COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Dekalb County, Illinois
Road fatality data for Dekalb County (IL). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 88
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 16
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 16.0
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Dekalb County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 16 deaths in the latest year.
Dekalb County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Dekalb County ranks #1,168 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #39 of 81 rated counties in IL. Dekalb County's fatality rate of 16.0 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #1,168 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #821 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #39 of 81
- in IL by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost DEKALB-37 · Dekalb 16.0/100k · #1,168 of 2,328
Dekalb County · 16.0/100k · increasing
- BOOK 16.0/100k
- TREND #1,168 of 2,328
- CAUSE 88 book
- PHOTO Increasing
- VS-ST 82 crash
- CRASH -15.9% vs IL
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 → · Illinois state profile →
How does Dekalb County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Dekalb County is 16% 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 Illinois, Dekalb County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 19.0 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Dekalb County's rate and the state average is 3.0 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Ford County, at 30.2 per 100,000 (a difference of 14.2). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Mason County (55.9), Pike County (55.8), Cumberland County (48.7), Montgomery County (47.0), Lawrence County (40.5), Saline County (39.3), Richland County (38.7), Iroquois County (38.3), Bond County (36.5), Union County (36.0), Ogle County (31.2), Jefferson County (30.3), Ford County (30.2), Stephenson County (30.2).
Dekalb County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
16 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 50% 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 Dekalb County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Dekalb County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Illinois statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for IL
- 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 DLetter index including IL counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Dekalb County, Illinois?
Dekalb County recorded 88 total traffic fatalities across 82 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 16 fatalities. The county averages approximately 9.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Dekalb County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (82 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Dekalb County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Illinois may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Dekalb County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Dekalb 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 Dekalb County?
Dekalb County has a fatality rate of 16.0 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 Dekalb County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Dekalb County ranks #1,168 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #39 of 81 rated counties in IL, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Dekalb County compare to the rest of Illinois?
Dekalb County's per-capita rate of 16.0 per 100,000 residents is below the Illinois county average of 19.0. Visit the Illinois state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Dekalb 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.