| Data years | 2020-2024[1][2][3][4][5] |
|---|---|
| Deaths in car accidents, 2020-2024 | 678[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Deaths in car accidents, 2024 | 133[5] |
| Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents | 10.2[1][2][3][4][5][6] |
| Population, July 1, 2024 (estimate) | 1,374,921[6] |
| 2024 data file | FARS Annual Report File[5] |
Travis County, Texas recorded 678 car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, including 133 in 2024 alone. Those 2024 deaths accounted for 86.9% of all traffic deaths in the county that year, and across the full five-year span car accident deaths made up 87.3% of the county's 777 total traffic deaths.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
On this page a car accident is a fatal crash involving at least one passenger car, SUV, pickup or van, and the death count includes everyone killed in those crashes, whether they were in the passenger vehicle, in another vehicle, or a nonoccupant. The underlying data come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System and from Census Bureau population estimates.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Contents
Car accident deaths in Travis County by year
Car accident deaths in Travis County ranged from 127 in 2020 to 141 in 2023 over the five years covered by this page. Deaths rose from 127 in 2020 to 137 in 2021, rose again to 140 in 2022, then to 141 in 2023, before falling to 133 in 2024. The highest year was 2023, with 141 deaths, and the lowest was 2020, with 127 deaths. Comparing the first and last years in the span, 2024 had 6 more deaths than 2020. All traffic deaths in the county rose from 140 in 2020 to a high of 169 in 2022 before falling to 153 in 2024.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Year | Deaths in car accidents | All traffic deaths | Share in car accidents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 127 | 140 | 90.7% |
| 2021 | 137 | 156 | 87.8% |
| 2022 | 140 | 169 | 82.8% |
| 2023 | 141 | 159 | 88.7% |
| 2024 | 133 | 153 | 86.9% |
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 Travis County car accidents
Among the 678 car accident deaths recorded in Travis County from 2020 to 2024, People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 407 deaths, or 60.0% of the total, making up the majority of people killed. People in other vehicles accounted for 63 deaths, or 9.3%. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 208 deaths, or 30.7%, of the five-year total.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
How the fatal car crashes happened
Of the 678 car accident deaths recorded in Travis County from 2020 to 2024, Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 382 deaths, or 56.3%, making it the majority manner of collision listed. This category covers crashes whose first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport, such as striking a nonoccupant, a parked vehicle or a fixed object, or a rollover. Among manners of collision involving another motor vehicle in transport, Angle (side impact) crashes accounted for 134 deaths (19.8% of all car accident deaths), Head-on crashes for 85 deaths (12.5%), Rear-end crashes for 52 deaths (7.7%), and Sideswipe crashes for 16 deaths (2.4%). Other and Unknown manners accounted for 4 and 5 deaths respectively.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
Time of day and setting
Of the 678 car accident deaths recorded in Travis County from 2020 to 2024, 456 occurred during nighttime hours (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.), amounting to 67.3% of the total, compared with 221 during daytime hours (32.6%). By land use, 622 deaths occurred in urban areas (91.7%) and 56 in rural areas (8.3%). Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 82 over the five years, or 12.1% of all car accident deaths in the county.[1][2][3][4][5]
Car accident death rate compared with Texas and the United States
Travis County's average annual rate of car accident deaths was 10.2 per 100,000 residents from 2020 to 2024, lower than the Texas rate of 12.1 and lower than the national rate of 10.5. Among the listed neighboring counties, Williamson County, Texas had a rate of 6.9, Hays County, Texas had a rate of 10.3, and Bastrop County, Texas had a rate of 24.3. Travis County's rate was higher than Williamson County's but lower than both Hays County's and Bastrop County's. Among the listed neighboring counties, Bastrop County had the highest rate and Williamson County had the lowest. This figure is an average of annual deaths per 100,000 residents and does not adjust for miles driven or for visitors to the county.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
| Area | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| Travis County, Texas | 678 | 10.2 |
| Texas | 18,234 | 12.1 |
| United States | 176,219 | 10.5 |
| Williamson County, Texas (neighbor) | 232 | 6.9 |
| Hays County, Texas (neighbor) | 139 | 10.3 |
| Bastrop County, Texas (neighbor) | 130 | 24.3 |
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
Looking at recorded characteristics across all fatal crashes in Travis County, of any vehicle type, Roadway departure was associated with 300 deaths, or 38.6% of all traffic deaths, the largest share among the characteristics listed. Speeding-related crashes accounted for 262 deaths (33.7%), Pedestrian involved crashes for 235 deaths (30.2%), and crashes At an intersection for 188 deaths (24.2%). Motorcycle involved and Driver distraction reported crashes each accounted for 105 deaths (13.5%), Hit-and-run crashes for 104 deaths (13.4%), and crashes In a work zone for 56 deaths (7.2%), the smallest share listed. Because a single crash can carry several of these characteristics, the rows overlap and do not add to 100%.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Recorded crash characteristic (all fatal crashes) | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Share of all traffic deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 262 | 33.7% |
| Roadway departure | 300 | 38.6% |
| At an intersection | 188 | 24.2% |
| Pedestrian involved | 235 | 30.2% |
| Motorcycle involved | 105 | 13.5% |
| Hit-and-run | 104 | 13.4% |
| Driver distraction reported | 105 | 13.5% |
| In a work zone | 56 | 7.2% |
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
These figures come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on trafficways open to the public where a vehicle occupant or nonoccupant dies within 30 days of the crash; crashes without a death, and nonfatal injuries, are not part of this count. Deaths are grouped by the county where the crash occurred rather than by where the people killed lived. Data for 2020 through 2023 come from FARS Final Files, while the 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and may change when NHTSA issues the Final File for that year. Rates on this page divide five-year deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates for those same years, multiplied by 100,000.[8][6][7]
See also
References
- abcdefghijklmnop "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2020 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnop "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2021 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnop "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2022 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnop "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2023 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqr "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024 national data files (Annual Report File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefg "Annual resident population estimates for counties, April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (CO-EST2025-ALLDATA)". U.S. Census Bureau. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcde "Fatality Analysis Reporting System Analytical User's Manual, 1975-2024 (DOT HS 813 794)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- ^ "Overview of motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2024 (DOT HS 813 791, April 2026)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record