COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Putnam County, Tennessee
Road fatality data for Putnam County (TN). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 120
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 16
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 19.1
- Per 100k Residents
- Near average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Putnam County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 16 deaths in the latest year.
Putnam County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Putnam County ranks #912 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #48 of 87 rated counties in TN. Putnam County's fatality rate of 19.1 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #912 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #580 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #48 of 87
- in TN by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost PUTNAM-141 · Putnam 19.1/100k · #912 of 2,328
Putnam County · 19.1/100k · increasing
- VS-ST 19.1/100k
- CRASH #912 of 2,328
- FARS 120 book
- NHTSA Increasing
- MILE 107 crash
- POST -9.6% vs TN
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 → · Tennessee state profile →
How does Putnam County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Putnam 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 Tennessee, Putnam County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 21.1 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Putnam County's rate and the state average is 2.0 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is McNairy County, at 30.6 per 100,000 (a difference of 11.5). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Haywood County (63.5), Crockett County (57.2), Cannon County (46.5), Bledsoe County (46.5), Meigs County (43.8), Jackson County (40.4), Cocke County (40.1), Henderson County (35.6), Campbell County (34.8), Macon County (33.6), Morgan County (32.4), McMinn County (32.3), Hardeman County (31.3), McNairy County (30.6).
Putnam County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
19 Around the middle a lower per-capita rate than 39% 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 Putnam County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Putnam County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Tennessee statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for TN
- 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 TN counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Putnam County, Tennessee?
Putnam County recorded 120 total traffic fatalities across 107 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 16 fatalities. The county averages approximately 13.3 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Putnam County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (107 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Putnam County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Tennessee may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Putnam County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Putnam 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 Putnam County?
Putnam County has a fatality rate of 19.1 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 Putnam County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Putnam County ranks #912 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #48 of 87 rated counties in TN, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Putnam County compare to the rest of Tennessee?
Putnam County's per-capita rate of 19.1 per 100,000 residents is below the Tennessee county average of 21.1. Visit the Tennessee state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Putnam 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.