Car accident statistics for Galveston County, Texas (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Galveston County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 33 in 2020 to 28 in 2021, then rose to 42 in 2022. The count fell to 35 in 2023 and 31 in 2024. The highest yearly count was 42 in 2022, and the lowest was 28 in 2021. The 2024 count was 2 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Across the same years, all traffic deaths numbered 39, 35, 50, 39 and 39, respectively. The car accident share was 84.6% in 2020, 80.0% in 2021, 84.0% in 2022, 89.7% in 2023 and 79.5% in 2024. That share was highest in 2023 and lowest in 2024, while the highest death count occurred in 2022.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Galveston County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 92 deaths, or 54.4% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 29 deaths, or 17.2%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 48 deaths, or 28.4%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These labels classify people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) follows FARS classifications and can include occupants of parked motor vehicles. The grouping therefore does not establish whether a person was physically outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

For car accident deaths, Angle (side impact) accounted for 41 deaths (24.3%), Head-on for 15 (8.9%), Rear-end for 9 (5.3%), and Sideswipe for 3 (1.8%). Unknown accounted for 1 death (0.6%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 100 deaths (59.2%). Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. This row means that event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport. Examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; physical movement is not the test.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime, defined as 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 111 car accident deaths, or 65.7%, from 2020 through 2024. Daytime, defined as 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 58 deaths, or 34.3%. The nighttime count was higher than the daytime count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 158 deaths in urban locations, representing 93.5%, and 11 in rural locations, representing 6.5%. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 8 car accident deaths, or 4.7%. These figures count deaths in the qualifying crashes, rather than the number of crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Texas and the United States

Galveston County's car accident death rate was 9.4 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. The Texas rate was 12.1, and the United States rate was 10.5. The county rate was lower than both. Among the listed neighboring counties, Harris County had a rate of 9.7 and Brazoria County had a rate of 9.2. Galveston County's rate was lower than Harris County's and higher than Brazoria County's.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates for the period and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The separately reported 2024 population estimate of 367,367 is not the denominator used for this rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Galveston County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident crashes. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related, 39.1%; Roadway departure, 41.6%; At an intersection, 30.7%; Pedestrian involved, 21.3%; Motorcycle involved, 22.8%; Hit-and-run, 8.9%; Driver distraction reported, 10.9%; and In a work zone, 11.9%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Roadway departure had the highest share among the listed characteristics, while Hit-and-run had the lowest. A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so these rows overlap and their shares cannot be added into a total. The classifications are not findings of fault or cause.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is NHTSA's census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. Counts follow the county where the crash occurred, not where the people killed lived.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File can change when replaced by the Final File. Rate calculations use annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025. Whether reading for statistical research or searching for a car accident lawyer, keep the location-based grouping in mind: these are deaths in crashes in Galveston County.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Texas car accident statistics (2020-2024)
• Passenger vehicle
• Fatal crash (FARS definition)
• Car accident statistics for Brazoria County, Texas (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Harris County, Texas (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Texas truck accident statistics (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyers.wiki)