Texas roads regularly feature a high number of fatalities. According to NHTSA study data covering the first quarter of 2025, Texas suffered more road fatalities than any other state (945), and is a regularly top-ranking U.S. state for car accidents and fatalities each year.
Yet, Texas is a huge state, comprising 254 counties. This study will uncover the deadliest counties for drivers in the Lone Star state, and will consider the death rate according to various causes such as impairment, speeding, and drowsiness, plus victim rates (for example, pedestrians, over-65 drivers, and young drivers aged between 15 and 20). We’ll also take a close look at high-ranking Texan counties to find out the main issues in each.
Before we narrow our focus, let’s consider some broad Texas statistics.
Fatality Rates on Texas Roads
The fatality rate on Texas roads during 2024 was 1.35 deaths per hundred million vehicle miles traveled. Although this represented a 5.25% decrease on 2023 figures, there were no death-free days in 2024 on Texas roads. When the full-year fatality counts were recorded, Texas (4,408) was second only to California (4,428).
In Texas in 2024:
- 585 motorcyclists (operators and passengers) were killed; 37% were not wearing helmets during the fatal crash.
- 768 pedestrians were killed (a 5.19% decrease from 2023).
- 78 pedacyclists were killed (a 26.42% decrease from 2023).
- 1,053 alcohol impaired drivers were killed: 25.37% of the total number of people killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes.
- 380 distracted drivers were killed (a 5.71% decrease from 2023).
Based on reportable Texas crashes in 2024:
- 1 person was killed every 2 hours, 7 minutes
- 1 person was injured every 2 minutes and 5 seconds
- 1 reportable crash occurred every 57 seconds.
Yet, if we look at Texas by county, we can see how varied the crash risk is across the state, and discover which of the 254 counties feature the highest levels of risk. And, rather than measure Texas as a whole, we can judge its danger level by individual jurisdiction.
NHTSA Texas Crash Data by County (2019-2023)
Between 2019 and 2023, Texas reported 18,728 fatalities due to car accidents.
- 3,902 involved a driver impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication
- 1,856 involved distracted driving
- 676 involved a drowsy driver
- 6,374 involved a speeding driver
- 2,555 involved a motorcycle
- 2,922 involved a driver aged 65+
- 2,496 of the fatalities involved a driver between the ages of 15-20
- 3,730 involved a pedestrian
- 435 involved a pedalcyclist.
Let’s consider the Texas counties where these issues were most prevalent during the study period. Before we look at individual factors, let’s rank the counties we consider to be the most dangerous in Texas, based on our composite score.
(Our composite score is subject to our methodology: rather than simply counting raw numbers, we instead record fatalities per 1,000 of the population of each county. The full methodology appears at the end of this study.)
The 10 Most Dangerous Counties in Texas (overall)
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Composite Risk Score (0-100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrison | 69,167 | 68 |
| 2 | Nacogdoches | 65,441 | 61.88 |
| 3 | Navarro | 55,836 | 59.78 |
| 4 | Rusk | 53,462 | 55.81 |
| 5 | Van Zandt | 63,034 | 55.65 |
| 6 | Orange | 85,327 | 55.11 |
| 7 | Cherokee | 52,416 | 54.25 |
| 8 | Ector | 170,203 | 53.95 |
| 9 | Kerr | 53,961 | 52.44 |
| 10 | Gregg | 125,053 | 52.22 |
Harrison County (by a clear margin) is the most dangerous county in Texas, based on our methodological ranking, with Nacogdoches and Navarro second and third. Yet even Gregg, down in tenth spot, is significantly dangerous.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the details of each of these top-ranking counties to find out which particular road issues have pushed them so high up the danger list.
In seven of the ten cases, speeding is the main issue, with two counties (Ector and Kerr) struggling most with impaired drivers, while in Nacogdoches, pedestrian deaths are notably elevated. By providing this county-specific data, we can equip each county with the data they need to deliver precise, targeted prevention strategies.
So, for example, in the case of Harrison, the best way to make the most immediate impact on fatality numbers would be to primarily focus on speeding drivers.
Top 3 Ranked Danger Categories for Each Top 10 County
Harrison
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Speeding | 13.88 |
| Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication | 7.52 |
| Older drivers aged 65+ | 6.65 |
Nacogdoches
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Pedestrians | 6.11 |
| Speeding | 5.2 |
| Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication | 5.2 |
| Older drivers aged 65+ | 4.58 |
Navarro
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Speeding | 11.82 |
| Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication | 5.01 |
| Distracted drivers | 4.3 |
Rusk
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Speeding | 8.98 |
| Older drivers aged 65+ | 4.49 |
| Younger drivers between the ages of 15-20 | 4.49 |
| Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication | 4.49 |
Van Zandt
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Speeding | 10.47 |
| Older drivers aged 65+ | 6.35 |
| Pedestrians | 3.17 |
| Motorcycles | 3.17 |
| Younger drivers between the ages of 15-20 | 3.17 |
Orange
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Speeding | 6.8 |
| Pedestrians | 4.92 |
| Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication | 4.45 |
Cherokee
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Speeding | 8.01 |
| Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication | 6.49 |
| Pedestrians | 4.2 |
Ector
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication | 8.93 |
| Speeding | 8.81 |
| Younger drivers between the ages of 15-20 | 3.88 |
Kerr
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication | 5.93 |
| Speeding | 5.19 |
| Older drivers aged 65+ | 3.71 |
Gregg
| Category | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|
| Speeding | 6.56 |
| Pedestrians | 5.28 |
| Older drivers aged 65+ | 4.32 |
Let’s now consider rankings by individual factor. Again, this offers an opportunity for specific high-ranking counties to fully understand the extent to which some factors are causing problems, and provides a Texas-wide comparison to help them measure the seriousness of any issues.
When we consider the counties particularly struggling with dangerous levels of distracted driving, we can see that Coryell and Navarro are in dire need of resolving that road issue.
Armed with this understanding, both counties could subsequently attribute sufficient resources to fix the problem. The same applies regarding each ranking table.
Top 10 Counties for Distracted Driving Fatalities
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coryell | 84,045 | 4.76 |
| 2 | Navarro | 55,836 | 4.3 |
| 3 | Rusk | 53,462 | 3.74 |
| 4 | Gregg | 125,053 | 3.68 |
| 5 | Kerr | 53,961 | 3.34 |
| 6 | Harrison | 69,167 | 3.18 |
| 7 | Kendall | 51,967 | 3.08 |
| 8 | Waller | 63,614 | 2.83 |
| 9 | Ellis | 219,702 | 2.73 |
| 10 | Van Zandt | 63,034 | 2.54 |
Counties suffer high pedestrian fatality rates for numerous reasons. In Nacogdoches, Gregg, and Chambers’ study, data suggest that a lack of understanding about pedestrian walkways and a failure to wear reflective clothing in dangerous areas are both key contributory issues.
Top 10 Counties for Pedestrian Fatalities
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nacogdoches | 65,441 | 6.11 |
| 2 | Gregg | 125,053 | 5.28 |
| 3 | Chambers | 53,145 | 5.27 |
| 4 | Potter | 115,599 | 5.02 |
| 5 | Orange | 85,327 | 4.92 |
| 6 | Jefferson | 253,138 | 4.66 |
| 7 | Polk | 53,801 | 4.46 |
| 8 | Cherokee | 52,416 | 4.2 |
| 9 | Lubbock | 322,128 | 3.79 |
| 10 | Ector | 170,203 | 3.41 |
When it comes to drowsy drivers, those behind the wheel often underestimate the dangers of driving while exhausted. In particular, truck drivers on long hauls can be susceptible to the effects of drowsy driving, as can busy commuters.
Top 10 Counties for Drowsy Driver Fatalities
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kerr | 53,961 | 2.97 |
| 2 | Navarro | 55,836 | 2.87 |
| 3 | Atascosa | 50,591 | 2.37 |
| 4 | Kendall | 51,967 | 2.31 |
| 5 | Medina | 54,889 | 2.19 |
| 6 | Wise | 77,625 | 2.06 |
| 7 | Van Zandt | 63,034 | 1.9 |
| 8 | Hardin | 58,159 | 1.72 |
| 9 | Victoria | 91,781 | 1.53 |
| 10 | Wilson | 52,960 | 1.51 |
Speeding is a significant issue on Texas roads. Texas is the only state with an 85mph speed limit, and in rural areas such as Harrison County, long, wide-open spaces may inadvertently encourage speeding.
Top 10 Counties for Speeding Fatalities
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrison | 69,167 | 13.88 |
| 2 | Navarro | 55,836 | 11.82 |
| 3 | Van Zandt | 63,034 | 10.47 |
| 4 | Anderson | 57,501 | 9.39 |
| 5 | Rusk | 53,462 | 8.98 |
| 6 | Ector | 170,203 | 8.81 |
| 7 | Burnet | 54,303 | 8.47 |
| 8 | Midland | 177,539 | 8.22 |
| 9 | Polk | 53,801 | 8.18 |
| 10 | Cherokee | 52,416 | 8.01 |
Although trending downwards during 2024, pedacyclist deaths increased 58% between 2019 and 2023. There are a number of reasons for this: growing numbers of people in Texas choosing bicycles to commute; a lack of enough bicycle lanes to accommodate user numbers; and increasing number of distracted drivers on roads colliding with highly vulnerable bicyclists.
Top 10 Counties for Pedalcyclist Fatalities
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orange | 85,327 | 1.17 |
| 2 | Liberty | 107,375 | 1.12 |
| 3 | Burnet | 54,303 | 0.74 |
| 4 | Anderson | 57,501 | 0.7 |
| 5 | Hardin | 58,159 | 0.69 |
| 6 | Nueces | 352,725 | 0.68 |
| 7 | Galveston | 360,795 | 0.67 |
| 8 | Bowie | 91,043 | 0.66 |
| 9 | Waller | 63,614 | 0.63 |
| 10 | Nacogdoches | 65,441 | 0.61 |
According to study data, poor weather conditions and unsafe driving practices (not wearing seatbelts; driving under the influence) combined with long rural roads in need of maintenance and physical vulnerability, are the main reasons some counties suffer disproportionate numbers of deaths among senior drivers.
Top 10 Counties for Fatalities Involving a 65+ Driver
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrison | 69,167 | 6.65 |
| 2 | Van Zandt | 63,034 | 6.35 |
| 3 | Hunt | 115,143 | 5.91 |
| 4 | Lamar | 50,722 | 5.91 |
| 5 | Cherokee | 52,416 | 5.34 |
| 6 | Anderson | 57,501 | 5.22 |
| 7 | Polk | 53,801 | 5.2 |
| 8 | San Patricio | 69,767 | 5.16 |
| 9 | Wise | 77,625 | 5.15 |
| 10 | Nacogdoches | 65,441 | 4.58 |
A confluence of numerous factors contributes to high numbers of young driver deaths on specific Texan roads. They include: speeding on precarious roads and often in poor conditions, relative inexperience, rising distraction rates due to phones and other devices, and various forms of impairment.
Top 10 Counties for Fatalities Involving a Young driver aged 15-20
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrison | 69,167 | 5.49 |
| 2 | Rusk | 53,462 | 4.49 |
| 3 | Nacogdoches | 65,441 | 3.97 |
| 4 | Ector | 170,203 | 3.88 |
| 5 | Coryell | 84,045 | 3.81 |
| 6 | Bastrop | 110,793 | 3.61 |
| 7 | Navarro | 55,836 | 3.58 |
| 8 | Lamar | 50,722 | 3.55 |
| 9 | Smith | 244,908 | 3.27 |
| 10 | Henderson | 85,681 | 3.27 |
Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable on high-speed rural highways. Some reasons cited for crashes involving motorcyclists include a failure to yield by drivers of other vehicles and distracted driving.
Top 10 Counties for Motorcycle-Involved Fatalities
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burnet | 54,303 | 4.42 |
| 2 | Nacogdoches | 65,441 | 3.97 |
| 3 | Lamar | 50,722 | 3.94 |
| 4 | Ector | 170,203 | 3.76 |
| 5 | Wichita | 130,017 | 3.54 |
| 6 | Chambers | 53,145 | 3.39 |
| 7 | Wise | 77,625 | 3.35 |
| 8 | Orange | 85,327 | 3.28 |
| 9 | Henderson | 85,681 | 3.27 |
| 10 | Van Zandt | 63,034 | 3.17 |
Study data tells us that Texas suffers from a significant drunk driving problem (compared to other states), as well as impairment by other means.
One cited reason involves confusion over the failed implementation of sobriety checkpoints, which limit levels of drunk driving in other states but have been ruled to violate the Texas Constitution. And long rural roads featuring thinly spread enforcement options compound the problem.
Top 10 Counties for Impaired by Alcohol (and Other Drugs) Fatalities
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Fatality Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bastrop | 110,793 | 9.21 |
| 2 | Ector | 170,203 | 8.93 |
| 3 | Atascosa | 50,591 | 7.91 |
| 4 | Anderson | 57,501 | 7.65 |
| 5 | Harrison | 69,167 | 7.52 |
| 6 | Cherokee | 52,416 | 6.49 |
| 7 | Kerr | 53,961 | 5.93 |
| 8 | Burnet | 54,303 | 5.89 |
| 9 | Hunt | 115,143 | 5.38 |
| 10 | Wilson | 52,960 | 5.29 |
Finally, here are the counties that score well across all categories, and which we rate as the safest in Texas.
10 Safest Counties (based on overall score rankings)
| Rank | County | Est. Population | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Bend | 898,514 | 8.53 |
| 2 | Collin | 1,193,092 | 12.24 |
| 3 | Denton | 997,139 | 13.89 |
| 4 | Hidalgo | 903,213 | 14.27 |
| 5 | Webb | 272,605 | 14.48 |
| 6 | Rockwall | 130,150 | 14.84 |
| 7 | Cameron | 426,062 | 14.99 |
| 8 | Williamson | 698,870 | 15.77 |
| 9 | Brazos | 245,065 | 17.2 |
| 10 | Guadalupe | 189,430 | 19.34 |
Note on the methodology used to determine the rankings in this study:
- The ranking only includes Texas counties with populations in excess of 50,000 to ensure stable, statistically meaningful comparisons.
- Fatality rates are measured across five years of data (from 2019 through 2023) to reduce year-to-year volatility.
- All rates are calculated per 100,000 residents to allow fair comparisons between counties of different sizes.
- The final composite score reflects nine fatality categories, each weighted equally to prevent any single factor from dominating the ranking.
- Each category accounts for approximately 11.11% of the total score; no category took precedence over another.
Deadliest Texas Counties: How To Make Them Safer
For a variety of reasons, Texas features a high number of fatalities on its roads each year; this study breaks the statistics down to county level. By doing this, we make key data available that differentiates jurisdictions based on their specific problem areas.
And, across Texas, the rankings for various road fatality issues are extremely varied, highlighting the wide range of problems afflicting the state’s 254 counties.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to fatality problems on Texan roads: Harrison (the most dangerous county overall) features an anomalously significant speeding issue, as well as the highest young driver fatality rates, a combination that’s not a coincidence; Nacogdoches is especially unsafe for pedestrians; and Coryell has a notable distracted driver problem.
Rather than measure Texas as a whole, we can judge its danger level by individual jurisdiction
Ultimately, by attributing the right resources to the right problem areas at the county level, many thousands of lives could be saved every year.
That means very specific targeted prevention strategies depending on the severity of a particular issue in a jurisdiction, and more focused public awareness campaigns to enable each county to avoid needless road fatalities. In the end, that’s not only invaluable to the unnecessarily endangered citizens of each individual county, but also to Texas as a whole, and by extension, the United States.
If you need a car accident lawyer in Texas, we can help you build a strong case, negotiate with insurance companies, and fight for your rights. Don’t wait until it’s too late; contact The Texas Law Dog today for a free legal consultation. We don’t just bark, we bite.
