Fatal Roads

States › Texas › Midland County

FIPS48329

Texas · county

Midland County

Residents 183,587Deaths 2024 34Deaths 2015–2024 405Latest 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.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Midland County (Texas) had 32 fatal crashes with 34 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 372 fatal crashes and 405 deaths.

With 183,587 residents, that is 23.6 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 74% higher than the Texas rate of 13.6 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 42% from 285 in 2005–2014 to 405 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): 31.7% against 25.5% for Texas.

32% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Sunday was the most common day (16%).

34deaths in 202432 fatal crashes
205deaths, 2020–2024405 over ten years
23.6per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 18.5
+74%vs Texas ratestate 13.6 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

03365197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 18 deaths1976: 24 deaths1977: 24 deaths1978: 11 deaths1979: 16 deaths1980: 21 deaths1981: 24 deaths1982: 32 deaths1983: 20 deaths1984: 28 deaths1985: 25 deaths1986: 13 deaths1987: 15 deaths1988: 18 deaths1989: 14 deaths1990: 17 deaths1991: 8 deaths1992: 5 deaths1993: 19 deaths1994: 18 deaths1995: 12 deaths1996: 19 deaths1997: 11 deaths1998: 22 deaths1999: 20 deaths2000: 18 deaths2001: 22 deaths2002: 22 deaths2003: 18 deaths2004: 18 deaths2005: 8 deaths2006: 17 deaths2007: 25 deaths2008: 27 deaths2009: 31 deaths2010: 29 deaths2011: 23 deaths2012: 34 deaths2013: 44 deaths2014: 47 deaths2015: 33 deaths2016: 25 deaths2017: 50 deaths2018: 51 deaths2019: 41 deaths2020: 27 deaths2021: 35 deaths2022: 65 deaths2023: 44 deaths2024: 34 deaths
People killed in crashes in Midland County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 34 deaths.

Ten-year total up 42% (285 in 2005–2014, 405 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

MeasureMidlandTexasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202423.613.611.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202418.513.311.5
Deaths, 2015–202440539,616389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202437235,785358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+42%+18%+7%
Crashes on rural roads36%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 183,587 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking31.7%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver32.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed11.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed12.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used44.6%
In darknesscrashes after dark57.8%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads36%

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 Midland County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 372 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday16%
Thursday16%
Saturday16%
Friday14%
Monday13%
Tuesday13%
Wednesday11%

Light condition

Daylight39%
Dark, not lighted35%
Dark, lighted23%
Dawn2%
Dusk1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial36%
Major collector20%
Minor arterial13%
Interstate12%
Other freeways and expressways9%
Local9%
Minor collector1%

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%
Cloudy10%
Rain5%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Midland

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 349State highway469310723%34%
2State Route 158State highway44728222%35%
3Interstate 20Interstate4285298320%32%
4State Route 191State highway26566541%50%
5State Route 137State highway3394815%21%

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
20243234418.5TX 2024
20234144724.0TX 2023
202261653135.4TX 2022
20213435919.1TX 2021
20202527714.7TX 2020
20194041922.3TX 2019
201845511627.8TX 2018
201738501527.2TX 2017
20162425813.6TX 2016
201532331218.0TX 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 Midland County, Texas?

34 people died in 32 fatal crashes in 2024; 205 over 2020–2024 and 405 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Midland compare with Texas?

23.6 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 Midland involved alcohol?

31.7% 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 31.7%.

Which roads in Midland see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 349 (46 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 158 (44 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 20 (42 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Midland?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (32% of crashes) and on Sundays (16%); 57.8% 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.