COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Sumner County, Tennessee
Road fatality data for Sumner County (TN). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 138
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 22
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 10.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Sumner County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 22 deaths in the latest year.
Sumner County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Sumner County ranks #1,707 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #71 of 87 rated counties in TN. Sumner County's fatality rate of 10.6 per 100,000 residents leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure.
- #1,707 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #507 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #71 of 87
- in TN by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost SUMNER-165 · Sumner 10.6/100k · #1,707 of 2,328
Sumner County · 10.6/100k · increasing
- VOL 10.6/100k
- AVG #1,707 of 2,328
- YOY 138 book
- RATE Increasing
- RANK 126 crash
- BOOK -49.8% 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 Sumner County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Sumner County is 50% 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 Tennessee, Sumner County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 21.1 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Sumner County's rate and the state average is 10.5 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is McNairy County, at 30.6 per 100,000 (a difference of 20.0). 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).
Sumner County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
11 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 73% 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 Sumner County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Sumner 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 SLetter index including TN counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Sumner County, Tennessee?
Sumner County recorded 138 total traffic fatalities across 126 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 22 fatalities. The county averages approximately 15.3 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Sumner County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (126 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Sumner County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Tennessee may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Sumner County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Sumner 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 Sumner County?
Sumner County has a fatality rate of 10.6 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 Sumner County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Sumner County ranks #1,707 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #71 of 87 rated counties in TN, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Sumner County compare to the rest of Tennessee?
Sumner County's per-capita rate of 10.6 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 Sumner 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.