COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Bristol County: larger FARS fatality book
Bristol County (MA) holds a larger FARS book (353, #153 of 3,137) with 42 latest-year deaths.
- 353
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 42
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 7.2
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Bristol County ranks #153 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (353 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Bristol County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Bristol County carries a top-third fatality book (353 across 2016-2023, #153 of 3,137) at 7.2/100k.
- #2,023 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #153 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #3 of 13
- in MA by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost BRISTOL-5 · Bristol 7.2/100k · #2,023 of 2,328
Bristol County · 7.2/100k · increasing
- CRASH 7.2/100k
- FARS #2,023 of 2,328
- NHTSA 353 book
- MILE Increasing
- POST near Clackamas
- BAND +23.2% vs MA
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 → · Massachusetts state profile →
Bristol County rate neighbourhood
Deaths per 100,000 residents vs nearest nationwide rate peers (pop ≥250k).
- Clackamas
Clackamas County
7 per 100k
- Clark
Clark County
7 per 100k
- Orange
Orange County
7 per 100k
- San Luis O…
San Luis Obispo County
7 per 100k
- Bristol
Bristol County
7 per 100k
What this shows Bristol County sits among nearest nationwide per-capita peers.
How does Bristol County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Bristol County is 24% deadlier 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 13 rated counties in Massachusetts, Bristol County ranks 3 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 5.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Bristol County's rate and the state average is 1.4 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Berkshire County, at 7.1 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.1). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Franklin County (9.9), Hampden County (9.1), Berkshire County (7.1), Plymouth County (6.7), Hampshire County (5.5), Barnstable County (5.2), Worcester County (5.2), Norfolk County (5.1), Dukes County (4.8, limited data), Essex County (4.7), Suffolk County (2.9), Middlesex County (2.6).
Bristol County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
7 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 87% 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
Counties with similar FARS profiles
Two cross-state peer sets for Bristol County. Same-state rate comparisons stay in the chart above; these neighborhoods are nearest other-state counties with population at least 250,000.
Similar per-capita fatality rate
Nearest counties by deaths per 100,000 residents (7.2 here), outside Massachusetts.
Similar fatality volume
Nearest counties by recorded FARS deaths (353 here), excluding the rate-peer set.
More road safety data related to Bristol County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Bristol County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Massachusetts statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MA
- 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 MA counties
- CLACKAMAS County, OR fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- CLARK County, WA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- ORANGE County, NY fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- SAN LUIS OBISPO County, CA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
Bristol County recorded 353 total traffic fatalities across 330 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 42 fatalities. The county averages approximately 39.2 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Bristol County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (330 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Bristol County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Massachusetts may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Bristol County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Bristol 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 Bristol County?
Bristol County has a fatality rate of 7.2 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Bristol County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Bristol County ranks #2,023 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #3 of 13 rated counties in MA, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Bristol County compare to the rest of Massachusetts?
Bristol County's per-capita rate of 7.2 per 100,000 residents is above the Massachusetts county average of 5.8. Visit the Massachusetts state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Bristol 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.