Counties in California by traffic fatality rate

Alpine County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 58 counties in 2017, at 338.1 per 100,000 people. Modoc County had the lowest, at 0 per 100,000 people. The median was 16.1 per 100,000 people and the figure for California was 9.9 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest338.1Alpine County
Median16.158 counties
California9.9History

Map of counties, 2017

Alameda County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County: 338.1 per 100,000 peopleAmador County: 30.9 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County: 44.5 per 100,000 peopleColusa County: 46 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County: 22 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleFresno County: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleImperial County: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleInyo County: 59.4 per 100,000 peopleKern County: 20.7 per 100,000 peopleKings County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 25.5 per 100,000 peopleLassen County: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleMadera County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleMarin County: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County: 40.2 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County: 32.8 per 100,000 peopleMerced County: 25.7 per 100,000 peopleModoc County: 0 per 100,000 peopleMono County: 37.4 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County: 13 per 100,000 peopleNapa County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleNevada County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 6.6 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County: 7.7 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County: 31.2 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County: 12.9 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County: 2.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County: 12 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County: 6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleShasta County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleSierra County: 93 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County: 31.7 per 100,000 peopleSolano County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleSutter County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleTehama County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County: 32.2 per 100,000 peopleTulare County: 18.3 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County: 25.6 per 100,000 peopleVentura County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleYolo County: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleYuba County: 15.4 per 100,000 people
  • Under 7
  • 7 to 12
  • 12 to 16
  • 16 to 22
  • 22 to 32
  • 32 and over
per 100,000 people, 2017. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2017

Alpine County: 338.1 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County338.1Sierra County: 93 per 100,000 peopleSierra County93Inyo County: 59.4 per 100,000 peopleInyo County59.4Colusa County: 46 per 100,000 peopleColusa County46Calaveras County: 44.5 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County44.5Mariposa County: 40.2 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County40.2Mono County: 37.4 per 100,000 peopleMono County37.4Mendocino County: 32.8 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County32.8Trinity County: 32.2 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County32.2Glenn County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County31.8Siskiyou County: 31.7 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County31.7Plumas County: 31.2 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County31.2Amador County: 30.9 per 100,000 peopleAmador County30.9Humboldt County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County28.3Merced County: 25.7 per 100,000 peopleMerced County25.7Tuolumne County: 25.6 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County25.6Lake County: 25.5 per 100,000 peopleLake County25.5Lassen County: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleLassen County24.4Sutter County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleSutter County23.4Del Norte County: 22 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County22Kern County: 20.7 per 100,000 peopleKern County20.7Tehama County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleTehama County20.1Tulare County: 18.3 per 100,000 peopleTulare County18.3Butte County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleButte County17.6Kings County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleKings County17.4Madera County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleMadera County16.9Shasta County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleShasta County16.5Fresno County: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleFresno County16.2San Joaquin County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County16.1San Bernardino County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County16.1Nevada County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleNevada County15.8Yuba County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleYuba County15.4San Benito County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County14.9Stanislaus County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County13.9El Dorado County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County13.9Imperial County: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleImperial County13.8Monterey County: 13 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County13Riverside County: 12.9 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County12.9San Luis Obispo County: 12 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County12Sacramento County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County11.1Napa County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleNapa County10.6Santa Barbara County: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County9.4Yolo County: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleYolo County9.3Sonoma County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County8.2Placer County: 7.7 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County7.7Los Angeles County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County7.4Solano County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleSolano County7.4San Diego County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County7.3Santa Cruz County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County6.9Orange County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.6Ventura County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.1Alameda County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County6.1Santa Clara County: 6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6Contra Costa County: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County5.7Marin County: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleMarin County4.6San Mateo County: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County4.3San Francisco County: 2.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County2.8Modoc County: 0 per 100,000 peopleModoc County0Alpine County: 338.1 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County338.1Sierra County: 93 per 100,000 peopleSierra County93Inyo County: 59.4 per 100,000 peopleInyo County59.4Colusa County: 46 per 100,000 peopleColusa County46Calaveras County: 44.5 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County44.5Mariposa County: 40.2 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County40.2Mono County: 37.4 per 100,000 peopleMono County37.4Mendocino County: 32.8 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County32.8Trinity County: 32.2 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County32.2Glenn County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County31.8Siskiyou County: 31.7 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County31.7Plumas County: 31.2 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County31.2Amador County: 30.9 per 100,000 peopleAmador County30.9Humboldt County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County28.3Merced County: 25.7 per 100,000 peopleMerced County25.7Tuolumne County: 25.6 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County25.6Lake County: 25.5 per 100,000 peopleLake County25.5Lassen County: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleLassen County24.4Sutter County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleSutter County23.4Del Norte County: 22 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County22Kern County: 20.7 per 100,000 peopleKern County20.7Tehama County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleTehama County20.1Tulare County: 18.3 per 100,000 peopleTulare County18.3Butte County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleButte County17.6Kings County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleKings County17.4Madera County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleMadera County16.9Shasta County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleShasta County16.5Fresno County: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleFresno County16.2San Joaquin County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County16.1San Bernardino County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County16.1Nevada County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleNevada County15.8Yuba County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleYuba County15.4San Benito County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County14.9Stanislaus County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County13.9El Dorado County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County13.9Imperial County: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleImperial County13.8Monterey County: 13 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County13Riverside County: 12.9 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County12.9San Luis Obispo County: 12 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County12Sacramento County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County11.1Napa County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleNapa County10.6Santa Barbara County: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County9.4Yolo County: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleYolo County9.3Sonoma County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County8.2Placer County: 7.7 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County7.7Los Angeles County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County7.4Solano County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleSolano County7.4San Diego County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County7.3Santa Cruz County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County6.9Orange County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.6Ventura County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.1Alameda County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County6.1Santa Clara County: 6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6Contra Costa County: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County5.7Marin County: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleMarin County4.6San Mateo County: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County4.3San Francisco County: 2.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County2.8Modoc County: 0 per 100,000 peopleModoc County0
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
per 100,000 people
Change on 2016
1Alpine County338.1-292.5 pts
2Sierra County93+61.2 pts
3Inyo County59.4+21.6 pts
4Colusa County46+22.9 pts
5Calaveras County44.5+24.4 pts
6Mariposa County40.2+11.5 pts
7Mono County37.4+29.9 pts
8Mendocino County32.8+5.2 pts
9Trinity County32.2-20.3 pts
10Glenn County31.8-7.3 pts
11Siskiyou County31.7+6.6 pts
12Plumas County31.2-21 pts
13Amador County30.9-6.2 pts
14Humboldt County28.3+13 pts
15Merced County25.7-1.1 pts
16Tuolumne County25.6+5.4 pts
17Lake County25.5+2.8 pts
18Lassen County24.4-6.5 pts
19Sutter County23.4+15.2 pts
20Del Norte County22-7.3 pts
21Kern County20.7+3.9 pts
22Tehama County20.1-7.9 pts
23Tulare County18.3+0.9 pts
24Butte County17.6+1.6 pts
25Kings County17.4-2.7 pts
26Madera County16.9-8.6 pts
27Shasta County16.5+2.1 pts
28Fresno County16.2+0.9 pts
29San Joaquin County16.10 pts
30San Bernardino County16.1+3.2 pts
31Nevada County15.8+3.9 pts
32Yuba County15.4+2.3 pts
33San Benito County14.9-3.6 pts
34Stanislaus County13.9-0.7 pts
35El Dorado County13.9+3.6 pts
36Imperial County13.8-5.1 pts
37Monterey County13+0.4 pts
38Riverside County12.9+0.2 pts
39San Luis Obispo County12+0.7 pts
40Sacramento County11.1+0.1 pts
41Napa County10.6+2.2 pts
42Santa Barbara County9.4+1.8 pts
43Yolo County9.3-7.6 pts
44Sonoma County8.2-0.8 pts
45Placer County7.7-2.8 pts
46Los Angeles County7.4-0.9 pts
47Solano County7.4-1 pts
48San Diego County7.3-0.1 pts
49Santa Cruz County6.9-0.4 pts
50Orange County6.6+0.2 pts
51Ventura County6.1-0.6 pts
52Alameda County6.1+1.3 pts
53Santa Clara County6+0.1 pts
54Contra Costa County5.7-1.4 pts
55Marin County4.60 pts
56San Mateo County4.3-2.5 pts
57San Francisco County2.8-1.3 pts
58Modoc County0-11.2 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, 2017) [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, 2017. 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, 2017. 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, 2017 [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_2017,
  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, 2017}},
  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=2017. 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, 2017
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=2017
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=2017.
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 338.1 per 100,000 people in 2017, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

Modoc County, with 0 per 100,000 people in 2017.

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