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Jefferson County

Residents 253,948Deaths 2024 45Deaths 2015–2024 409Latest 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 409 people killed in 379 fatal crashes in Jefferson County, Texas, between 2015 and 2024, 45 of them in 2024.

With 253,948 residents, that is 16.1 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 18% higher than the Texas rate of 13.6 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (415) and 2015–2024 (409).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 23.7% against 17.6% for Texas.

38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (21%).

45deaths in 202443 fatal crashes
230deaths, 2020–2024409 over ten years
16.1per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 17.7
+18%vs Texas ratestate 13.6 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

04385197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 44 deaths1976: 48 deaths1977: 58 deaths1978: 65 deaths1979: 60 deaths1980: 68 deaths1981: 85 deaths1982: 62 deaths1983: 53 deaths1984: 36 deaths1985: 43 deaths1986: 34 deaths1987: 52 deaths1988: 62 deaths1989: 37 deaths1990: 42 deaths1991: 52 deaths1992: 33 deaths1993: 33 deaths1994: 39 deaths1995: 44 deaths1996: 42 deaths1997: 39 deaths1998: 38 deaths1999: 39 deaths2000: 48 deaths2001: 44 deaths2002: 53 deaths2003: 44 deaths2004: 44 deaths2005: 61 deaths2006: 64 deaths2007: 46 deaths2008: 51 deaths2009: 40 deaths2010: 33 deaths2011: 30 deaths2012: 35 deaths2013: 23 deaths2014: 32 deaths2015: 27 deaths2016: 37 deaths2017: 37 deaths2018: 42 deaths2019: 36 deaths2020: 48 deaths2021: 60 deaths2022: 46 deaths2023: 31 deaths2024: 45 deaths
People killed in crashes in Jefferson County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 45 deaths.

Ten-year total down 1% (415 in 2005–2014, 409 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

MeasureJeffersonTexasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202416.113.611.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202417.713.311.5
Deaths, 2015–202440939,616389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202437935,785358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-1%+18%+7%
Crashes on rural roads23%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 253,948 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking20.3%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver28.2%
Pedestriansshare of people killed23.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed14.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used45.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark60.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads22.5%

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 Jefferson County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 379 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday21%
Sunday18%
Tuesday13%
Monday13%
Thursday12%
Wednesday12%
Friday12%

Light condition

Daylight36%
Dark, not lighted35%
Dark, lighted25%
Dusk2%
Dawn1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial31%
Interstate19%
Minor arterial17%
Other freeways and expressways16%
Major collector10%
Local7%
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

Clear79%
Cloudy13%
Rain5%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Jefferson

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 10Interstate699941,11221%29%
2US Route 69US highway5327131818%23%
3US Route 90US highway3633838328%20%
4State Route 73State highway29384211%29%
5State Route 82State highway15212419%14%
6State Route 87State highway9869526%23%
7State Route 105State highway313015225%23%
8US Route 287US highway131437218%27%

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
20244345517.7TX 2024
20232931612.2TX 2023
202244461318.1TX 2022
202150601223.6TX 2021
20204848618.9TX 2020
20193536514.2TX 2019
20183842916.5TX 2018
20173437614.6TX 2017
20163337514.6TX 2016
201525271010.6TX 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 Jefferson County, Texas?

45 people died in 43 fatal crashes in 2024; 230 over 2020–2024 and 409 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Jefferson compare with Texas?

16.1 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 Jefferson involved alcohol?

20.3% 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 23.7%.

Which roads in Jefferson see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 10 (69 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 69 (53 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 90 (36 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Jefferson?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (38% of crashes) and on Saturdays (21%); 60.4% 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.