COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Washington County: lower-rate fatality band
Washington County (RI) is in the lower per-capita third: 5.4/100k (#2,181 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 85
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 7
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 5.4
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Lower per-capita fatality band
Washington County ranks #2,181 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (5.4/100k) - bottom-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Washington County in the lower-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Washington County sits in the lower-rate third at 5.4 per 100k (#2,181 of 2,328), #2 of 5 in RI.
- #2,181 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #859 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #2 of 5
- in RI by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost WASHINGTON-9 · Washington 5.4/100k · #2,181 of 2,328
Washington County · 5.4/100k · increasing
- VS-ST 5.4/100k
- CRASH #2,181 of 2,328
- FARS 85 book
- NHTSA Increasing
- MILE 84 crash
- POST +11.6% vs RI
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 → · Rhode Island 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 5 rated counties in Rhode Island, Washington County ranks 2 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 4.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate puts it among the safest one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Washington County's rate and the state average is 0.6 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Newport County, at 4.8 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.6). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Providence County (7.9), Newport County (4.8), Kent County (4.1), Bristol County (2.0).
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
5 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 93% 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
- Rhode Island statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for RI
- 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 RI counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Washington County, Rhode Island?
Washington County recorded 85 total traffic fatalities across 84 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 7 fatalities. The county averages approximately 9.4 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Washington County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (84 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Washington County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Rhode Island 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 5.4 per 100,000 residents, which puts it among the safest one in ten U.S. counties 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 #2,181 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #2 of 5 rated counties in RI, 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 Rhode Island?
Washington County's per-capita rate of 5.4 per 100,000 residents is above the Rhode Island county average of 4.8. Visit the Rhode Island 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.