FinMasters content material is free. Once you buy by way of referral hyperlinks on our web site, we earn a fee. Advertiser Disclosure

Automotive accidents are an issue that simply gained’t go away. Regardless of ever-safer automobiles, pace limits, and strict legal guidelines about drunk and distracted driving, accidents proceed to run up an enormous demise toll and big sums in damages. Round 1.35 million individuals die on the world’s roads yearly.

We’ve collected this automobile accident statistics roundup to assist make clear the prevalence of accidents and the influence they’ve on society.

Key Figures

  • An estimated 14.19 million motorcar crashes occurred within the US in 2019, together with instances not reported to the police.
  • The World Well being Group (WHO) registers round 1.35 million annual motorcar site visitors fatalities worldwide.
  • 31,785 individuals died in traffic-related accidents within the US within the first 9 months of 2022.
  • The financial value of motorcar accidents within the US amounted to $339.8 billion in 2019.
  • The overwhelming majority (76.75%) of all motorcar crashes within the US resulted in property injury solely.
  • Almost a 3rd (29.6%) of all deadly automobile crashes within the US concerned alcohol-impaired driving.

How Many Automotive Accidents Occur within the US Every Yr?

Based on the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration report, the variety of police-reported site visitors crashes hit 5,250,837 within the US in 2020. In comparison with 2019, there was a 22.28% lower within the variety of police-reported crashes[3].

Variety of Police-Reported Site visitors Crashes within the US

Based mostly on Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) knowledge, the overall variety of motorcar crashes reached 14.19 million within the US in 2019, together with crashes not reported to the police, that are believed to account for over half (53.2%) of all crashes within the nation[1].

Automotive Accidents by Kind of Injury

Almost 8 in 10 (76.75%) of all automobile accident crashes within the US trigger solely property injury, with no accidents or deaths.

There have been an estimated 10.89 million motorcar crashes within the US in 2019, which solely resulted in property injury solely. Round 6.5 million of those have been not reported to the police.

Roughly 3.27 million motorcar crashes resulted in an harm within the US in 2019, together with 31.9% of accidents not reported to the police (primarily involving minor or reasonable accidents).

Site visitors fatalities occurred in 0.24% (33,621) of all estimated motorcar crashes within the US in 2019[1].

Detailed breakdown

Kind Police-reported Not police-reported Whole  Share of unreported crashes
Property injury solely 4,390,169 6,503,550 10,893,719 59.7%
Harm 2,223,724 1,042,663 3,266,387 31.9%
Deadly 33,621 0 33,621 0.0%

How Many Individuals Die in Automotive Accidents within the US?

An estimated 31,785 individuals died within the US within the first 9 months of 2022 in automobile crash accidents. That’s a 0.2% decline over the identical timeframe (January-September) in 2021.

Motorcar site visitors fatalities totaled 42,915 within the US in 2021, that’s a 10.5% enhance over 2020 when automobile site visitors was diminished by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fatality fee per 100 million automobile miles traveled reached 1.30 within the first 9 months of 2022, down from 1.32 overJanuary-September of 2021[2].

Motor Automobile Site visitors Fatality Price* within the US

*Fatality Price per 100 Million Automobile Miles Traveled

Site visitors Fatalities by State

Site visitors-related demise charges significantly fluctuate by state, starting from 0.71 to 1.78 fatalities per 100 million automobile miles traveled throughout 50 states within the US within the first 9 months of 2022.

Massachusetts topped the checklist with the fewest traffic-related deaths per 100 million automobiles, with 0.71 or 328 fatalities in complete within the state for January-September 2022.

South Carolina and Arkansas registered increased fatality charges than another state: 1.78 and 1.75 per 100 million automobile miles traveled, respectively, 2.5x larger than the speed in Massachusetts[2].

Variety of Automobile Site visitors Fatality Price* within the US by State

*Fatality Price per 100 Million Automobile Miles Traveled

Automotive Accidents by Severity

There have been 3.62 million police-reported automobile accidents that resulted in property injury solely within the US in 2020, accounting for 69% of all reported crashes within the nation.

About 3 in 10 (30.3%) of all police-reported motorcar crashes in 2020 – round 1.59 million – concerned accidents.

An estimated 35,766 deadly accidents occurred within the US in 2020, accounting for 0.7% of reported crashes[3].

Police-Reported Automotive Accidents within the US by Severity

Alcohol-Impaired Driving Deadly Crashes

In 2020, there have been 10,598 alcohol-impaired driving crashes within the US, accounting for 29.6% of all deadly crashes within the nation. That’s a 14.3% enhance in deadly crashes involving alcohol-impaired driving over the previous 12 months[3].

Alcohol-Impaired Driving Deadly Crashes within the US

Extra data

Yr Whole deadly crashes Deadly crashes involving alcohol-impaired driving  Share of deadly crashes involving alcohol-impaired driving 
2010 30,296 9,248 30.5%
2011 29,867 8,997 30.1%
2012 31,006 9,377 30.2%
2013 30,202 9,171 30.4%
2014 30,056 9,049 30.1%
2015 32,538 9,311 28.6%
2016 34,748 9,911 28.5%
2017 34,560 9,917 28.7%
2018 33,919 9,741 28.7%
2019 33,487 9,269 27.7%
2020 35,766 10,598 29.6%

Deadly Crashes and Alcohol-Impaired Driving by Time of Day

In 2020, almost half (47.1%) of deadly crashes within the US that occurred from 9 pm to 2:59 am concerned alcohol-impaired driving.

The share of deadly crashes involving alcohol-impaired driving drops to as little as 11% for accidents occurring between 9 am and 11:59 am[3].

Extra data

Time of day Whole deadly crashes Alcohol-impaired driving  Share of deadly crashes involving alcohol-impaired driving 
Midnight to 2:59 am 3,871 2,113 54.6%
3 am to five:59 am 2,884 1,104 38.3%
6 am to eight:59 am 3,197 457 14.3%
9 am to 11:59 am 3,142 347 11.0%
Midday to 2:59 pm 4,447 607 13.6%
3 pm to five:59 pm 5,597 1,272 22.7%
6 pm to eight:59 pm 6,523 2,127 32.6%
9 pm to 11:59 pm 5,792 2,435 42.0%
Whole  35,766 10,598 29.6%

Seat Belt Use Amongst Fatally Injured Passengers

In 2020, lower than half (44.3%) of drivers in deadly motorcar crashes within the US used a seatbelt, whereas 45.8% have been unbelted on the time of the accident. In comparison with 2019, the share of belt use in deadly motorcar crashes declined from 49.5%[4].

Seat Belt Use Amongst Drivers

Be aware: Knowledge above is for drivers solely.

Based mostly on 2020 knowledge, solely 41.5% of passengers 13 years previous or older in deadly crashes used a seat belt. Seat belt utilization amongst passengers 13 years and older in deadly accidents declined from 44.5% in 2019[4].

Seat Belt Use Amongst Passengers

Be aware: Knowledge above regarding passengers (13 years previous and older) solely.

Automobile Crash Deaths and Dashing

Based mostly on the Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS) evaluation of 2020 US knowledge, rushing was a consider almost a 3rd (29%) of motorcar crash deaths. That’s a rise from 26.4% in 2019[4].

Motor Automobile Crash Deaths Involving Dashing as a Contributing Issue

Financial Price of Automotive Crashes

The annual financial value of automobile accidents that occurred within the US amounted to $339.8 billion in 2019.

That value comes out to over $1000 for every individual within the US, and 1.6% of the US GDP.

Vehicular accidents value taxpayers $30 billion in 2019, the equal of $230 per American family.

Together with high quality of life valuations, the overall value of site visitors accidents within the US is estimated at nearly $1.4 trillion[1].

Highway Site visitors Deaths Worldwide

Based mostly on World Well being Group knowledge, traffic-related deaths reached 1.35 million individuals worldwide in 2016 worldwide. Automobile accidents have been the main reason for demise for youngsters and younger individuals (5-29 years previous).

Amongst individuals of all ages, highway site visitors accidents have been the eighth main reason for demise with a 2.5% share of complete deaths, greater than diarrhoeal ailments (2.4%) or tuberculosis (2.3%)[5].

Motor Automobile Crash Deaths Amongst Choose Excessive-Earnings Nations

Amongst 29 high-income international locations included within the CDC evaluation, america had the best population-based automobile accident demise fee (11.1 per 100,000 individuals) in 2019, 2.22x increased than the general median.

Sweden and Norway topped the checklist with the bottom population-based motorcar demise charges in 2019, with 2.0 fatalities in each international locations per 100,000 inhabitants[6].

Among the many 21 choose high-income international locations with out there knowledge on automobile miles traveled included within the CDC evaluation, Hungary topped the checklist with essentially the most motorcar crash deaths fee per 100 million automobile miles traveled, with 2.05 fatalities, 2.2x increased than the general imply.

The USA ranked within the higher vary of motorcar crash deaths, with 1.11 fatalities per 100 million automobile miles traveled in 2019[6].

Motor Automobile Deaths per 100 Million Automobile Miles Traveled

Motor Automobile Crash Deaths Amongst WHO Areas

Based on a World Well being Group report on highway security, population-based charges of traffic-related deaths are highest in Africa (26.6 per 100,000 individuals) and South-East Asia (20.7 per 100,000 individuals).

Europe ranked because the area with the bottom variety of traffic-related fatalities, with 9.3 per 100,000 individuals. That’s lower than half of the world’s common motorcar demise fee of 18.2 per 100,000 individuals[7]. 

Be aware: Knowledge as of 2016