi | 80 | 23.0 | 8 | 69,632 |
| Cowlitz County, Washington | 64 mi | 73 | 12.8 | 8 | 113,982 |
| Kittitas County, Washington | 70 mi | 50 | 20.8 | 4 | 48,172 |
| Skamania County, Washington | 72 mi | 19 | 30.0 | 0 | 12,660 |
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.