COUNTY FATALITY DATA
King County: larger FARS fatality book
King County (WA) holds a larger FARS book (998, #31 of 3,137) with 167 latest-year deaths.
- 998
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 167
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 7.4
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
King County ranks #31 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (998 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
King County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, King County carries a top-third fatality book (998 across 2016-2023, #31 of 3,137) at 7.4/100k.
- #2,011 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #31 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #31 of 35
- in WA by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost KING-33 · King 7.4/100k · #2,011 of 2,328
King County · 7.4/100k · increasing
- RATE 7.4/100k
- RANK #2,011 of 2,328
- BOOK 998 book
- TREND Increasing
- CAUSE near Anne Arundel
- PHOTO -55.2% vs WA
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 → · Washington state profile →
King County rate neighbourhood
Deaths per 100,000 residents vs nearest nationwide rate peers (pop ≥250k).
- King
King County
7 per 100k
- Anne Arundel
Anne Arundel County
7 per 100k
- Cook
Cook County
7 per 100k
- York
York County
8 per 100k
- Bucks
Bucks County
8 per 100k
What this shows King County sits among nearest nationwide per-capita peers.
How does King County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
King County is 55% 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 Washington, King County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 16.5 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between King County's rate and the state average is 9.1 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Cowlitz County, at 14.2 per 100,000 (a difference of 6.8). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Lincoln County (59.6), Adams County (48.0), Kittitas County (35.2), Mason County (29.2), Jefferson County (23.7), Grant County (23.4), Pend Oreille County (20.9, limited data), Pacific County (20.7), Lewis County (19.7), Stevens County (18.4), Yakima County (18.3), Klickitat County (17.0), Skamania County (15.8, limited data), Cowlitz County (14.2).
King 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 86% 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 King 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 (7.4 here), outside Washington.
Similar fatality volume
Nearest counties by recorded FARS deaths (998 here), excluding the rate-peer set.
More road safety data related to King County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- King County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Washington statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for WA
- 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 WA counties
- ANNE ARUNDEL County, MD fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- COOK County, IL fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- YORK County, PA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- BUCKS County, PA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in King County, Washington?
King County recorded 998 total traffic fatalities across 941 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 167 fatalities. The county averages approximately 110.9 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in King County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (941 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for King County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Washington may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in King County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in King 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 King County?
King County has a fatality rate of 7.4 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 King County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, King County ranks #2,011 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #31 of 35 rated counties in WA, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does King County compare to the rest of Washington?
King County's per-capita rate of 7.4 per 100,000 residents is below the Washington county average of 16.5. Visit the Washington state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for King 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.