Fatal Roads

States › Texas › Gonzales County

FIPS48177

Texas · county

Gonzales County

Residents 20,040Deaths 2024 7Deaths 2015–2024 101Latest 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.

NHTSA's FARS file lists 101 people killed in 76 fatal crashes in Gonzales County, Texas, between 2015 and 2024, 7 of them in 2024.

With 20,040 residents, that is 49.8 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 rose 19% from 85 in 2005–2014 to 101 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 21.1% against 25.5% for Texas.

32% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Friday was the most common day (22%).

7deaths in 20245 fatal crashes
51deaths, 2020–2024101 over ten years
49.8per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 34.9
+266%vs Texas ratestate 13.6 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0917197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 4 deaths1976: 9 deaths1977: 6 deaths1978: 8 deaths1979: 9 deaths1980: 11 deaths1981: 8 deaths1982: 7 deaths1983: 4 deaths1984: 15 deaths1985: 8 deaths1986: 10 deaths1987: 10 deaths1988: 8 deaths1989: 12 deaths1990: 5 deaths1991: 1–2 deaths1992: 7 deaths1993: 11 deaths1994: 13 deaths1995: 6 deaths1996: 9 deaths1997: 9 deaths1998: 7 deaths1999: 9 deaths2000: 7 deaths2001: 8 deaths2002: 11 deaths2003: 17 deaths2004: 8 deaths2005: 10 deaths2006: 7 deaths2007: 4 deaths2008: 1–2 deaths2009: 5 deaths2010: 12 deaths2011: 8 deaths2012: 13 deaths2013: 11 deaths2014: 13 deaths2015: 15 deaths2016: 13 deaths2017: 12 deaths2018: 6 deaths2019: 4 deaths2020: 13 deaths2021: 9 deaths2022: 15 deaths2023: 7 deaths2024: 7 deaths
People killed in crashes in Gonzales County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 7 deaths.

Ten-year total up 19% (85 in 2005–2014, 101 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

MeasureGonzalesTexasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202449.813.611.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202434.913.311.5
Deaths, 2015–202410139,616389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20247635,785358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.31.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+19%+18%+7%
Crashes on rural roads93%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 20,040 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking21.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver19.7%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed4%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used37.6%
In darknesscrashes after dark46.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads93.4%

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 Gonzales County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 76 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday22%
Saturday17%
Sunday14%
Thursday14%
Wednesday12%
Monday11%
Tuesday9%

Light condition

Daylight49%
Dark, not lighted43%
Dusk4%
Dark, lighted3%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate32%
Other principal arterial29%
Major collector26%
Minor arterial8%
Minor collector3%
Local3%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Clear61%
Cloudy22%
Fog, smog or smoke9%
Rain7%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Gonzales

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 10Interstate249941,11221%29%
2US Route 183US highway1620222927%29%
3US Route 90US highway833838328%20%
4US Route 87US highway524129121%27%
5State Route 80State highway5434926%21%
6State Route 97State highway3202210%30%

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
2024571–234.9TX 2024
202377334.9TX 2023
20221115074.9TX 2022
2021791–244.9TX 2021
202011131–264.9TX 2020
2019341–220.0TX 2019
2018461–229.9TX 2018
201710121–259.9TX 2017
20169131–264.9TX 2016
20159151–274.9TX 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 Gonzales County, Texas?

7 people died in 5 fatal crashes in 2024; 51 over 2020–2024 and 101 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Gonzales compare with Texas?

49.8 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 Gonzales involved alcohol?

21.1% 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 alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 21.1%.

Which roads in Gonzales see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 10 (24 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 183 (16 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 90 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Gonzales?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (32% of crashes) and on Fridays (22%); 46.1% 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.