Road deaths in Tennessee, 2023
Deaths
1,323
Per 100,000 residents
18.51
Rank
7 of 51
Tennessee recorded 1,323 road deaths in 1,219 fatal crashes during 2023. At 18.51 deaths per 100,000 residents it sits 52% above the national rate of 12.18, ranking 7 of 51 — among the more dangerous half. Deaths rose 0.8% from 2022.
Where the deaths happened
Counties with the most road deaths in 2023. These are raw counts — populous counties will rank high simply because more people drive there.
| County | Deaths | Share of state |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby | 259 | 19.6% |
| Davidson | 138 | 10.4% |
| Knox | 86 | 6.5% |
| Hamilton | 51 | 3.9% |
| Rutherford | 37 | 2.8% |
| Montgomery | 36 | 2.7% |
| Wilson | 25 | 1.9% |
| Madison | 23 | 1.7% |
| Sevier | 23 | 1.7% |
| Sumner | 22 | 1.7% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2023 national file. Population: US Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 state population estimates.How these numbers are built →