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Hidalgo County

Residents 914,820Deaths 2024 62Deaths 2015–2024 638Latest 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 638 people killed in 586 fatal crashes in Hidalgo County, Texas, between 2015 and 2024, 62 of them in 2024.

With 914,820 residents, that is 7.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 46% lower than the Texas rate of 13.6 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 10% from 709 in 2005–2014 to 638 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 23.4% against 17.6% for Texas.

39% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (20%).

62deaths in 202457 fatal crashes
340deaths, 2020–2024638 over ten years
7.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 6.8
-46%vs Texas ratestate 13.6 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

05099197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 79 deaths1976: 62 deaths1977: 54 deaths1978: 80 deaths1979: 49 deaths1980: 87 deaths1981: 75 deaths1982: 73 deaths1983: 53 deaths1984: 62 deaths1985: 55 deaths1986: 68 deaths1987: 63 deaths1988: 62 deaths1989: 95 deaths1990: 88 deaths1991: 65 deaths1992: 89 deaths1993: 90 deaths1994: 81 deaths1995: 85 deaths1996: 96 deaths1997: 81 deaths1998: 87 deaths1999: 95 deaths2000: 89 deaths2001: 87 deaths2002: 99 deaths2003: 92 deaths2004: 83 deaths2005: 92 deaths2006: 62 deaths2007: 75 deaths2008: 75 deaths2009: 72 deaths2010: 70 deaths2011: 50 deaths2012: 83 deaths2013: 65 deaths2014: 65 deaths2015: 67 deaths2016: 75 deaths2017: 60 deaths2018: 52 deaths2019: 44 deaths2020: 47 deaths2021: 71 deaths2022: 76 deaths2023: 84 deaths2024: 62 deaths
People killed in crashes in Hidalgo County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 62 deaths.

Ten-year total down 10% (709 in 2005–2014, 638 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

MeasureHidalgoTexasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20247.313.611.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20246.813.311.5
Deaths, 2015–202463839,616389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202458635,785358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-10%+18%+7%
Crashes on rural roads9%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 914,820 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking32.6%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver32.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed23.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed8.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used55.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark64.6%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads8.5%

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 Hidalgo County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 586 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday20%
Sunday19%
Friday16%
Thursday13%
Monday13%
Wednesday11%
Tuesday8%

Light condition

Dark, not lighted39%
Daylight33%
Dark, lighted25%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown1%
Dusk0%

Road type

Other principal arterial34%
Major collector24%
Local16%
Minor arterial13%
Interstate11%
Minor collector3%
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

Clear84%
Cloudy9%
Rain5%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Hidalgo

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 2Interstate39424421%12%
2US Route 281US highway2829936025%25%
3US Route 83US highway2421327518%25%
4State Route 107State highway23252528%24%
5State Route 336State highway10242725%29%
6Interstate 69Interstate822223932%28%
7State Route 115State highway3384718%18%
8Interstate 20Interstate185298320%32%

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
20245762146.8TX 2024
20237484259.2TX 2023
20227076308.3TX 2022
20216471197.8TX 2021
2020434775.1TX 2020
20194144124.8TX 2019
20184452195.7TX 2018
20175960196.6TX 2017
20167475278.2TX 2016
20156067197.3TX 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 Hidalgo County, Texas?

62 people died in 57 fatal crashes in 2024; 340 over 2020–2024 and 638 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Hidalgo compare with Texas?

7.3 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 Hidalgo involved alcohol?

32.6% 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 pedestrians at 23.4%.

Which roads in Hidalgo see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 2 (39 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 281 (28 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 83 (24 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Hidalgo?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (39% of crashes) and on Saturdays (20%); 64.6% 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.