COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Phelps County, Missouri
Road fatality data for Phelps County (MO). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 87
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 11
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 24.3
- Per 100k Residents
- Above average
- Decreasing
- Trend
Falling fatality trend
Phelps County's FARS series is labeled Decreasing with 11 deaths in the latest year.
Phelps County on a falling FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Phelps County ranks #613 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #29 of 84 rated counties in MO. Phelps County's fatality rate of 24.3 per 100,000 residents leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure.
- #613 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #835 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #29 of 84
- in MO by rate
- Decreasing
- fatality trend
Highway fatality milepost
Milepost PHELPS-161 · Phelps 24.3/100k · #613 of 2,328
Phelps County · 24.3/100k · decreasing
- PHOTO 24.3/100k
- VS-ST #613 of 2,328
- CRASH 87 book
- FARS Decreasing
- NHTSA 79 crash
- MILE +11.5% vs MO
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 → · Missouri state profile →
How does Phelps County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Phelps County is About the same as 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 Missouri, Phelps County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 21.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Phelps County's rate and the state average is 2.5 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Lafayette County, at 30.1 per 100,000 (a difference of 5.8). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Ripley County (74.0), Pemiscot County (54.7), Morgan County (54.6), Barry County (53.9), Lawrence County (51.5), Douglas County (49.1), Ralls County (47.7), Bates County (43.1), New Madrid County (38.9), Bollinger County (37.9), Saline County (34.7), Stone County (33.7), Wright County (30.9), Lafayette County (30.1).
Phelps County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
24 Around the middle a lower per-capita rate than 26% 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 Phelps County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Phelps County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Missouri statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MO
- 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 PLetter index including MO counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Phelps County, Missouri?
Phelps County recorded 87 total traffic fatalities across 79 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 11 fatalities. The county averages approximately 9.7 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Phelps County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (79 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Phelps County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Missouri may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Phelps County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Phelps County is decreasing. This suggests road safety improvements are having a positive effect in the county.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Phelps County?
Phelps County has a fatality rate of 24.3 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Phelps County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Phelps County ranks #613 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #29 of 84 rated counties in MO, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Phelps County compare to the rest of Missouri?
Phelps County's per-capita rate of 24.3 per 100,000 residents is above the Missouri county average of 21.8. Visit the Missouri state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Phelps 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.