COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Bay County: larger FARS fatality book
Bay County (FL) holds a larger FARS book (279, #218 of 3,137) with 24 latest-year deaths.
- 279
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 24
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 12.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Bay County ranks #218 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (279 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Bay County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Bay County carries a top-third fatality book (279 across 2016-2023, #218 of 3,137) at 12.6/100k.
- #1,491 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #218 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #55 of 65
- in FL by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost BAY-5 · Bay 12.6/100k · #1,491 of 2,328
Bay County · 12.6/100k · increasing
- CAUSE 12.6/100k
- PHOTO #1,491 of 2,328
- VS-ST 279 book
- CRASH Increasing
- FARS 257 crash
- NHTSA -47.7% vs FL
Stamps derive from this county's NHTSA FARS row (per-100k or book, corpus rank, trend, nationwide peer NAME, vs-state gap), not a trip-risk forecast. PlainRoadSafety is informational only. See our disclaimer. Verify with NHTSA FARS → · Read with methodology → · Understanding road fatality data → · Florida state profile →
How does Bay County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Bay County is 48% safer than the comparison
2023 road deaths from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System over population from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Rates shown for counties with 10,000+ residents and a 2023 FARS record.
Among the 15 rated counties in Florida, Bay County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 24.1 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Bay County's rate and the state average is 11.5 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Bradford County, at 35.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 23.3). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Glades County (86.0), Hardee County (58.2), Dixie County (57.3), Madison County (54.0), Calhoun County (52.0), Gadsden County (47.9), Franklin County (47.6), Levy County (45.1), Suwannee County (41.2), Gulf County (38.2), Hamilton County (37.1), Hendry County (36.9), De Soto County (36.1), Bradford County (35.9).
Bay County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
13 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 64% of 2,328 rated counties
rated U.S. counties, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NHTSA FARS over U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · 2026-09-03
More road safety data related to Bay County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Bay County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Florida statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for FL
- State fatality changesYear-over-year state trends
- Browse all U.S. countiesAlphabetical county index
- All state profiles51 state dashboards
- State vs U.S. safety comparisonRoute-level lookup tool
- National statistics downloadFARS CSV + findings
- How to read FARS fatality dataMethodology primer
- Per-mile vs per-capita road riskRate denominator explained
- Counties starting with BLetter index including FL counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Bay County, Florida?
Bay County recorded 279 total traffic fatalities across 257 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 24 fatalities. The county averages approximately 31.0 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Bay County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (257 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Bay County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Florida may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Bay County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Bay County is increasing. This indicates that traffic fatalities have risen over the data period, warranting attention to road safety initiatives.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Bay County?
Bay County has a fatality rate of 12.6 per 100,000 residents, which places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Bay County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Bay County ranks #1,491 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #55 of 65 rated counties in FL, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Bay County compare to the rest of Florida?
Bay County's per-capita rate of 12.6 per 100,000 residents is below the Florida county average of 24.1. Visit the Florida state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Bay County come from?
All road fatality data comes from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes on public roads in the United States. FARS data covers the period 2016-2023 and includes all crashes resulting in at least one fatality within 30 days.