COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Imperial County: larger FARS fatality book
Imperial County (CA) holds a larger FARS book (268, #226 of 3,137) with 16 latest-year deaths.
- 268
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 16
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 8.9
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Imperial County ranks #226 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (268 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Imperial County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Imperial County carries a top-third fatality book (268 across 2016-2023, #226 of 3,137) at 8.9/100k.
- #1,878 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #226 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #40 of 54
- in CA by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS county milepost
Milepost IMPERIAL-25 · Imperial 8.9/100k · #1,878 of 2,328
Imperial County · 8.9/100k · increasing
- YOY 8.9/100k
- RATE #1,878 of 2,328
- RANK 268 book
- BOOK Increasing
- TREND 226 crash
- CAUSE -47.4% vs CA
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 → · California state profile →
How does Imperial County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Imperial County is 47% 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 California, Imperial County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 16.9 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Imperial County's rate and the state average is 8.0 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Colusa County, at 22.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 13.8). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Trinity County (51.1), Glenn County (46.2), Siskiyou County (42.0), Inyo County (37.8), Tuolumne County (35.1), Calaveras County (30.1), Lake County (28.0), Amador County (26.3), Kings County (24.9), Mendocino County (24.7), Lassen County (24.3), Sutter County (23.5), Yuba County (23.3), Colusa County (22.7).
Imperial County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
9 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 81% 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 Imperial County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Imperial County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- California statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for CA
- 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 ILetter index including CA counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Imperial County, California?
Imperial County recorded 268 total traffic fatalities across 226 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 16 fatalities. The county averages approximately 29.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Imperial County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (226 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Imperial County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for California may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Imperial County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Imperial 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 Imperial County?
Imperial County has a fatality rate of 8.9 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 Imperial County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Imperial County ranks #1,878 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #40 of 54 rated counties in CA, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Imperial County compare to the rest of California?
Imperial County's per-capita rate of 8.9 per 100,000 residents is below the California county average of 16.9. Visit the California state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Imperial 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.