Counties in California by traffic fatality rate

Alpine County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 58 counties in 2016, at 630.6 per 100,000 people. San Francisco County had the lowest, at 4.1 per 100,000 people. The median was 15 per 100,000 people and the figure for California was 9.8 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest630.6Alpine County
Median1558 counties
California9.8History

Map of counties, 2016

Alameda County: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County: 630.6 per 100,000 peopleAmador County: 37.1 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 16 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleColusa County: 23.1 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County: 29.3 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleFresno County: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County: 39.1 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleImperial County: 19 per 100,000 peopleInyo County: 37.8 per 100,000 peopleKern County: 16.8 per 100,000 peopleKings County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 22.7 per 100,000 peopleLassen County: 31 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County: 8.3 per 100,000 peopleMadera County: 25.5 per 100,000 peopleMarin County: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County: 28.6 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County: 27.6 per 100,000 peopleMerced County: 26.8 per 100,000 peopleModoc County: 11.2 per 100,000 peopleMono County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleNapa County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleNevada County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 6.4 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County: 10.5 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County: 52.1 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County: 18.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County: 4.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleShasta County: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleSierra County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County: 25.1 per 100,000 peopleSolano County: 8.4 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County: 9 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleSutter County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleTehama County: 28 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County: 52.5 per 100,000 peopleTulare County: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleVentura County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleYolo County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleYuba County: 13.2 per 100,000 people
  • Under 7
  • 7 to 11
  • 11 to 15
  • 15 to 20
  • 20 to 28
  • 28 and over
per 100,000 people, 2016. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2016

Alpine County: 630.6 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County630.6Trinity County: 52.5 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County52.5Plumas County: 52.1 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County52.1Glenn County: 39.1 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County39.1Inyo County: 37.8 per 100,000 peopleInyo County37.8Amador County: 37.1 per 100,000 peopleAmador County37.1Sierra County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleSierra County31.8Lassen County: 31 per 100,000 peopleLassen County31Del Norte County: 29.3 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County29.3Mariposa County: 28.6 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County28.6Tehama County: 28 per 100,000 peopleTehama County28Mendocino County: 27.6 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County27.6Merced County: 26.8 per 100,000 peopleMerced County26.8Madera County: 25.5 per 100,000 peopleMadera County25.5Siskiyou County: 25.1 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County25.1Colusa County: 23.1 per 100,000 peopleColusa County23.1Lake County: 22.7 per 100,000 peopleLake County22.7Tuolumne County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County20.2Calaveras County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County20.1Kings County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleKings County20.1Imperial County: 19 per 100,000 peopleImperial County19San Benito County: 18.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County18.5Tulare County: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleTulare County17.3Yolo County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleYolo County16.9Kern County: 16.8 per 100,000 peopleKern County16.8San Joaquin County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County16.1Butte County: 16 per 100,000 peopleButte County16Humboldt County: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County15.3Fresno County: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleFresno County15.3Stanislaus County: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County14.6Shasta County: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleShasta County14.4Yuba County: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleYuba County13.2San Bernardino County: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County12.8Riverside County: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County12.7Monterey County: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County12.6Nevada County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleNevada County11.9San Luis Obispo County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County11.4Modoc County: 11.2 per 100,000 peopleModoc County11.2Sacramento County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County11.1Placer County: 10.5 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County10.5El Dorado County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County10.3Sonoma County: 9 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County9Napa County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleNapa County8.5Solano County: 8.4 per 100,000 peopleSolano County8.4Los Angeles County: 8.3 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County8.3Sutter County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleSutter County8.2Santa Barbara County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County7.6Mono County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleMono County7.4San Diego County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County7.4Santa Cruz County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County7.3Contra Costa County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County7.1San Mateo County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County6.8Ventura County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.7Orange County: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.4Santa Clara County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County5.9Alameda County: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County4.8Marin County: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleMarin County4.6San Francisco County: 4.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County4.1Alpine County: 630.6 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County630.6Trinity County: 52.5 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County52.5Plumas County: 52.1 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County52.1Glenn County: 39.1 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County39.1Inyo County: 37.8 per 100,000 peopleInyo County37.8Amador County: 37.1 per 100,000 peopleAmador County37.1Sierra County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleSierra County31.8Lassen County: 31 per 100,000 peopleLassen County31Del Norte County: 29.3 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County29.3Mariposa County: 28.6 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County28.6Tehama County: 28 per 100,000 peopleTehama County28Mendocino County: 27.6 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County27.6Merced County: 26.8 per 100,000 peopleMerced County26.8Madera County: 25.5 per 100,000 peopleMadera County25.5Siskiyou County: 25.1 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County25.1Colusa County: 23.1 per 100,000 peopleColusa County23.1Lake County: 22.7 per 100,000 peopleLake County22.7Tuolumne County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County20.2Calaveras County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County20.1Kings County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleKings County20.1Imperial County: 19 per 100,000 peopleImperial County19San Benito County: 18.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County18.5Tulare County: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleTulare County17.3Yolo County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleYolo County16.9Kern County: 16.8 per 100,000 peopleKern County16.8San Joaquin County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County16.1Butte County: 16 per 100,000 peopleButte County16Humboldt County: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County15.3Fresno County: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleFresno County15.3Stanislaus County: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County14.6Shasta County: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleShasta County14.4Yuba County: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleYuba County13.2San Bernardino County: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County12.8Riverside County: 12.7 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County12.7Monterey County: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County12.6Nevada County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleNevada County11.9San Luis Obispo County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County11.4Modoc County: 11.2 per 100,000 peopleModoc County11.2Sacramento County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County11.1Placer County: 10.5 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County10.5El Dorado County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County10.3Sonoma County: 9 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County9Napa County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleNapa County8.5Solano County: 8.4 per 100,000 peopleSolano County8.4Los Angeles County: 8.3 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County8.3Sutter County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleSutter County8.2Santa Barbara County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County7.6Mono County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleMono County7.4San Diego County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County7.4Santa Cruz County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County7.3Contra Costa County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County7.1San Mateo County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County6.8Ventura County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.7Orange County: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.4Santa Clara County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County5.9Alameda County: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County4.8Marin County: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleMarin County4.6San Francisco County: 4.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County4.1
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
per 100,000 people
Change on 2015
1Alpine County630.6+542 pts
2Trinity County52.5+19.4 pts
3Plumas County52.1+25.6 pts
4Glenn County39.1+17.7 pts
5Inyo County37.8+5.6 pts
6Amador County37.1+15.7 pts
7Sierra County31.80 pts
8Lassen County31+3.3 pts
9Del Norte County29.3-26.1 pts
10Mariposa County28.6+11.6 pts
11Tehama County28-1.8 pts
12Mendocino County27.6+16.5 pts
13Merced County26.8+6.6 pts
14Madera County25.5+6.5 pts
15Siskiyou County25.1-2.4 pts
16Colusa County23.1-0.3 pts
17Lake County22.7-3 pts
18Tuolumne County20.2-11.2 pts
19Calaveras County20.1-4.6 pts
20Kings County20.1-3.2 pts
21Imperial County19+3.2 pts
22San Benito County18.5+3.1 pts
23Tulare County17.3+1 pts
24Yolo County16.9+4.5 pts
25Kern County16.8+1.1 pts
26San Joaquin County16.1+2.6 pts
27Butte County16+1.3 pts
28Humboldt County15.3-5.3 pts
29Fresno County15.3+4.8 pts
30Stanislaus County14.6+5.4 pts
31Shasta County14.4-7.8 pts
32Yuba County13.2+1.1 pts
33San Bernardino County12.8+0.5 pts
34Riverside County12.7+2.2 pts
35Monterey County12.6+1.3 pts
36Nevada County11.9-1.1 pts
37San Luis Obispo County11.4-0.8 pts
38Modoc County11.2-22 pts
39Sacramento County11.1+1.8 pts
40Placer County10.5+4.9 pts
41El Dorado County10.3-3.9 pts
42Sonoma County9-0.2 pts
43Napa County8.5-2.1 pts
44Solano County8.4-1.9 pts
45Los Angeles County8.3+1.8 pts
46Sutter County8.2-9.4 pts
47Santa Barbara County7.6-0.3 pts
48Mono County7.4-37.4 pts
49San Diego County7.4-0.1 pts
50Santa Cruz County7.3+0.3 pts
51Contra Costa County7.1+0.4 pts
52San Mateo County6.8+2.5 pts
53Ventura County6.7+0.1 pts
54Orange County6.4+0.6 pts
55Santa Clara County5.9-1 pts
56Alameda County4.8-0.7 pts
57Marin County4.6+1.5 pts
58San Francisco County4.1-0.3 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Traffic fatalities (NHTSA FARS) per 100,000 residents in the same year and place.

Deaths are counted where the crash happened and divided by the resident population, so counties with busy highways and few residents can show very high rates. Differs from the WHO road traffic death rate (road_traffic_death_rate).

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Invokely calculation from NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

Invokely calculated this figure from the publishers' data, so Invokely is the author and the publishers of the inputs are named.

APA 7

Invokely. (n.d.). NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents (Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2016) [Data set]. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k

MLA 9

NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents, Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2016. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Invokely. n.d. NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2016. Dataset. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k.

Harvard

Invokely (no date) NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents, Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2016 [Dataset]. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Available at: https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{invokely_counties_in_california_by_2016,
  author = {{Invokely}},
  title = {{NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents: Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2016}},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/california-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: Invokely calculation from NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology\#traffic\_fatality\_rate\_per\_100k. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Invokely
TI  - NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents: Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2016
PB  - Invokely
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/california-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA.
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/california-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Invokely calculation from NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in California by traffic fatality rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest traffic fatality rate?

Alpine County, with 630.6 per 100,000 people in 2016, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

San Francisco County, with 4.1 per 100,000 people in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Invokely, NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Traffic fatality rate: other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings