COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Portsmouth (City) County, Virginia
Road fatality data for Portsmouth (City) County (VA). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 77
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 12
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 12.4
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Portsmouth (City) County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 12 deaths in the latest year.
Portsmouth (City) County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Portsmouth (City) County ranks #1,522 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #60 of 105 rated counties in VA. Portsmouth (City) County's fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #1,522 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #950 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #60 of 105
- in VA by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost PORTSMOUTH-C · Portsmouth (City) 12.4/100k · #1,522 of 2,328
Portsmouth (City) County · 12.4/100k · increasing
- TREND 12.4/100k
- CAUSE #1,522 of 2,328
- PHOTO 77 book
- VS-ST Increasing
- CRASH 73 crash
- FARS -31.3% vs VA
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 → · Virginia state profile →
How does Portsmouth (City) County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Portsmouth (City) County is 31% 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 Virginia, Portsmouth (City) County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 18.0 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Portsmouth (City) County's rate and the state average is 5.6 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Clarke County, at 32.3 per 100,000 (a difference of 19.9). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Sussex County (83.7), Madison County (63.7), Charlotte County (61.8), Halifax County (59.8), Nelson County (54.4), Dinwiddie County (52.9), Buchanan County (47.2), Campbell County (39.8), Wythe County (39.1), Brunswick County (38.1), Accomack County (36.1), Patrick County (34.3), Mecklenburg County (32.6), Clarke County (32.3).
Portsmouth (City) County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
12 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 65% 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 Portsmouth (City) County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Portsmouth (City) County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Virginia statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for VA
- 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 VA counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Portsmouth (City) County, Virginia?
Portsmouth (City) County recorded 77 total traffic fatalities across 73 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 12 fatalities. The county averages approximately 8.6 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Portsmouth (City) County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (73 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Portsmouth (City) County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Virginia may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Portsmouth (City) County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Portsmouth (City) 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 Portsmouth (City) County?
Portsmouth (City) County has a fatality rate of 12.4 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 Portsmouth (City) County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Portsmouth (City) County ranks #1,522 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #60 of 105 rated counties in VA, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Portsmouth (City) County compare to the rest of Virginia?
Portsmouth (City) County's per-capita rate of 12.4 per 100,000 residents is below the Virginia county average of 18.0. Visit the Virginia state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Portsmouth (City) 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.