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Last updated: November 16, 2023

Car Crash Statistics 2024

Speeding and drunk driving cause a combined 60 percent of traffic fatalities in the U.S.

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Although most of us drive every day, we don’t always think about the possible consequences of doing so. In worst-case scenarios, a motor vehicle crash can lead to property damage, injury, and even death. Fortunately, traffic fatalities are rare, but actions like drinking and driving, distracted driving, and speeding make them more likely. While 2023 data is not yet available, let’s take a look at the most recent statistics about car crashes in the United States.

Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths

By Year

Year over year, from 1960 to 2021, the number of traffic fatalities increased by 1 percent on average. In 2021, the most recent year for which data is available from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, there were 42,915 traffic fatalities in the U.S., an 11 percent increase from 2020.1

Why so high? Part of the reason is the decreased driving in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As national stay-at-home orders were lifted and people got back behind the wheel in 2021, there were more cars on the road, and with them, more driving fatalities.

Number of traffic fatalities in the United States

By State

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the state of Texas had the highest number of traffic fatalities in 2020, with a total of 3,874.2 On average, 761 people died in car accidents in each state in 2020. Of course, these numbers don’t take into account the number of licensed drivers per state, just the total number of traffic deaths.

State Number of traffic fatalities in 2019 Number of traffic fatalities in 2020
Alabama 930 934
Alaska 67 64
Arizona 979 1054
Arkansas 511 638
California 3719 3847
Colorado 597 622
Connecticut 249 295
Delaware 132 116
District of Columbia 23 36
Florida 3185 3331
Georgia 1492 1664
Hawaii 108 85
Idaho 224 214
Illinois 1009 1194
Indiana 810 897
Iowa 336 337
Kansas 410 426
Kentucky 732 780
Louisiana 727 828
Maine 157 164
Maryland 535 567
Massachusetts 336 343
Michigan 986 1084
Minnesota 364 394
Mississippi 642 752
Missouri 881 987
Montana 184 213
Nebraska 248 233
Nevada 304 317
New Hampshire 101 104
New Jersey 558 584
New Mexico 425 398
New York 934 1046
North Carolina 1457 1538
North Dakota 100 100
Ohio 1153 1230
Oklahoma 640 652
Oregon 493 508
Pennsylvania 1059 1129
Rhode Island 57 67
South Carolina 1006 1064
South Dakota 102 141
Tennessee 1136 1217
Texas 3619 3874
Utah 248 276
Vermont 47 62
Virginia 831 850
Washington 538 560
West Virginia 260 267
Wisconsin 567 614
Wyoming 147 127

By Vehicle Type

Passenger vehicles were involved in 39 percent of fatal crashes in 2020, while light trucks were involved in 38 percent. The most common type of passenger car involved in fatal crashes was a four-door hardtop sedan, while the most common light truck type was a light pickup.

Much like the number of traffic fatalities, this data does not take into account how many of each vehicle type are on the road, so it doesn’t necessarily indicate that these vehicle types are more dangerous than others.

Type of vehicle Body type Number of vehicles involved in fatal crashes in the U.S. in 2020 Percent
Passenger car All passenger cars 20,868 39%
Passenger car Convertible 439 1%
Passenger car 2-door sedan, hardtop, coupe 1,821 3%
Passenger car 3-door/2-door hatchback 496 1%
Passenger car 4-door sedan, hardtop 14,822 27%
Passenger car 5-door/4-door hatchback 1,020 2%
Passenger car Station wagon 2,149 4%
Passenger car Sedan/hardtop, doors unknown 22 Less than 1%
Passenger car Other or unknown automobile type 78 Less than 1%
Passenger car Auto-based pickup 10 Less than 1%
Passenger car Auto-based panel 1 Less than 1%
Passenger car 3-door coupe 10 Less than 1%
Light truck All light trucks 20,566 38%
Light truck Compact utility 7,134 13%
Light truck Large utility 2,517 5%
Light truck Utility station wagon 258 1%
Light truck Utility, unknown body type 4 Less than 1%
Light truck Minivan 1,283 2%
Light truck Large van (includes van-based buses) 509 1%
Light truck Step van (GVWR less than or equal to 10,000 lbs) 4 Less than 1%
Light truck Other van type 2 Less than 1%
Light truck Unknown van type 2 Less than 1%
Light truck Light pickup 8,779 16%
Light truck Unknown pickup style 10 Less than 1%
Light truck Cab chassis-based light truck 7 Less than 1%
Light truck Other conventional light truck 1 Less than 1%
Light truck Unknown light truck type 4 Less than 1%
Light truck Unknown light vehicle type 50 Less than 1%
Light truck Unknown truck type (light, medium, heavy) with no trailing unit 2 Less than 1%
Large truck All large trucks 4,842 9%
Large truck Step van (GVWR greater than 10,000 lbs) 18 Less than 1%
Large truck Single-unit truck (GVWR range 10,001 to 19,500 lbs) 543 1%
Large truck Single-unit truck (GVWR range 19,501 to 26,000 lbs) 290 1%
Large truck Single-unit truck (GVWR greater than 26,000 lbs) 629 1%
Large truck Single-unit truck (GVWR unknown) 1 Less than 1%
Large truck Truck tractor 2,858 5%
Large truck Medium/heavy pickup (GVWR greater than 10,000 lbs) 481 1%
Large truck Unknown medium truck (GVWR range 10,001 to 26,000 lbs) 1 Less than 1%
Large truck Unknown medium/heavy truck type 21 Less than 1%
Motorcycle All motorcycles 5,715 11%
Motorcycle Two-wheel motorcycle (excluding motor scooters) 5,129 10%
Motorcycle Moped or motorized bicycle 61 Less than 1%
Motorcycle Three-wheel motorcycle (two rear wheels) 59 Less than 1%
Motorcycle Off-road motorcycle 118 Less than 1%
Motorcycle Motor scooter 252 1%
Motorcycle Unenclosed three-wheel motorcycle/unenclosed autocycle (one rear wheel) 38 Less than 1%
Motorcycle Other motorcycle type (minibikes, pocket motorcycles) 11 Less than 1%
Motorcycle Unknown motorcycle type 47 Less than 1%
Bus All buses 156 Less than 1%
Bus School bus 46 Less than 1%
Bus Cross country/intercity bus 9 Less than 1%
Bus Transit bus 86 Less than 1%
Bus Van-based bus (GVWR greater than 10,000 lbs) 3 Less than 1%
Bus Other bus type 11 Less than 1%
Bus Unknown bus type 1 Less than 1%
Other All other vehicles 751 1%
Other Large limousine 1 Less than 1%
Other Light truck-based motorhome 2 Less than 1%
Other Medium/heavy truck-based motorhome 27 Less than 1%
Other All-terrain vehicle/all-terrain cycle 344 1%
Other Snowmobile 7 Less than 1%
Other Farm equipment except trucks 93 Less than 1%
Other Construction equipment except trucks 9 Less than 1%
Other Low-speed vehicle/neighborhood electric vehicle 3 Less than 1%
Other Golf cart 19 Less than 1%
Other Recreational off-highway vehicle 217 Less than 1%
Other Other vehicle type 29 Less than 1%
Unknown All unknown vehicle types 1,374 3%
Unknown Unknown body type 1,374 3%
Total n/a 54,272 n/a

Motor Vehicle Crash Injuries

In 2020, the NHTSA estimated that there were over 4 million people injured in injury-only motor vehicle crashes, meaning they didn’t cause any fatalities or property damage. Seventy percent of the injured people were drivers, while 28 percent were occupants.

Number of people in injury-only motor vehicle crashes in 2020

The Most Common Crash Types

Looking at all of the motor vehicle crashes that occurred in 2020, almost 70 percent caused property damage only, 30 percent were injury only, and 1 percent involved fatalities.

Total motor vehicle crashes in 2020

Surprisingly, for the crashes in which the manner of the collision was known, the plurality (17 percent) occurred when the motor vehicle was not in transport. In other words, they happened when someone hit a parked car. Fourteen percent of known collisions were rear-ends, while the next most common collision type occurred at an angle, accounting for 12 percent of crashes.

Most Common Causes of Crashes

Alcohol

It’s a sad but true fact that every day in the U.S., approximately 32 people die from drunk driving. In 2020, the total number was 11,654 people, a 14 percent increase from 2019.

Across the U.S., about one-third of traffic deaths involve drunk driving, making it one of the most common causes of traffic fatalities. When you’re behind the wheel, make sure your blood alcohol concentration is at zero percent to avoid a fatal drunk-driving accident.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is another common-yet-dangerous practice in the U.S., and it was the cause of 9 percent of fatal crashes in 2020. However, the specific percentage varies from state to state.

State Percent of fatal crashes involving distracted driving in 2020, high to low
New Mexico 38%
Kansas 22%
Louisiana 20%
Wyoming 18%
>Hawaii 17%
Washington 17%
Illinois 16%
Virginia 13%
Kentucky 13%
New York 12%
Alaska 11%
Vermont 10%
Idaho 10%
Massachusetts 9%
Texas 9%
Maine 9%
Colorado 9%
North Carolina 9%
Florida 9%
Oklahoma 9%
Missouri 8%
North Dakota 8%
Maryland 8%
Oregon 8%
Minnesota 7%
Utah 7%
Montana 6%
Tennessee 6%
New Hampshire 6%
Alabama 6%
Nebraska 6%
District of Columbia 6%
Arizona 5%
Wisconsin 5%
Pennsylvania 5%
Delaware 5%
Indiana 5%
Ohio 5%
Michigan 5%
South Dakota 5%
Rhode Island 5%
Iowa 4%
South Carolina 4%
Georgia 4%
Connecticut 4%
Arkansas 3%
Nevada 3%
West Virginia 3%
California 3%
Mississippi 1%
New Jersey 1%

In New Mexico, for instance, distracted driving was involved in nearly four out of 10 traffic deaths in 2020. In general, the West has the highest rates of distracted driving-related traffic fatalities, with an average of 12 percent. The Northeast and South, on the other hand, have the lowest rates, at 7 percent each.

Speeding

The speed limit is just a suggestion, right? Wrong. In 2020, there were 11,256 deaths due to speeding, making up 29 percent of all traffic fatalities.

Speeding is even more dangerous in bad weather. Forty-five percent of speeding-related fatal crashes involved standing or moving water, 42 percent involved ice or frost, and 33 percent involved snow and slush. That means you need to be extra careful in the winter time, especially on holidays, when deadly car crashes soar.

Additionally, statistics show certain demographic groups are more likely to speed than others, which is one of the reasons men pay more for car insurance.

Age group Number of speeding male drivers in fatal crashes, 2020 Percentage of total crashes Number of speeding female drivers in fatal crashes, 2020 Percentage of total crashes Total number of speeding male and female drivers in fatal crashes, 2020 Percentage of total crashes
15-20 1,170 35% 224 18% 1,394 14%
21-24 1,143 32% 233 18% 1,376 14%
25-34 2,486 28% 502 17% 2,988 30%
35-44 1,463 22% 283 13% 1,746 17%
45-54 951 16% 170 10% 1,121 11%
55-64 750 13% 137 8% 887 9%
65-74 321 11% 59 6% 380 4%
75+ 182 9% 41 5% 223 2%
Total 8,466 84% 1,649 16% 10,115 n/a

Men made up 84 percent of all speeding drivers in fatal crashes in 2020. Additionally, those between the ages of 25 and 34 made up a third of all speeding drivers who died in crashes the same year. The age group with the lowest rates was senior drivers 75 and older, which we’ll discuss in more detail below.3

The Most Vulnerable Groups

Road Users

Sixty-one percent of people who died in motor vehicle crashes in 2020 were in cars, pickups, or SUVs. Only 17 percent were pedestrians, 14 percent rode motorcycles, and the rest, 2 percent each, were either in large trucks or on bicycles.4

Percentage of people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2020

Rural vs. Urban

Fifty-six percent of these motor vehicle crash deaths occurred in urban areas, while 43 percent occurred in rural areas.

Percentage of motor vehicle deaths in the United States in 2020

Teens

Teen drivers are a vulnerable driving group due to their lack of experience. In 2020, 2,730 teens died in car crashes; the large majority (1,866, or 68 percent) were male, while the rest were female. In fact, unintentional injuries from accidents, which includes car accidents, were the leading cause of death for teens the same year, killing 5,117 out of every 100,000 persons aged 13 to 19.5

When you combine teen driving with speeding, death rates rise. From 2015 to 2019, 43 percent of teen driving fatalities involved speeding, according to the Governors’ Highway Safety Administration.6

State Teen driver speeding-related fatalities 2015-2019, high to low
Hawaii 83%
District of Columbia 80%
New Hampshire 77%
Maine 71%
Pennsylvania 68%
Rhode Island 67%
New York 63%
Missouri 61%
Illinois 59%
New Mexico 58%
Colorado 57%
Oregon 57%
South Carolina 57%
Vermont 56%
Wyoming 55%
Connecticut 54%
Massachusetts 54%
Kansas 53%
Arizona 51%
Nevada 51%
Alaska 50%
Delaware 50%
Maryland 50%
New Jersey 50%
North Carolina 49%
Virginia 49%
West Virginia 47%
California 46%
South Dakota 46%
Wisconsin 46%
Michigan 44%
Montana 44%
Texas 44%
Washington 44%
Indiana 40%
Alabama 39%
Oklahoma 39%
North Dakota 38%
Minnesota 36%
Ohio 36%
Arkansas 34%
Utah 34%
Kentucky 33%
Louisiana 32%
Georgia 28%
Iowa 28%
Tennessee 27%
Idaho 26%
Nebraska 23%
Florida 21%
Mississippi 20%

Rates were highest in Hawaii, where 83 percent of teen fatalities involved speeding, an amount nearly double the national average.

Seniors

Contrary to stereotypes, senior drivers are safer on the road than most other groups. According to 2020 NHTSA data, those 55 and older are 85 percent less likely to be involved in traffic accidents compared to the average across all age groups. That increases to 92 percent for people aged 65 to 74 and 125 percent for those 75 and above.

There is a direct correlation between age and involvement in traffic crashes. The older you are, the less likely you are to be involved in a crash, with the highest crash rates among those ages 16 to 20.

Commercial Drivers

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), car crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. From 2011 to 2020, more than 17,000 workers in the U.S. died in motor vehicle crashes. In 2020, the plurality (43 percent) worked in transportation and warehousing.

Industry Percentage of work-related motor vehicle deaths in 2020
Transportation and warehousing 43%
Construction 14%
Wholesale and retail trade 9%
Administration, support, waste management, and remediation service 6%

Restraint Use: How Seatbelts Can Help

Seat belts are extremely effective in preventing both injuries and deaths in crashes. In the front seat, they reduce passenger deaths by 45 percent and injuries by 50 percent. That means out of the 10,911 passengers who were not wearing their seat belts when they died in car crashes in 2020, 4,946 could have lived had they used these restraints.

The Impact of Crashes on Car Insurance

Aside from causing property damage, injuries, and deaths, car crashes also cause the cost of car insurance to increase. The cost of car insurance after accidents can rise anywhere from 24 to 59 percent, depending on the provider. The average increase is 42 percent.

Average annual cost of insurance before and after an accident

Even if the crash wasn’t your fault, your insurance costs could still rise, depending on your provider. However, the increase will be even higher if you caused the car accident.

Conclusion

To learn more about this topic, read our article on teen crash rates, or explore more of our car insurance research. Although these crash rates may seem scary, the majority of accidents are preventable if you drive sober, focused, and under the speed limit.

Methodology

We used third-party data to compile this report. The third parties included:

  • Bureau of Transportation Statistics
  • Centers for Disease Control
  • Governors’ Highway Safety Administration
  • Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  • National Safety Council

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is statistically more likely to get in a car accident?

Men are more likely than women to get into car accidents — they are involved in 56 percent of crashes compared to 44 percent for women, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Where do 50 percent of all accidents occur?

According to the Federal Highway Administration, over 50 percent of all fatal and injury-only accidents occur near or at intersections.

What is the deadliest collision?

The deadliest collision while a vehicle is in transport is at an angle. In 2020, 18 percent of fatal motor vehicle collisions occurred at an angle, compared to 10 percent head-on, 7 percent rear-end, and 3 percent sideswipe. This data is from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

What time of day do most crashes occur?

Of the crashes where the time of day was known, the majority (68 percent) occurred during the day, while 32 percent occurred at night, according to 2020 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

Citations

  1. Motor Vehicle Safety Data. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. (2022).
    https://www.bts.gov/content/motor-vehicle-safety-data

  2. Crashes and All Victims. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2020).
    https://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/States/StatesCrashesAndAllVictims.aspx

  3. Motor Vehicle Safety Issues: Speeding. National Safety Council Injury Facts. (2023).

    Speeding

  4. Fatality Facts 2020 Stat by State. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute. (2022, May).
    https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state

  5. Teen Driver and Passenger Safety. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023).
    https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/teen_drivers/index.html

  6. Teens and Speeding: Breaking the Deadly Cycle. Governors Highway Safety Association. (2021, Jan).
    https://www.ghsa.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/GHSA_TeenSpeeding_Feb16.pdf