Car Accident Statistics and Facts in 2022

Here are some interesting car accident statistics that you might not know. These car accident numbers might surprise you and give you a better understanding of how often accidents happen.

Melissa Veseli

Data Scientist

Melissa Veseli

Sr. Content Editor

Last Updated: 24.10.2022

Traffic Deaths Over Time

AS FEATURED IN

Key Takeaways: October 2022 Data

An estimated 42,915 people died in car crashes in US in 2021. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
A statistical projection of traffic fatalities for the first half of 2022 (Jan - June) shows that an estimated 20,175 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
On average, there are approximately 18,510 car crashes per day in the US. (BTS)
Approximately 1.35 million people die worldwide each year as a result of road traffic crashes. That's an average of 3,287 deaths per day. (CDC.gov)
Based on the latest date 4.8 million people are injured seriously enough to require medical attention per year. (NSC.org)
The estimated total cost of car crashes in 2021 was $871 billion dollars. (NSC)

Car Accident Sections

Section 01

General car accidents statistics

Section 02

Deaths by road user

Section 03

Car accidents by vehicle type

Section 04

Car crash statistics by state

Section 05

Leading causes of fatal car accidents

Section 01

Car accidents by age and gender

Section 01

General Car Accident Statistics

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are about 6.3 million car accidents in the United States every year.

Traffic Deaths Over Time

That's an average of 18,510 accidents per day. And that's just the average - some days there are more accidents than that.

Approximately 1.35 million people die in road crashes each year; on average 3,700 people lose their lives every day on the roads. That means that on average, 9 people are killed and 27 people are injured in car accidents every single day in this country.

Based on the latest data, of those 6 million car accidents, about 3 million people are injured each year.

The state with the most fatal accidents per capita is Mississippi — there were 25 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents in 2020.

The death rate per 100 million miles traveled ranged from 0.63 in Massachusetts to 1.97 in South Carolina

This resulted in 11.7 deaths per 100,000 people and 1.34 deaths per 100 million miles traveled.

The fatality rate per 100,000 people ranged from 4.9 in Massachusetts to 25.4 in Mississippi.

For nearly every year between 1975 and 2020, there have been two male crash deaths for every female crash deaths.

Men typically drive more miles than women, and are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as driving while intoxicated, speeding and not wearing seatbelts.

Speeding was a factor in more motor vehicle crashes with male drivers than female drivers in each year between 1982 and 2020.

Teenage drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are more likely than any other age group to be involved in a car accident.

Section 02

Car Accident Deaths by Road User

In 2020, Wyoming had the highest percentage of deaths involving SUV and pickup occupants (48 percent) and the lowest percentage of deaths involving car occupants (21 percent).

In contrast, Vermont had the highest percentage of deaths involving car occupants (44 percent) and a relatively low percentage of deaths involving SUV and pickup occupants (16 percent).

Florida and Hawaii tied for the highest percentage of crash deaths involving bicyclists (5 percent), and New Jersey had the highest percentage involving pedestrians (30 percent).

Hawaii reported relatively low proportions of fatalities for both cars (28 percent) and SUVs and pickups (20 percent), but a relatively high percentage of pedestrian deaths (25 percent).

Section 03

Car Accidents by Vehicle Type

Passenger cars, like sedans and compact cars, have the most accidents that result in injuries or death.

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Motor-vehicle deaths by crash type

Total Motor-vehicle deaths, injuries and number of crashes by type of crash

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Motor-vehicle injuries by crash type

Motor-vehicle fatal crashes by crash type

Section 04

Car Crash Statistics by State

Northeastern states such as New Jersey and Massachusetts topped the list for fewest deaths per 100 million miles driven.

One potential reason for fewer traffic fatalities in the Northeast is the availability of high-quality public transit.

New Orleans ranks as the worst city in the United States for public transportation. In addition, most of these states feature a high concentration of poorly paved, winding and often dark rural roads that can pose dangers to drivers.

Southeastern and Western states such as Louisiana, New Mexico, and South Carolina experience some of the highest number of deaths per million miles traveled.

Section 05

Leading Causes of Fatal Car Accidents

Drowsy driving: In 2020, 633 fatalities resulted from drowsy driving. Drowsy driving was responsible for almost 2% of total traffic fatalities that year. (NHTSA)

According to the most recent report from the NHTSA, there were 42,915 motor vehicle fatalities in 2021, a 10.5% increase from 2020.

Drunk driving: Drunk drivers cause more than 17,000 fatalities every year. That means someone dies from a drunk driving accident every 30 minutes. (New York State Police)

Distracted driving: 6% of fatal car crashes in 2020 involved distracted driving. Of the drivers involved in distracted driving, 64% were described as “lost in thought (daydreaming).” Another 12% were engaging in cell phone use. (IIHS)

Section 06

Car Accidents by Age and Gender

A driver’s age and sex also appear to affect their chances of being in a road accident. For instance, according to the World Health Organization, injuries from road accidents are the leading cause of death in children and adults aged 5 to 29 years.

In the U.S., drivers within the age range of 16 to 20 years have the highest fatal crashes involvement of 34 per 100,000 licensed drivers, despite making up the smallest percentage of licensed drivers. The average rate for all age groups is 12 per 100,000.

Deaths by age group in the United States

Based on available data, from 2009 to 2018, men are three times more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than women.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “in 2018, almost 2,500 teens in the United States aged 13–19 were killed, and about 285,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes.”