Fatal Crashes Only
This report covers fatal crashes only, from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System — the federal census of every crash on a US public road that killed someone within 30 days. It does not include injury or property-damage-only crashes, and its totals are not comparable with the all-severity crash reports published elsewhere on this site.
If someone you love is part of this data, call us.
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YEAR-OVER-YEAR CRASH REPORT · ARKANSAS · SEPTEMBER 2023
Purpose: Machine-readable JSON endpoint for AI agents, LLMs, researchers, and programmatic consumers. Returns all underlying crash data and AI-generated commentary without HTML.
Authentication: None required. Public endpoint.
GET: https://thatcarhitme.com/api/crash-data/reports/data/arkansas/fatal/statewide/september-2023-report
Monthly Traffic Safety Analysis
52 CRASHES IN
ARKANSAS
SEPTEMBER 2023
In September 2023, there were 52 fatal crashes, an increase of 6.1% compared to the 49 fatal crashes recorded in September 2022. Total fatalities also saw a slight increase, rising from 53 to 55. The most notable year-over-year shift was a 45.5% decrease in pedestrian fatalities, from 11 in the prior period to 6 in the current period.
52
▲ 6.1%was 49
Total Crash Events
55
▲ 3.8%was 53
Persons Killed
32
▼ -5.9%was 34
Persons Injured
2
▼ -60.0%was 5
Hit-and-Run Crashes
Note: "Persons Killed" (55) counts individual fatalities across all crash events. "Fatal" in the severity table below (52) counts crash events where at least one fatality occurred. A single crash can result in multiple fatalities.
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Aggregate counts from crash, person, and vehicle records
Trend Summary
Fatal crashes in September 2023 increased by 6.1% compared to September 2022, with 52 fatal crashes versus 49. This upward trend also extended to total fatalities, which rose by 3.8% from 53 to 55 year-over-year.
2
Hit-and-Run Crashes — September 2023
▼ -60.0% vs prior (5)
The number of fatal hit-and-run crashes decreased by 60% year-over-year, from 5 in September 2022 to 2 in September 2023. The hit-and-run rate also decreased from 10.2% of fatal crashes in the prior period to 3.8% in the current period.
Vulnerable Road User Casualties
6
Pedestrians Killed
1
Cyclists Killed
48
Motorists Killed
0
Pedestrians Injured
0
Cyclists Injured
32
Motorists Injured
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Mode classified from person records (driver/passenger → motorist; pedestrian; bicyclist → cyclist; in-line skater / unspecified → other)
When Crashes Happen
The peak day for fatal crashes shifted from Friday with 13 fatal crashes in September 2022 to Saturday with 10 fatal crashes in September 2023. Similarly, the peak hour for fatal crashes moved from 5 PM with 7 fatal crashes in the prior period to 10 PM with 5 fatal crashes in the current period.
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Crash date field aggregated by weekday
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Crash time field aggregated by hour (0-23)
Road & Environmental Conditions
Clear weather remained the most common condition for fatal crashes, accounting for 43 fatal crashes in September 2023 compared to 42 in September 2022. Fatal crashes occurring in daylight increased from 23 in September 2022 to 28 in September 2023, while those in dark, unlighted conditions decreased slightly from 18 to 17.
Weather
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Weather condition at time of crash
Lighting
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Lighting condition field
Vehicles & Demographics
The total number of vehicles involved in fatal crashes increased from 68 in September 2022 to 90 in September 2023. Honda vehicles involved in fatal crashes more than doubled from 5 to 11, and Toyota vehicles also increased from 5 to 10. Chevrolet saw a slight decrease from 11 to 10 vehicles, and Ford decreased from 10 to 8.
Top Vehicle Makes (90 vehicles)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Vehicle unit records
2 persons with unknown or unrecorded age excluded from age chart.
Sex Distribution (132 persons with recorded sex)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Person-level records linked to crash events
Speed Limit Zones
Fatal crashes occurring in 55 mph speed zones increased from 18 in September 2022 to 22 in September 2023. There was also an increase in fatal crashes in 45 mph zones, rising from 8 to 11. Conversely, fatal crashes in 35 mph zones saw a slight decrease, from 8 to 7.
Fatal crashes by zone: 25 mph: 1 of 1 (100%) · 35 mph: 7 of 7 (100%) · 40 mph: 3 of 3 (100%) · 45 mph: 11 of 11 (100%) · 50 mph: 1 of 1 (100%) · 55 mph: 22 of 22 (100%) · 60 mph: 1 of 1 (100%) · 65 mph: 2 of 2 (100%) · 70 mph: 1 of 1 (100%) · 75 mph: 3 of 3 (100%)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Posted speed limit at crash location
Manner of Collision
The dominant manner of collision remained 'The First Harmful Event was Not a Collision with a Motor Vehicle in Transport', accounting for 29 fatal crashes in September 2023, down from 33 in September 2022. Fatal crashes involving an 'Angle' collision increased from 9 to 13 year-over-year.
Manner of Collision
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Crash-level records
Vehicle Type
The most common vehicle body types involved in fatal crashes in September 2023 were 4-door sedans (18), light pickups (16), and truck-tractors (15). The number of two-wheel motorcycles in fatal crashes increased from 8 to 11, while truck-tractors saw a significant increase from 4 to 15.
Vehicle Type
Showing top 9 of 20 reported. 11 additional (12 total) not shown: Minivan (Chrysler Town and Country, Caravan, Grand Caravan, Voyager, Voyager, Honda-Odyssey, ...), Unknown medium/heavy truck type, 5-door/4-door hatchback, ATV/ATC [All-Terrain Cycle], Large Van-Includes van-based buses (B150-B350, Sportsman, Royal Maxiwagon, Ram, Tradesman,...), Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle, Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (GVWR greater than 26,000 lbs.), Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (GVWR range 19,501 to 26,000 lbs.), Station Wagon (excluding van and truck based), Unenclosed Three Wheel Motorcycle / Unenclosed Autocycle (1 Rear Wheel), Unknown body type.
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Vehicle unit records
Rural vs Urban
In September 2023, 36 fatal crashes occurred on rural trafficways, comprising 69.2% of all fatal crashes, an increase from 28 rural fatal crashes (57.1%) in September 2022. This indicates a shift towards a higher proportion of fatal crashes occurring in rural areas, which often carry a disproportionate share of fatalities.
Rural vs Urban
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Crash-level records
Roadway Functional Class
In September 2023, 'Other Principal Arterial' and 'Minor Arterial' roadways accounted for the highest number of fatal crashes, with 16 and 15 respectively. Fatal crashes on 'Minor Arterial' roadways increased from 11 in September 2022 to 15 in September 2023, while 'Other Principal Arterial' fatal crashes remained stable at 16.
Roadway Functional Class
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Crash-level records
Roadway Ownership
State Highway Agencies were associated with the majority of fatal crashes, increasing from 34 in September 2022 to 44 in September 2023. Fatal crashes on roadways owned by County Highway Agencies decreased from 7 to 5 during the same period.
Roadway Ownership
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Crash-level records
Person Type
Drivers were the most frequently involved person type in fatal crashes, increasing from 68 in September 2022 to 89 in September 2023. Pedestrian involvement in fatal crashes decreased from 12 to 6, while bicyclist involvement increased from 0 to 1.
Person Type
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Crash-level records
Person Injury Severity
The number of persons fatally injured (K) increased slightly from 53 in September 2022 to 55 in September 2023. The count of persons with serious injuries (A) remained constant at 11, while those with minor injuries (B) decreased from 15 to 13.
Person Injury Severity
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Crash-level records
Occupant Safety Equipment
The number of persons reported as using 'Shoulder and Lap Belt Used' increased from 49 in September 2022 to 71 in September 2023. However, the number of persons with 'None Used/Not Applicable' safety equipment also increased from 34 to 42.
Occupant Safety Equipment
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Person-level records linked to crash events
Point of Impact
The '12 Clock Point' (front impact) remained the dominant point of impact, increasing from 43 fatal crashes in September 2022 to 53 in September 2023. Impacts at the '9 Clock Point' also increased from 3 to 6, and at the '1 Clock Point' from 3 to 6.
Point of Impact
"Other" combines 7 smaller categories (10 records): 2 Clock Point (2), 3 Clock Point (2), Left-Back Side (2), 4 Clock Point (1), Reported as Unknown (1), Right-Front Side (1), Undercarriage (1).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Vehicle unit records
Vehicles Per Crash
Single-vehicle fatal crashes decreased from 30 in September 2022 to 24 in September 2023. Conversely, two-vehicle fatal crashes increased from 18 to 20, and multi-vehicle fatal crashes (three or more vehicles) saw a notable rise from 1 to 8.
Vehicles Per Crash
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30 · Crash-level records
Data Sources & Methodology
Primary Data Source
All crash data in this report is sourced from NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes), accessed programmatically via the NHTSA FARS Open Data API (SODA). This dataset contains official police-reported motor vehicle traffic crash records maintained by the reporting jurisdiction's law enforcement agency. Records are published to the open data portal by the municipality and are subject to the portal's terms of use.
Data Retrieval
- Access method: NHTSA FARS Open Data API (SoQL queries)
- Data format: Structured JSON via REST API
- Record types queried: Crash events, person records, and vehicle unit records
- Date filter applied: 2023-09-01 through 2023-09-30
- Report generated: August 5, 2026
Data Coverage
- Reporting period: 2023-09-01 through 2023-09-30 (30 days)
- Geographic scope: Arkansas
- Total crash records analyzed: 52
- Total persons involved: 133
- Total vehicles involved: 90
Analytical Methodology
- Severity classification: Uses the KABCO injury scale (K=Fatal, A=Incapacitating injury, B=Non-incapacitating injury, C=Possible injury, O=No injury/property damage only), the standard classification in U.S. Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC). Severity is assigned per crash event based on the most severe injury in that crash. A single fatal crash (K) may involve multiple fatalities; therefore the "Persons Killed" count in the headline KPIs may differ from the "Fatal" crash count in the severity breakdown.
- Contributing factors: Reflect the officer-determined primary contributory cause recorded at the time of the crash report. These are preliminary determinations and may not reflect final investigation findings.
- Hit-and-run classification: Based on the hit-and-run indicator field in the official crash report, as determined by the responding officer at the scene.
- Temporal analysis: Day-of-week and hour-of-day distributions are computed from the crash date/time timestamp in each record.
- Demographics: Age and sex distributions are drawn from person-level records linked to each crash event. A single crash may involve multiple persons.
- Vehicle data: Make information is drawn from vehicle unit records linked to each crash event.
- AI commentary: Narrative sections are generated by Google Gemini (large language model) based on the structured data. Commentary is descriptive, not predictive, and should not be interpreted as expert opinion.
Limitations & Disclaimers
- Only crashes reported to and documented by law enforcement are included. Minor incidents, unreported crashes, and near-misses are not captured in this dataset.
- Data reflects conditions at the time of the initial police report and may be subject to subsequent corrections, reclassifications, or supplements by the reporting agency.
- Open data portal records may experience a publication lag - recently occurring crashes may not yet appear in the dataset at the time of report generation.
- AI-generated commentary is produced by a large language model and is intended to highlight patterns in the data. It does not constitute legal, medical, or professional analysis.
- Percentages are calculated from reported data and are subject to rounding.
Non-Affiliation Disclosure
This report is produced independently by ThatCarHitMe.com (Injuria.ai). It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in partnership with any law enforcement agency, municipal government, state department of transportation, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Data is sourced from publicly available government open data portals.
Data License
The underlying crash data is provided under the municipality's Open Data Terms of Use and is made available to the public for unrestricted use. This analysis and report is © 2026 Injuria.ai and may be cited with attribution using the suggested citation below.
Corrections & Feedback
If you believe any data in this report is inaccurate or have questions about our methodology, please contact: data@injuria.ai. We are committed to accuracy and will issue corrections promptly.
Suggested Citation
ThatCarHitMe.com (Injuria.ai). "Arkansas Crash Intelligence Report: September 2023." Published August 5, 2026. Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2023-09-30. Data source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes), NHTSA FARS Open Data. Available at: https://thatcarhitme.com/crash-data/arkansas/fatal/statewide/september-2023-report
About the Publisher
ThatCarHitMe.com is a crash data intelligence platform developed by Injuria.ai, a legal technology company specializing in traffic safety analytics. We aggregate and analyze publicly available government crash data to produce structured intelligence reports for communities, researchers, journalists, and legal professionals. Our reports combine programmatic data retrieval from official open data portals with AI-assisted narrative analysis.
Questions about this report's data or methodology: data@injuria.ai
ThatCarHitMe.com · An Injuria.ai Company
ThatCarHitMe.com
An Injuria.ai Company
Crash Data Intelligence
Data: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · NHTSA FARS
Period: 2023-09-01 – 2023-09-30
Generated: August 5, 2026 · All rights reserved
Someone you love in this data? We’ll help you find out if you have a case.
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