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Zavala County

Residents 9,209Deaths 2024 3Deaths 2015–2024 60Latest 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, Zavala County (Texas) had 3 fatal crashes with 3 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 33 fatal crashes and 60 deaths.

With 9,209 residents, that is 56.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 4.1 times the Texas rate of 13.6 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 33% from 45 in 2005–2014 to 60 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 30.3% against 32.1% for Texas.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (30%).

3deaths in 20243 fatal crashes
36deaths, 2020–202460 over ten years
56.0per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 32.6
+312%vs Texas ratestate 13.6 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0816197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 3 deaths1976: 4 deaths1977: 5 deaths1978: 5 deaths1979: 3 deaths1980: 3 deaths1981: 1–2 deaths1982: 5 deaths1983: 3 deaths1984: 4 deaths1985: 7 deaths1986: 0 deaths1987: 3 deaths1988: 1–2 deaths1989: 4 deaths1990: 1–2 deaths1991: 5 deaths1992: 1–2 deaths1993: 4 deaths1994: 3 deaths1995: 1–2 deaths1996: 1–2 deaths1997: 4 deaths1998: 11 deaths1999: 7 deaths2000: 4 deaths2001: 5 deaths2002: 1–2 deaths2003: 5 deaths2004: 6 deaths2005: 1–2 deaths2006: 9 deaths2007: 6 deaths2008: 5 deaths2009: 4 deaths2010: 1–2 deaths2011: 8 deaths2012: 3 deaths2013: 3 deaths2014: 5 deaths2015: 6 deaths2016: 6 deaths2017: 1–2 deaths2018: 7 deaths2019: 3 deaths2020: 1–2 deaths2021: 8 deaths2022: 7 deaths2023: 16 deaths2024: 3 deaths
People killed in crashes in Zavala County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 3 deaths.

Ten-year total up 33% (45 in 2005–2014, 60 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

MeasureZavalaTexasUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202456.013.611.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202432.613.311.5
Deaths, 2015–20246039,616389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20243335,785358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.81.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+33%+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 9,209 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking15.2%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver30.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed1.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed5%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used52.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark51.5%
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 Zavala County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 33 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday30%
Monday18%
Wednesday15%
Sunday12%
Tuesday12%
Thursday6%
Friday6%

Light condition

Dark, not lighted42%
Daylight36%
Dawn9%
Dark, lighted6%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown3%

Road type

Other principal arterial61%
Major collector24%
Minor collector6%
Local6%
Other freeways and expressways3%
Interstate0%
Minor arterial0%

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%
Cloudy15%
Fog, smog or smoke6%
Rain0%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Zavala

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 57US highway1937758%24%
2US Route 83US highway221327518%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
202433032.6TX 2024
20235160173.7TX 2023
202257076.0TX 2022
2021581–286.9TX 2021
20201–21–20—TX 2020
2019331–232.6TX 2019
2018571–276.0TX 2018
20171–21–21–2—TX 2017
20161–26065.2TX 2016
20151–26065.2TX 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 Zavala County, Texas?

3 people died in 3 fatal crashes in 2024; 36 over 2020–2024 and 60 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Zavala compare with Texas?

56.0 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 Zavala involved alcohol?

15.2% 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 30.3%.

Which roads in Zavala see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 57 (19 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 83 (2 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Zavala?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (33% of crashes) and on Saturdays (30%); 51.5% 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.