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

Car accident deaths in Midland County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 24 in 2020 to 27 in 2021, then reached 57 in 2022. The count fell to 37 in 2023 and 30 in 2024. The highest year was 2022, while 2020 had the lowest count. Despite the declines after 2022, the 2024 count was 6 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths followed the same sequence of increases and decreases: 27 in 2020, 35 in 2021, 65 in 2022, 44 in 2023 and 34 in 2024. The car accident share of traffic deaths was 88.9%, 77.1%, 87.7%, 84.1% and 88.2%, respectively. That share was highest in 2020 and lowest in 2021.^{[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 Midland County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 130 deaths, or 74.3% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 18 deaths, or 10.3%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 27 deaths, or 15.4%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These labels classify the people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) is a person-type classification, not a literal test of location outside a vehicle. Readers searching for a car accident lawyer should keep these category definitions in view when reading the counts.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) accounted for 52 deaths, or 29.7%; Head-on for 20, or 11.4%; Rear-end for 27, or 15.4%; Sideswipe for 1, or 0.6%; and Other for 2, or 1.1%. Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 73 deaths, or 41.7%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Manner of collision identifies the first harmful event. The latter category 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 107 car accident deaths, or 61.1%, from 2020 through 2024. Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 68 deaths, or 38.9%. The nighttime count was higher than the daytime count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The urban classification recorded 119 deaths, or 68.0%, while the rural classification recorded 56 deaths, or 32.0%. These are classifications of crash locations. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 53 car accident deaths, or 30.3%. That figure counts deaths in passenger-vehicle-involved crashes with a large truck, not deaths exclusively in trucks.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Texas and the United States

Midland County's car accident death rate was 20.0 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. Midland County's rate was higher than both. Ector County, the listed neighboring county, had a rate of 25.9, higher than Midland County's rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These rates divide deaths during the period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The counts underlying the comparison were 175 deaths in Midland County, 18,234 in Texas, 176,219 nationally and 214 in Ector County. The rates express deaths relative to population rather than comparing death counts alone.^{[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 Midland County, of any vehicle type. Shares use all traffic deaths, not only car accident deaths. Speeding-related recorded 81 deaths (39.5%); Roadway departure, 74 (36.1%); At an intersection, 75 (36.6%); and Pedestrian involved, 31 (15.1%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Motorcycle involved recorded 28 deaths (13.7%); Hit-and-run, 12 (5.9%); Driver distraction reported, 14 (6.8%); and In a work zone, 13 (6.3%). Speeding-related had the largest share of the listed characteristics. A crash can carry several characteristics, so rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These records 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 a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes involving a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public, with a death within 30 days. It excludes nonfatal crashes and injuries. County counts follow crash location, 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 divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000 for average annual deaths per 100,000 residents. The separate July 1, 2024 estimate of 184,075 is not the denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Ector County, Texas (2020-2024)
• Texas car accident statistics (2020-2024)