COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Karnes County: higher-rate fatality band
Karnes County (TX) is in the higher per-capita third: 66.6/100k (#23 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 44
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 10
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 66.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Well above average
- Increasing
- Trend
Higher per-capita fatality band
Karnes County ranks #23 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (66.6/100k) - top-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Karnes County in the higher-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Karnes County sits in the higher-rate third at 66.6 per 100k (#23 of 2,328), #7 of 160 in TX.
- #23 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #1,547 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #7 of 160
- in TX by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost KARNES-255 · Karnes 66.6/100k · #23 of 2,328
Karnes County · 66.6/100k · increasing
- RANK 66.6/100k
- BOOK #23 of 2,328
- TREND 44 book
- CAUSE Increasing
- PHOTO 39 crash
- VS-ST +144.2% vs TX
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 → · Texas state profile →
How does Karnes County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Karnes County is 2.4× 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 15 rated counties in Texas, Karnes County ranks 6 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 27.3 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Karnes County's rate and the state average is 39.3 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Dawson County, at 66.6 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.0). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Leon County (96.7), Wilbarger County (79.9), Ward County (73.0), Eastland County (72.1), Milam County (69.4), Dawson County (66.6), Comanche County (64.1), Falls County (63.6), Freestone County (63.6), Panola County (61.3), Blanco County (61.3), Live Oak County (60.4), Nolan County (55.9), Pecos County (54.7).
Karnes County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
67 Higher than most a lower per-capita rate than 1% 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 Karnes County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Karnes County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Texas statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for TX
- 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 KLetter index including TX counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Karnes County, Texas?
Karnes County recorded 44 total traffic fatalities across 39 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 10 fatalities. The county averages approximately 4.9 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Karnes County?
Cause-code breakdowns are not individually published for Karnes County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Texas may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Karnes County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Karnes 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 Karnes County?
Karnes County has a fatality rate of 66.6 per 100,000 residents, which puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Karnes County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Karnes County ranks #23 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #7 of 160 rated counties in TX, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Karnes County compare to the rest of Texas?
Karnes County's per-capita rate of 66.6 per 100,000 residents is above the Texas county average of 27.3. Visit the Texas state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Karnes 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.