Counties with the most motor vehicle accident fatalities in California
Scott Burley // Wikimedia Commons
Counties with the most motor vehicle accident fatalities in California
Media outlets were quick during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdowns that defined the summer and fall of 2020 to note just how little traffic there was as a result. Simple logic would suggest that less traffic equals a lower likelihood of accidents and thus fewer injuries and fatalities. Sadly, this was not the case.
Nationwide, traffic fatalities rose 7.2% in 2020 to nearly 39,000. That number was the highest recorded since 2007. Qualifying this disturbing fact is a sticky wicket—common denominators behind traffic deaths such as impaired driving, failure to use a seat belt, and excessive speed were certainly contributing factors, but they alone do not account for a rise in deaths commensurate with a 430-million-mile drop in the number of miles people traveled across the course of the year. What can be qualified, however, is where fatal crashes took place.
Citing data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Stacker identified the counties in California that had the most fatalities from motor vehicle crashes in 2020. The number of accident fatalities are ranked by the number of deaths per 100,000 people, with the raw number functioning as a tiebreaker. The analysis only looked at counties with at least five deaths during 2020. Additional data is included on pedestrian, bicyclist, and drunk-driving-related deaths. In counties where at least five fatalities happened on the same street or interstate, the road with the most deaths is also included.
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#50. San Francisco County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 3.6 per 100K people (#1,693 nationally, 31 deaths)
– 13 pedestrian deaths
– 1 bicyclist death
– 0 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Craig Howell // Wikimedia Commons
#49. San Mateo County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 4.9 per 100K people (#1,659 nationally, 37 deaths)
– 11 pedestrian deaths
– 2 bicyclist deaths
– 10 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: US-101 (9 fatalities)
Jennifer Williams // Wikimedia Commons
#48. Alameda County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 5.6 per 100K people (#1,618 nationally, 93 deaths)
– 30 pedestrian deaths
– 2 bicyclist deaths
– 27 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-880 (13 fatalities)
Uladzik Kryhin // Shutterstock
#47. Santa Clara County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 5.7 per 100K people (#1,609 nationally, 110 deaths)
– 37 pedestrian deaths
– 8 bicyclist deaths
– 21 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: US-101 (15 fatalities)
Hollywood // Wikimedia Commons
#46. Orange County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 5.7 per 100K people (#1,608 nationally, 183 deaths)
– 74 pedestrian deaths
– 14 bicyclist deaths
– 48 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-5 (13 fatalities)
Pixabay
#45. Santa Barbara County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 6.3 per 100K people (#1,586 nationally, 28 deaths)
– 3 pedestrian deaths
– 2 bicyclist deaths
– 15 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: US-101 (6 fatalities)
Aaronbrick // Wikicommons
#44. Santa Cruz County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 6.6 per 100K people (#1,571 nationally, 18 deaths)
– 9 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 5 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Fred Hsu // Wikicommons
#43. Sonoma County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 6.7 per 100K people (#1,565 nationally, 33 deaths)
– 6 pedestrian deaths
– 1 bicyclist death
– 8 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
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#42. Ventura County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 6.9 per 100K people (#1,556 nationally, 58 deaths)
– 12 pedestrian deaths
– 4 bicyclist deaths
– 25 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-33 (7 fatalities)
BDS2006 // Wikimedia
#41. Los Angeles County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 7.2 per 100K people (#1,539 nationally, 725 deaths)
– 276 pedestrian deaths
– 27 bicyclist deaths
– 139 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-5 (25 fatalities)
Basar // Wikicommons
#40. San Luis Obispo County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 7.8 per 100K people (#1,508 nationally, 22 deaths)
– 4 pedestrian deaths
– 1 bicyclist death
– 7 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: US-101 (6 fatalities)
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#39. Solano County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 8.4 per 100K people (#1,477 nationally, 38 deaths)
– 11 pedestrian deaths
– 1 bicyclist death
– 8 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-80 (14 fatalities)
Doug Olson // Wikimedia Commons
#38. Placer County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 8.7 per 100K people (#1,462 nationally, 35 deaths)
– 4 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 10 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-80 (9 fatalities)
SD Dirk // Flickr
#37. San Diego County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 8.8 per 100K people (#1,450 nationally, 291 deaths)
– 87 pedestrian deaths
– 7 bicyclist deaths
– 75 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-5 (28 fatalities)
MARELBU // Wikimedia Commons
#36. Contra Costa County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 8.9 per 100K people (#1,443 nationally, 103 deaths)
– 29 pedestrian deaths
– 5 bicyclist deaths
– 25 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-4 (16 fatalities)
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#35. Sacramento County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 9.9 per 100K people (#1,389 nationally, 155 deaths)
– 50 pedestrian deaths
– 5 bicyclist deaths
– 35 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-5 (10 fatalities)
DimiTalen // Wikimedia Commons
#34. El Dorado County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 10.0 per 100K people (#1,382 nationally, 19 deaths)
– 2 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 10 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Calilover // Wikimedia Commons
#33. Monterey County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 11.2 per 100K people (#1,306 nationally, 49 deaths)
– 9 pedestrian deaths
– 1 bicyclist death
– 23 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-1 (13 fatalities)
Epolk // Wikimedia Commons
#32. Yolo County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 12.0 per 100K people (#1,245 nationally, 26 deaths)
– 3 pedestrian deaths
– 2 bicyclist deaths
– 13 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Daniel Orth // Flickr
#31. Riverside County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 12.4 per 100K people (#1,213 nationally, 299 deaths)
– 84 pedestrian deaths
– 8 bicyclist deaths
– 89 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-74 (19 fatalities)
Bobak Ha’Eri // Wikimedia Commons
#30. Tuolumne County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 12.7 per 100K people (#1,201 nationally, 7 deaths)
– 0 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 2 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Chmee2 // Wikimedia Commons
#29. Siskiyou County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 13.6 per 100K people (#1,143 nationally, 6 deaths)
– 0 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 1 death involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Frank Schulenburg // Wikimedia Commons
#28. Nevada County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 13.7 per 100K people (#1,131 nationally, 14 deaths)
– 3 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 7 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Stan Shebs // Wikicommons
#27. Napa County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 13.7 per 100K people (#1,130 nationally, 19 deaths)
– 4 pedestrian deaths
– 1 bicyclist death
– 4 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-29 (7 fatalities)
Public Domain
#26. Stanislaus County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 14.2 per 100K people (#1,101 nationally, 78 deaths)
– 18 pedestrian deaths
– 3 bicyclist deaths
– 22 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-99 (9 fatalities)
LPS.1 // Wikicommons
#25. San Joaquin County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 15.2 per 100K people (#1,025 nationally, 117 deaths)
– 22 pedestrian deaths
– 9 bicyclist deaths
– 40 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Roads with most fatalities: SR-99, SR-4 (9 fatalities each)
Cory Maylett // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Humboldt County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 15.3 per 100K people (#1,019 nationally, 21 deaths)
– 5 pedestrian deaths
– 2 bicyclist deaths
– 9 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Ray Bouknight // Wikicommons
#23. Sutter County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 16.1 per 100K people (#968 nationally, 16 deaths)
– 5 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 6 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-99 (7 fatalities)
Rman 348 // Wikimedia Commons
#22. Imperial County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 16.1 per 100K people (#967 nationally, 29 deaths)
– 11 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 1 death involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-8 (8 fatalities)
Mark Miller // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Merced County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 16.5 per 100K people (#939 nationally, 46 deaths)
– 11 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 12 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-5 (7 fatalities)
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#20. San Bernardino County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 16.8 per 100K people (#919 nationally, 364 deaths)
– 80 pedestrian deaths
– 6 bicyclist deaths
– 79 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: I-15 (41 fatalities)
David Jordan // Wikicommons
#19. Fresno County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 17.0 per 100K people (#911 nationally, 171 deaths)
– 43 pedestrian deaths
– 8 bicyclist deaths
– 40 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-41 (15 fatalities)
Trance addict // Wikimedia Commons
#18. Glenn County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 17.4 per 100K people (#895 nationally, 5 deaths)
– 0 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 1 death involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
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#17. Tulare County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 17.6 per 100K people (#883 nationally, 83 deaths)
– 10 pedestrian deaths
– 5 bicyclist deaths
– 35 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-99 (7 fatalities)
Armona // Wikicommons
#16. Kings County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 17.8 per 100K people (#870 nationally, 27 deaths)
– 4 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 9 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-41 (11 fatalities)
Michael Patrick // Wikimedia Commons
#15. San Benito County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 18.9 per 100K people (#819 nationally, 12 deaths)
– 1 pedestrian death
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 4 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Public Domain
#14. Madera County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 19.2 per 100K people (#801 nationally, 30 deaths)
– 6 pedestrian deaths
– 1 bicyclist death
– 13 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-41 (6 fatalities)
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#13. Butte County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 19.3 per 100K people (#790 nationally, 42 deaths)
– 10 pedestrian deaths
– 2 bicyclist deaths
– 10 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-99 (5 fatalities)
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#12. Calaveras County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 19.8 per 100K people (#760 nationally, 9 deaths)
– 0 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 2 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Doug Kerr // Wikicommons
#11. Shasta County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 21.4 per 100K people (#698 nationally, 39 deaths)
– 6 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 11 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-299 (10 fatalities)
nickchapman // Wikicommons
#10. Kern County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 22.3 per 100K people (#665 nationally, 202 deaths)
– 32 pedestrian deaths
– 4 bicyclist deaths
– 73 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-99 (17 fatalities)
CFang // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Lake County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 25.1 per 100K people (#576 nationally, 17 deaths)
– 4 pedestrian deaths
– 1 bicyclist death
– 3 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-20 (6 fatalities)
Binksternet // Wikimedia Commons
#8. Mendocino County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 26.2 per 100K people (#533 nationally, 24 deaths)
– 1 pedestrian death
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 9 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Roads with most fatalities: SR-20, US-101 (6 fatalities each)
Frank Schulenburg // Wikimedia Commons
#7. Tehama County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 29.1 per 100K people (#433 nationally, 19 deaths)
– 1 pedestrian death
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 10 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: SR-36 (5 fatalities)
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Lassen County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 33.4 per 100K people (#346 nationally, 11 deaths)
– 2 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 6 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: US-395 (9 fatalities)
CleanWater17 // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Colusa County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 36.7 per 100K people (#272 nationally, 8 deaths)
– 1 pedestrian death
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 2 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Bobak Ha’Eri // Wikimedia Commons
#4. Amador County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 39.9 per 100K people (#241 nationally, 16 deaths)
– 0 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 6 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Almonroth // Wikimedia Commons
#3. Trinity County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 44.3 per 100K people (#197 nationally, 7 deaths)
– 0 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 2 deaths involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
Chuck Abbe // Wikimedia Commons
#2. Inyo County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 63.8 per 100K people (#79 nationally, 12 deaths)
– 0 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 3 deaths involving drunk drivers
– Road with most fatalities: US-395 (7 fatalities)
Scott Burley // Wikimedia Commons
#1. Modoc County, California
– Motor vehicle crash fatalities: 80.2 per 100K people (#43 nationally, 7 deaths)
– 0 pedestrian deaths
– 0 bicyclist deaths
– 1 death involving drunk drivers
– No roads with at least five fatalities
