Counties: Z

How do counties starting with Z compare on road safety?

This page lists 3 U.S. counties whose names begin with the letter Z, drawn from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Across the 3 counties visible here, 0 states are represented, a reminder that county-level road safety varies as much within a state as across state lines. Averaging the counties on this page yields roughly 20 traffic fatalities per county over the reporting period, but that blended figure masks extreme range: rural counties with low populations can show single-digit annual fatalities while dense urban counties often exceed a hundred. The largest figure on this page belongs to ZAVALA (507) with 51 fatalities recorded, typically a function of population, interstate highway mileage, and commute volume rather than any single policy shortcoming.

When comparing counties, pair absolute fatality counts with population-adjusted rates (fatalities per 100,000 residents) and vehicle-miles-traveled rates to separate volume effects from risk factors. Rural roads contribute disproportionately to U.S. traffic deaths: the NHTSA notes rural areas account for roughly 20% of the population but about 40% of traffic fatalities, driven by higher speed limits, longer EMS response times, and lower seat-belt usage. Each county page shows trailing-year trends, crash-type breakdowns, and the FARS data vintage so you can evaluate change over time rather than a single snapshot.

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) · Scope: counties beginning with Z · Interpretation: pair counts with population-adjusted rates; see individual county pages for trends.