COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Washington County, Maryland
Road fatality data for Washington County (MD). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 135
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 18
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 11.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Washington County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 18 deaths in the latest year.
Washington County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Washington County ranks #1,589 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #13 of 24 rated counties in MD. Washington County's fatality rate of 11.6 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #1,589 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #519 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #13 of 24
- in MD by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost WASHINGTON-4 · Washington 11.6/100k · #1,589 of 2,328
Washington County · 11.6/100k · increasing
- MILE 11.6/100k
- POST #1,589 of 2,328
- BAND 135 book
- VOL Increasing
- AVG 124 crash
- YOY -11.6% vs MD
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 → · Maryland state profile →
How does Washington County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Washington 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 Maryland, Washington County ranks 13 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 13.1 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Washington County's rate and the state average is 1.5 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Frederick County, at 11.2 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.4). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Caroline County (35.7), Cecil County (24.6), Queen Anne`S County (20.9), Dorchester County (18.2), Garrett County (17.6), Somerset County (16.1), Allegany County (14.9), Prince George`S County (14.8), Worcester County (12.9), Wicomico County (12.4), Charles County (12.2), St. Mary`S County (12.1), Frederick County (11.2), Baltimore County (10.9).
Washington 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 68% 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 Washington County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Washington County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Maryland statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MD
- 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 WLetter index including MD counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Washington County, Maryland?
Washington County recorded 135 total traffic fatalities across 124 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 18 fatalities. The county averages approximately 15.0 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Washington County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (124 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Washington County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Maryland may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Washington County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Washington 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 Washington County?
Washington County has a fatality rate of 11.6 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 Washington County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Washington County ranks #1,589 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #13 of 24 rated counties in MD, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Washington County compare to the rest of Maryland?
Washington County's per-capita rate of 11.6 per 100,000 residents is below the Maryland county average of 13.1. Visit the Maryland state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Washington 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.