Fatal Roads

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Brooks County

Residents 6,740Deaths 2024 1–2Deaths 2015–2024 35Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

Brooks County, Texas, recorded fewer than three deaths in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 35 deaths in 24 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 6,740 residents, that is 49.7 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 3.7 times the Texas rate of 13.6 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 44% from 62 in 2005–2014 to 35 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 37.5% against 32.1% for Texas.

38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Wednesday was the most common day (25%).

1–2deaths in 20241–2 fatal crashes
23deaths, 2020–202435 over ten years
49.7per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 14.8
+265%vs Texas ratestate 13.6 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0714197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 4 deaths1976: 6 deaths1977: 5 deaths1978: 7 deaths1979: 4 deaths1980: 4 deaths1981: 5 deaths1982: 1–2 deaths1983: 1–2 deaths1984: 3 deaths1985: 3 deaths1986: 4 deaths1987: 3 deaths1988: 6 deaths1989: 6 deaths1990: 3 deaths1991: 10 deaths1992: 0 deaths1993: 3 deaths1994: 7 deaths1995: 3 deaths1996: 1–2 deaths1997: 5 deaths1998: 4 deaths1999: 4 deaths2000: 5 deaths2001: 5 deaths2002: 4 deaths2003: 5 deaths2004: 5 deaths2005: 0 deaths2006: 10 deaths2007: 14 deaths2008: 10 deaths2009: 4 deaths2010: 5 deaths2011: 1–2 deaths2012: 3 deaths2013: 8 deaths2014: 6 deaths2015: 3 deaths2016: 1–2 deaths2017: 1–2 deaths2018: 4 deaths2019: 3 deaths2020: 4 deaths2021: 12 deaths2022: 5 deaths2023: 1–2 deaths2024: 1–2 deaths
People killed in crashes in Brooks County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 1–2 deaths.

Ten-year total down 44% (62 in 2005–2014, 35 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with Texas and the nation

MeasureBrooksTexasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202449.713.611.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202414.813.311.5
Deaths, 2015–20243539,616389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20242435,785358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.51.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-44%+18%+7%
Crashes on rural roads100%38%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 6,740 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking12.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver37.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed11.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed0%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used63.3%
In darknesscrashes after dark54.2%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads100%

tick marks the Texas share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Brooks County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 24 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Wednesday25%
Saturday21%
Tuesday17%
Sunday13%
Monday13%
Thursday8%
Friday4%

Light condition

Daylight46%
Dark, not lighted38%
Dark, lighted13%
Dark, lighting unknown4%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%

Road type

Other principal arterial50%
Minor arterial25%
Major collector21%
Local4%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor collector0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Texas share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear67%
Rain17%
Fog, smog or smoke13%
Cloudy4%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Brooks

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 281US highway1129936025%25%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
20241–21–20—TX 2024
20231–21–20—TX 2023
2022451–274.2TX 2022
20213120178.0TX 2021
2020441–259.3TX 2020
201933044.5TX 2019
2018441–259.3TX 2018
20171–21–20—TX 2017
20161–21–20—TX 2016
20151–23044.5TX 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Brooks County, Texas?

fewer than three people died in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024; 23 over 2020–2024 and 35 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Brooks compare with Texas?

49.7 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 13.6 for Texas and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Brooks involved alcohol?

12.5% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 25.5% in Texas. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 37.5%.

Which roads in Brooks see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 281 (11 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Brooks?

Most often between noon to 6pm (38% of crashes) and on Wednesdays (25%); 54.2% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.