COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Wayne County: larger FARS fatality book
Wayne County (MI) holds a larger FARS book (1,580, #15 of 3,137) with 200 latest-year deaths.
- 1,580
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 200
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 11.4
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Wayne County ranks #15 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (1,580 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Wayne County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Wayne County carries a top-third fatality book (1,580 across 2016-2023, #15 of 3,137) at 11.4/100k.
- #1,613 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #15 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #50 of 74
- in MI by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost WAYNE-163 · Wayne 11.4/100k · #1,613 of 2,328
Wayne County · 11.4/100k · increasing
- RANK 11.4/100k
- BOOK #1,613 of 2,328
- TREND 1,580 book
- CAUSE Increasing
- PHOTO near Multnomah
- VS-ST -24.3% 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 →
Wayne County rate neighbourhood
Deaths per 100,000 residents vs nearest nationwide rate peers (pop ≥250k).
- Durham
Durham County
11 per 100k
- Larimer
Larimer County
11 per 100k
- Wayne
Wayne County
11 per 100k
- Multnomah
Multnomah County
11 per 100k
- St Joseph
St Joseph County
11 per 100k
What this shows Wayne County sits among nearest nationwide per-capita peers.
How does Wayne County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Wayne County is 25% 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 Michigan, Wayne County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below 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 Wayne County's rate and the state average is 3.7 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Calhoun County, at 19.5 per 100,000 (a difference of 8.1). 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, limited data), Manistee County (23.5), Kalkaska County (21.6), Missaukee County (19.6, limited data), Newaygo County (19.6), Calhoun County (19.5), Lenawee County (19.5).
Wayne 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 69% 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
Counties with similar FARS profiles
Two cross-state peer sets for Wayne County. Same-state rate comparisons stay in the chart above; these neighborhoods are nearest other-state counties with population at least 250,000.
Similar per-capita fatality rate
Nearest counties by deaths per 100,000 residents (11.4 here), outside Michigan.
Similar fatality volume
Nearest counties by recorded FARS deaths (1,580 here), excluding the rate-peer set.
More road safety data related to Wayne County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Wayne 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 WLetter index including MI counties
- MULTNOMAH County, OR fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- ST JOSEPH County, IN fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- DURHAM County, NC fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- LARIMER County, CO fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Wayne County, Michigan?
Wayne County recorded 1,580 total traffic fatalities across 1,462 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 200 fatalities. The county averages approximately 175.6 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Wayne County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (1,462 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Wayne County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Michigan may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Wayne County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Wayne 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 Wayne County?
Wayne County has a fatality rate of 11.4 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 Wayne County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Wayne County ranks #1,613 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #50 of 74 rated counties in MI, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Wayne County compare to the rest of Michigan?
Wayne County's per-capita rate of 11.4 per 100,000 residents is below 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 Wayne 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.