Icy Roads: Statistics
| Top Ten States for Icy Road Fatalities - 2008-2009 season [1] |
| # |
State |
Fatalities |
Notes |
| 1. |
Indiana |
50 |
In addition to its significant lead as the most deadly icy road state in the US, Indiana has suffered both the worst single accident (4 fatalities) and the highest single-day icy road death toll (7 on December 26) in the country. |
| 2. |
Minnesota |
35 |
|
| 3. |
Ohio |
29 |
|
| 4,5,6 |
Illinois |
28 |
20 incidents occured in December |
| 4,5,6 |
Michigan |
28 |
|
| 4,5,6 |
Pennsylvania |
28 |
|
| 7. |
Iowa |
24 |
|
| 8. |
Texas |
19 |
|
| 9. |
Missouri |
17 |
|
| 10. |
Oklahoma |
16 |
13 incidents occured between December 9-16 |
| Download Excel file of full state-by-state data - See full accident list |
|
| Deadliest Winter Storms for Icy Roads - 2008-2009 season [1] |
| # |
Event |
Fatalities |
Notes |
| 1. |
December 23-24, 2008 Freezing Rain |
49 |
49 lives lost during the two-day storm across the Midwest, Mississippi Valley and Plains. |
| 2. |
January 26-29, 2009 Freezing Rain/Snow/Sleet |
36 |
36 lives lost in the major storm across the Midwest, southern Plains, and mid-Atlantic. |
| 3. |
December 16, 2008 Freezing Rain |
23 |
23 lives lost in one storm across the Midwest and southern Plains, mainly in Texas and Oklahoma. |
| 4. |
January 5-6, 2009 Freezing Rain |
17 |
17 lives lost in the Midwest in less than 24 hours, from Arkansas to Ohio and Michigan. |
| 5. |
January 19, 2009 Snowstorms |
11 |
11 lives lost across the eastern US and midwest, 4 in Virginia. |
| 6. |
December 26, 2008 Freezing Rain |
10 |
10 lives lost in one storm across the Midwest, 7 of those in the state of Indiana. |
|
 This winter, at least 477 people have died in icy road accidents in the USA (since October 2008). (See accident list.) [1]
- 70 percent of winter weather deaths in the USA are caused by icy road accidents. [2]
- If the current pace continues, icy road accident deaths in the USA this winter could approach 600.
- Compare that number to the average annual US deaths from tornadoes (62), lightning (70), floods (128), and hurricanes (22). [3]
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References:
1. Based on an online search of news media articles nationwide. (See accident list.)
2. Virginia Department of Emergency Management
3. National Weather Service; FSU
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