Pennsylvania’s Deadliest Roads and Fatal Accident Statistics

MoneyGeek examined 3,176 fatal crashes in Pennsylvania from 2017 to 2019 to identify where these crashes occur in the state, analyzing 2,160 roads across the state's 251,708 miles of roadway. The data covers the deadliest stretches statewide and by county.

MoneyGeek also analyzed the factors behind these crashes, including driver behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving and drunk driving, and environmental conditions such as time of year and weather.

• US-1 Roosevelt Blvd. from W. Wyoming Ave. to Hartel Ave. in Philadelphia recorded 22 fatal crashes from 2017 to 2019, more than any other road in the state.
• Speeding contributed to 39.6% of crashes, the highest share of any factor tracked. Drunk driving ranked second (25.3%), followed by distracted driving (6.1%).
• October had 319 deadly crashes from 2017 to 2019, the most of any month; July (312) and June (300) ranked second and third. Pennsylvania ranked fifth nationally for winter driving fatalities, yet summer and fall were the state's deadliest driving seasons.
• Philadelphia led all counties in fatal crashes; most occurred on US-1 Roosevelt Boulevard.

Of the 3,176 crashes in Pennsylvania that resulted in a death, 25.3% involved drunk driving, or 803 fatal crashes.

Pennsylvania considers a driver legally drunk at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%. Mental faculties can become impaired at a BAC as low as 0.02%. At that level, drivers struggle to track moving targets and perform two tasks at once, both skills necessary for safe driving.

A DUI in Pennsylvania carries lasting consequences: higher car insurance rates, restricted driving privileges and possible jail time.

Speeding contributed to 39.6% of Pennsylvania's 3,176 fatal crashes: 1,259 between 2017 and 2019, the most of any factor MoneyGeek tracked.

Exceeding the speed limit raises crash risk. Drivers are more likely to lose control of their vehicles, and safety equipment performs less effectively at higher speeds.

Pennsylvania recorded 195 deadly crashes involving distracted driving from 2017 to 2019, accounting for 6.1% of all fatal crashes in the state. MoneyGeek's distracted driving study ranks Pennsylvania 30th nationally.

The time of year also contributes to fatal crash rates in Pennsylvania. October had the most deadly crashes in the state from 2017 to 2019, with 319, or 10% of the statewide total. July and June followed, accounting for 9.8% (312) and 9.4% (300) of fatal crashes.

Pennsylvania law requires drivers to carry minimum car insurance coverage. Full coverage policies average $1,818 a year statewide, with costs varying by location, according to MoneyGeek's car insurance data. 

Drivers in Philadelphia, the state's most populous city, pay an average of $2,134 a year. In Pittsburgh, the average drops to $973.

Insurers set premiums based on multiple factors beyond location, including driver age, driving history and credit score. Rates also differ across providers.

The five counties with the most fatal crashes accounted for 863 of Pennsylvania's total between 2017 and 2019, or 27% of all fatal crashes statewide.

MoneyGeek analyzed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database, using fatality figures from 2017, 2018 and 2019.