COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Highlands County: larger FARS fatality book
Highlands County (FL) holds a larger FARS book (210, #299 of 3,137) with 15 latest-year deaths.
- 210
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 15
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 13.9
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Highlands County ranks #299 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (210 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Highlands County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Highlands County carries a top-third fatality book (210 across 2016-2023, #299 of 3,137) at 13.9/100k.
- #1,362 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #299 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #47 of 65
- in FL by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost HIGHLANDS-55 · Highlands 13.9/100k · #1,362 of 2,328
Highlands County · 13.9/100k · increasing
- YOY 13.9/100k
- RATE #1,362 of 2,328
- RANK 210 book
- BOOK Increasing
- TREND 182 crash
- CAUSE -42.3% 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 Highlands County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Highlands County is 42% 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, Highlands 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 Highlands County's rate and the state average is 10.2 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Bradford County, at 35.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 22.0). 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).
Highlands County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
14 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 58% 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 Highlands County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Highlands 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 HLetter index including FL counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Highlands County, Florida?
Highlands County recorded 210 total traffic fatalities across 182 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 15 fatalities. The county averages approximately 23.3 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Highlands County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (182 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Highlands County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Florida may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Highlands County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Highlands 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 Highlands County?
Highlands County has a fatality rate of 13.9 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 Highlands County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Highlands County ranks #1,362 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #47 of 65 rated counties in FL, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Highlands County compare to the rest of Florida?
Highlands County's per-capita rate of 13.9 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 Highlands 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.