COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Van Buren County, Michigan
Road fatality data for Van Buren County (MI). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 117
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 12
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 15.8
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Van Buren County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 12 deaths in the latest year.
Van Buren County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Van Buren County ranks #1,188 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #30 of 74 rated counties in MI. Van Buren County's fatality rate of 15.8 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #1,188 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #599 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #30 of 74
- in MI by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS county milepost
Milepost VAN-BUREN-15 · Van Buren 15.8/100k · #1,188 of 2,328
Van Buren County · 15.8/100k · increasing
- RATE 15.8/100k
- RANK #1,188 of 2,328
- BOOK 117 book
- TREND Increasing
- CAUSE 105 crash
- PHOTO +4.9% vs MI
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 → · Michigan state profile →
How does Van Buren County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Van Buren 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 Michigan, Van Buren County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 15.1 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Van Buren County's rate and the state average is 0.7 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Calhoun County, at 19.5 per 100,000 (a difference of 3.7). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Mackinac County (55.3), Roscommon County (50.3), Arenac County (39.6), Benzie County (32.5), Wexford County (29.3), Clare County (28.7), Sanilac County (27.2), Lake County (23.6), Manistee County (23.5), Kalkaska County (21.6), Missaukee County (19.6), Newaygo County (19.6), Calhoun County (19.5), Lenawee County (19.5).
Van Buren County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
16 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 51% 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 Van Buren County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Van Buren County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Michigan statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MI
- 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 VLetter index including MI counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Van Buren County, Michigan?
Van Buren County recorded 117 total traffic fatalities across 105 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 12 fatalities. The county averages approximately 13.0 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Van Buren County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (105 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Van Buren County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Michigan may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Van Buren County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Van Buren 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 Van Buren County?
Van Buren County has a fatality rate of 15.8 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 Van Buren County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Van Buren County ranks #1,188 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #30 of 74 rated counties in MI, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Van Buren County compare to the rest of Michigan?
Van Buren County's per-capita rate of 15.8 per 100,000 residents is above the Michigan county average of 15.1. Visit the Michigan state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Van Buren 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.