COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Smith County: larger FARS fatality book
Smith County (TX) holds a larger FARS book (448, #105 of 3,137) with 72 latest-year deaths.
- 448
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 72
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 29.4
- Per 100k Residents
- Well above average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Smith County ranks #105 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (448 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Smith County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Smith County carries a top-third fatality book (448 across 2016-2023, #105 of 3,137) at 29.4/100k.
- #409 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #105 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #59 of 160
- in TX by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost SMITH-423 · Smith 29.4/100k · #409 of 2,328
Smith County · 29.4/100k · increasing
- PHOTO 29.4/100k
- VS-ST #409 of 2,328
- CRASH 448 book
- FARS Increasing
- NHTSA 394 crash
- MILE +7.8% 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 Smith County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Smith 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 Texas, Smith County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 27.3 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Smith County's rate and the state average is 2.1 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Nolan County, at 55.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 26.5). 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), Karnes County (66.6), 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).
Smith County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
29 Higher than most a lower per-capita rate than 17% 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 Smith County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Smith 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 SLetter index including TX counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Smith County, Texas?
Smith County recorded 448 total traffic fatalities across 394 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 72 fatalities. The county averages approximately 49.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Smith County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (394 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Smith County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Texas may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Smith County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Smith 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 Smith County?
Smith County has a fatality rate of 29.4 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 Smith County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Smith County ranks #409 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #59 of 160 rated counties in TX, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Smith County compare to the rest of Texas?
Smith County's per-capita rate of 29.4 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 Smith 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.