Counties in California by traffic fatality rate

Alpine County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 58 counties in 2018, at 172.9 per 100,000 people. Inyo County had the lowest, at 0 per 100,000 people. The median was 16 per 100,000 people and the figure for California was 9.6 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest172.9Alpine County
Median1658 counties
California9.6History

Map of counties, 2018

Alameda County: 4.9 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County: 172.9 per 100,000 peopleAmador County: 30.2 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County: 31.2 per 100,000 peopleColusa County: 55.5 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County: 36.2 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleFresno County: 12 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County: 31.7 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleImperial County: 20.5 per 100,000 peopleInyo County: 0 per 100,000 peopleKern County: 17.2 per 100,000 peopleKings County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleLassen County: 36.6 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleMadera County: 23.2 per 100,000 peopleMarin County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County: 23.1 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County: 41.4 per 100,000 peopleMerced County: 20 per 100,000 peopleModoc County: 22.9 per 100,000 peopleMono County: 75.1 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleNapa County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleNevada County: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 6.5 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County: 7.3 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County: 30.8 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County: 8 per 100,000 peopleShasta County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleSierra County: 31.2 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County: 40.7 per 100,000 peopleSolano County: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County: 15.5 per 100,000 peopleSutter County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleTehama County: 33.9 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County: 50.7 per 100,000 peopleTulare County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleVentura County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleYolo County: 14.3 per 100,000 peopleYuba County: 27.9 per 100,000 people
  • Under 7
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  • 31 and over
per 100,000 people, 2018. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2018

Alpine County: 172.9 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County172.9Mono County: 75.1 per 100,000 peopleMono County75.1Colusa County: 55.5 per 100,000 peopleColusa County55.5Trinity County: 50.7 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County50.7Mendocino County: 41.4 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County41.4Siskiyou County: 40.7 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County40.7Lassen County: 36.6 per 100,000 peopleLassen County36.6Del Norte County: 36.2 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County36.2Tehama County: 33.9 per 100,000 peopleTehama County33.9Glenn County: 31.7 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County31.7Calaveras County: 31.2 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County31.2Sierra County: 31.2 per 100,000 peopleSierra County31.2Plumas County: 30.8 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County30.8Amador County: 30.2 per 100,000 peopleAmador County30.2Yuba County: 27.9 per 100,000 peopleYuba County27.9Sutter County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleSutter County24.3Madera County: 23.2 per 100,000 peopleMadera County23.2Mariposa County: 23.1 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County23.1Modoc County: 22.9 per 100,000 peopleModoc County22.9Imperial County: 20.5 per 100,000 peopleImperial County20.5Merced County: 20 per 100,000 peopleMerced County20San Benito County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County19.4Nevada County: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleNevada County17.7Shasta County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleShasta County17.6Humboldt County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County17.5Kern County: 17.2 per 100,000 peopleKern County17.2El Dorado County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County16.9Lake County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleLake County16.3Tuolumne County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County16.3Butte County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleButte County15.8Stanislaus County: 15.5 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County15.5Tulare County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleTulare County15.4San Bernardino County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County14.9San Joaquin County: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County14.6San Luis Obispo County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County14.5Yolo County: 14.3 per 100,000 peopleYolo County14.3Kings County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleKings County13.9Riverside County: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County13.1Solano County: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleSolano County13.1Fresno County: 12 per 100,000 peopleFresno County12Napa County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleNapa County10.7Monterey County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County10.7Sacramento County: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County9.1San Diego County: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County8.1Sonoma County: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County8.1Santa Cruz County: 8 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County8Santa Barbara County: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County7.8Placer County: 7.3 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County7.3Los Angeles County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County7.3Contra Costa County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County6.8Orange County: 6.5 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.5Ventura County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.2Marin County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleMarin County6.1Santa Clara County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County5.9Alameda County: 4.9 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County4.9San Mateo County: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County3.9San Francisco County: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County3.1Inyo County: 0 per 100,000 peopleInyo County0Alpine County: 172.9 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County172.9Mono County: 75.1 per 100,000 peopleMono County75.1Colusa County: 55.5 per 100,000 peopleColusa County55.5Trinity County: 50.7 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County50.7Mendocino County: 41.4 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County41.4Siskiyou County: 40.7 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County40.7Lassen County: 36.6 per 100,000 peopleLassen County36.6Del Norte County: 36.2 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County36.2Tehama County: 33.9 per 100,000 peopleTehama County33.9Glenn County: 31.7 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County31.7Calaveras County: 31.2 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County31.2Sierra County: 31.2 per 100,000 peopleSierra County31.2Plumas County: 30.8 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County30.8Amador County: 30.2 per 100,000 peopleAmador County30.2Yuba County: 27.9 per 100,000 peopleYuba County27.9Sutter County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleSutter County24.3Madera County: 23.2 per 100,000 peopleMadera County23.2Mariposa County: 23.1 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County23.1Modoc County: 22.9 per 100,000 peopleModoc County22.9Imperial County: 20.5 per 100,000 peopleImperial County20.5Merced County: 20 per 100,000 peopleMerced County20San Benito County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County19.4Nevada County: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleNevada County17.7Shasta County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleShasta County17.6Humboldt County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County17.5Kern County: 17.2 per 100,000 peopleKern County17.2El Dorado County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County16.9Lake County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleLake County16.3Tuolumne County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County16.3Butte County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleButte County15.8Stanislaus County: 15.5 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County15.5Tulare County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleTulare County15.4San Bernardino County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County14.9San Joaquin County: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County14.6San Luis Obispo County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County14.5Yolo County: 14.3 per 100,000 peopleYolo County14.3Kings County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleKings County13.9Riverside County: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County13.1Solano County: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleSolano County13.1Fresno County: 12 per 100,000 peopleFresno County12Napa County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleNapa County10.7Monterey County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County10.7Sacramento County: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County9.1San Diego County: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County8.1Sonoma County: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County8.1Santa Cruz County: 8 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County8Santa Barbara County: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County7.8Placer County: 7.3 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County7.3Los Angeles County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County7.3Contra Costa County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County6.8Orange County: 6.5 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.5Ventura County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.2Marin County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleMarin County6.1Santa Clara County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County5.9Alameda County: 4.9 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County4.9San Mateo County: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County3.9San Francisco County: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County3.1Inyo County: 0 per 100,000 peopleInyo County0
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018
per 100,000 people
Change on 2017
1Alpine County172.9-165.3 pts
2Mono County75.1+37.7 pts
3Colusa County55.5+9.5 pts
4Trinity County50.7+18.5 pts
5Mendocino County41.4+8.6 pts
6Siskiyou County40.7+9 pts
7Lassen County36.6+12.2 pts
8Del Norte County36.2+14.2 pts
9Tehama County33.9+13.8 pts
10Glenn County31.7-0.1 pts
11Calaveras County31.2-13.3 pts
12Sierra County31.2-61.8 pts
13Plumas County30.8-0.4 pts
14Amador County30.2-0.7 pts
15Yuba County27.9+12.5 pts
16Sutter County24.3+0.9 pts
17Madera County23.2+6.3 pts
18Mariposa County23.1-17.1 pts
19Modoc County22.9+22.9 pts
20Imperial County20.5+6.7 pts
21Merced County20-5.7 pts
22San Benito County19.4+4.6 pts
23Nevada County17.7+1.9 pts
24Shasta County17.6+1 pts
25Humboldt County17.5-10.9 pts
26Kern County17.2-3.5 pts
27El Dorado County16.9+3 pts
28Lake County16.3-9.1 pts
29Tuolumne County16.3-9.3 pts
30Butte County15.8-1.9 pts
31Stanislaus County15.5+1.5 pts
32Tulare County15.4-2.9 pts
33San Bernardino County14.9-1.2 pts
34San Joaquin County14.6-1.5 pts
35San Luis Obispo County14.5+2.4 pts
36Yolo County14.3+5 pts
37Kings County13.9-3.5 pts
38Riverside County13.1+0.2 pts
39Solano County13.1+5.7 pts
40Fresno County12-4.1 pts
41Napa County10.7+0.1 pts
42Monterey County10.7-2.3 pts
43Sacramento County9.1-2 pts
44San Diego County8.1+0.8 pts
45Sonoma County8.1-0.1 pts
46Santa Cruz County8+1.1 pts
47Santa Barbara County7.8-1.6 pts
48Placer County7.3-0.4 pts
49Los Angeles County7.3-0.2 pts
50Contra Costa County6.8+1.1 pts
51Orange County6.5-0.1 pts
52Ventura County6.2+0.1 pts
53Marin County6.1+1.5 pts
54Santa Clara County5.9-0.1 pts
55Alameda County4.9-1.2 pts
56San Mateo County3.9-0.4 pts
57San Francisco County3.1+0.2 pts
58Inyo County0-59.4 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, 2018) [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, 2018. 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, 2018. 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, 2018 [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_2018,
  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, 2018}},
  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=2018. 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, 2018
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=2018
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=2018.
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 172.9 per 100,000 people in 2018, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

Inyo County, with 0 per 100,000 people in 2018.

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