COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Zapata County: smaller FARS fatality book
Zapata County (TX) holds a smaller FARS book (9, #2,870 of 3,137) with 2 latest-year deaths.
- 9
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 2
- Latest Year Deaths
- Low count
- 14.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Stable
- Trend
Smaller fatality book
Zapata County ranks #2,870 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (9 across 2016-2023) - bottom-third book size.
Zapata County in the smaller-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Zapata County carries a bottom-third fatality book (9 across 2016-2023, #2,870 of 3,137) at 14.6/100k.
- #1,314 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #2,870 of 3,137
- smaller-book third
- #113 of 160
- in TX by rate
- Stable
- fatality trend
Highway fatality milepost
Milepost ZAPATA-505 · Zapata 14.6/100k · #1,314 of 2,328
Zapata County · 14.6/100k · stable
- BAND 14.6/100k
- VOL #1,314 of 2,328
- AVG 9 book
- YOY Stable
- RATE 8 crash
- RANK -46.5% vs TX
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 → · Texas state profile →
How does Zapata County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Zapata County is 47% 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 Texas, Zapata County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 27.3 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Zapata County's rate and the state average is 12.7 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Nolan County, at 55.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 41.3). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Leon County (96.7), Wilbarger County (79.9), Ward County (73.0), Eastland County (72.1), Milam County (69.4), Karnes County (66.6), Dawson County (66.6), Comanche County (64.1), Falls County (63.6), Freestone County (63.6), Panola County (61.3), Blanco County (61.3), Live Oak County (60.4), Nolan County (55.9).
Zapata County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
15 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 56% 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 Zapata County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Zapata County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Texas statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for TX
- 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 ZLetter index including TX counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Zapata County, Texas?
Zapata County recorded 9 total traffic fatalities across 8 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 2 fatalities. The county averages approximately 1.0 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Zapata County?
With a small recorded crash count (8), FARS does not publish an individual cause-code breakdown for Zapata County. Statewide data for Texas may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Zapata County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Zapata County is stable. Fatality counts have remained relatively consistent over the data period.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Zapata County?
Zapata County has a fatality rate of 14.6 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 Zapata County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Zapata County ranks #1,314 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #113 of 160 rated counties in TX, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Zapata County compare to the rest of Texas?
Zapata County's per-capita rate of 14.6 per 100,000 residents is below the Texas county average of 27.3. Visit the Texas state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Zapata 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.