About 228,200 Americans had a license to operate a motor vehicle in the United States in 2020. That year, an estimated 36,680 people died on U.S. roads. Traffic-related fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers stood at 17.01 in 2020.

Road safety rankings
The United States has among the highest rates of road fatalities per population worldwide. Possible contributing factors to deaths on the road can include speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and driving while fatigued. Traffic fatalities caused by speeding in the United States have declined since 2008, with less than 10,000 deaths recorded annually over recent years.

Automation for the nation
94 percent of severe automobile crashes are due to human error — but driving safety is taken much more seriously today than in the past, with roughly 90 percent of U.S. drivers wearing their seatbelts while driving in 2020. Over recent years, car manufacturers and developers have striven to reduce car crashes even further with partially and fully automated safety features such as forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings, rearview video systems, and automatic emergency braking. Self-driving vehicles are also set to take to the roads in the future, with car brands such as Toyota, Ford, and GM registering over 350 autonomous driving patents respectively in the United States.

The dataset contains information on the occupant and non-occupant fatalities with different motor vehicle type on U.S. roads. National Transportation Statistics presents statistics on the U.S. transportation system, including its physical components, safety record, economic performance, the human and natural environment, and national security.

This statistic represents the number of fatalities resulting from motor vehicle crashes in the United States by person type from 1988 to 2019. In 2019, over 5,000 motorcyclists were killed in U.S. motor vehicle crashes. There was an overall year-on-year decrease of all types of fatalities between 2018 and 2019

The graph displays the number of car accident fatalities by gender in the United States from 2010 to 2022. The x-axis represents the years, labeled from '10 to '22, while the y-axis indicates the number of fatalities. Each year includes data points for both males and females. Male fatalities range from a low of 22,937 in 2011 to a high of 30,964 in 2021. Female fatalities vary between 9,463 in 2014 and 12,135 in 2021. The data consistently shows that male fatalities are higher than female fatalities each year. There is a noticeable upward trend in fatalities for both genders in the later years, particularly in 2020 and 2021.

Motor Vehicle Occupant Death Rate, by Sex, 2012 & 2014, All States

  Description

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for motor vehicle occupants killed in crashes, 2012 & 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2014 Annual Report File Note: Blank cells indicate data are suppressed. Fatality rates based on fewer than 20… See the full description on the dataset page: https://huggingface.co/datasets/HHS-Official/motor-vehicle-occupant-death-rate-by-sex-2012-and.

United States US: Road Fatalities: Per One Million Vehicle-km data was reported at 7.805 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.265 Ratio for 2022. United States US: Road Fatalities: Per One Million Vehicle-km data is updated yearly, averaging 8.404 Ratio from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2023, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.731 Ratio in 1994 and a record low of 6.725 Ratio in 2014. United States US: Road Fatalities: Per One Million Vehicle-km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.OECD.ITF: Road Traffic and Road Accident Fatalities: OECD Member: Annual. [COVERAGE] ROAD FATALITIES A road fatality is any person killed immediately or dying within 30 days as a result of an injury accident, excluding suicides. A killed person is excluded if the competent authority declares the cause of death to be suicide, i.e. a deliberate act to injure oneself resulting in death. For countries that do not apply the threshold of 30 days, conversion coefficients are estimated so that comparison on the basis of the 30-day definition can be made. ROAD TRAFFIC Road traffic is any movement of a road vehicle on a given road network. When a road vehicle is being carried on another vehicle, only the movement of the carrying (active mode) is considered. [COVERAGE] ROAD TRAFFIC IRTAD - Data refer to road motor vehicle traffic of motorised two-wheelers, passenger cars, goods road motor vehicles and buses. [STAT_CONC_DEF] ROAD TRAFFIC IRTAD - Data are calculated using automatic and manual roadside traffic counts.

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for motor vehicle occupants killed in crashes, 2012 & 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2014 Annual Report File Note: Blank cells indicate data are suppressed. Fatality rates based on fewer than 20 deaths are suppressed.

Motor-vehicle deaths in the United States have decreased greatly since the 1970s and 1980s. In 2023, there were around **** deaths from motor vehicles per 100,000 population, compared to a rate of **** deaths per 100,000 in 1970. Laws requiring drivers and passengers to wear safety belts and advancements in safety technology in vehicles are major drivers for these reductions. Motor-vehicle accidents in the U.S. Americans spend a significant amount of time behind the wheel. Many cities lack convenient and reliable public transportation and, especially in rural areas, cars are a necessary means of transportation. In 2020, August was the month with the highest number of fatal crashes, followed by September and June. The deadliest time of day for fatal vehicle crashes is between * and * p.m., most likely due to the after-work rush hour and more people who are under the influence of alcohol. Drinking and driving among youth Drinking and driving remains a relevant problem across the United States and can be especially problematic among younger people. In 2023, around *** percent of those aged 21 to 25 years in the United States reported driving under the influence of alcohol in the preceding year. Furthermore, around ***** percent of those aged 16 to 20 drove after drinking within the past year.

Motor Vehicle Occupant Death Rate, by Age and Sex, 2012 & 2014, Region 2 - New York

  Description

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for motor vehicle occupants killed in crashes, 2012 & 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2014 Annual Report File Note: Blank cells indicate data are suppressed. Fatality rates based on… See the full description on the dataset page: https://huggingface.co/datasets/HHS-Official/motor-vehicle-occupant-death-rate-by-age-and-sex-2.

United States US: Road Fatalities: Per One Million Road Motor Vehicles data was reported at 120.615 Ratio in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 123.083 Ratio for 2018. United States US: Road Fatalities: Per One Million Road Motor Vehicles data is updated yearly, averaging 165.059 Ratio from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2019, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 212.199 Ratio in 1995 and a record low of 118.903 Ratio in 2014. United States US: Road Fatalities: Per One Million Road Motor Vehicles data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.OECD.ITF: Road Traffic and Road Accident Fatalities: OECD Member: Annual. VEHICLES The stock of road motor vehicles is the number of road motor vehicles registered at a given date in a country and licenced to use roads open to public traffic. This includes road vehicles exempted from annual taxes or licence fee; it also includes imported second-hand vehicles and other road vehicles according to national practices. It should not include military vehicles.; ROAD FATALITIES A road fatality is any person killed immediately or dying within 30 days as a result of an injury accident, excluding suicides. A killed person is excluded if the competent authority declares the cause of death to be suicide, i.e. a deliberate act to injure oneself resulting in death. For countries that do not apply the threshold of 30 days, conversion coefficients are estimated so that comparison on the basis of the 30-day definition can be made. VEHICLES A road motor vehicle is a road vehicle fitted with an engine whence it derives its sole means of propulsion, which is normally used for carrying persons or goods or for drawing, on the road, vehicles used for the carriage of persons or goods.; VEHICLES Motor vehicle refers to any motorised (mechanically or electronically powered) road vehicle not operated on rail.

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for motor vehicle occupants killed in crashes, 2012Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)Note: Blank cells indicate data are suppressed. Fatality rates based on fewer than 20 deaths are suppressed.

United States US: Road Traffic: Vehicle-km per One Thousand Units of Current USD GDP data was reported at 191.948 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 199.804 Ratio for 2022. United States US: Road Traffic: Vehicle-km per One Thousand Units of Current USD GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 325.394 Ratio from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2023, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 520.660 Ratio in 1994 and a record low of 191.948 Ratio in 2023. United States US: Road Traffic: Vehicle-km per One Thousand Units of Current USD GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.OECD.ITF: Road Traffic and Road Accident Fatalities: OECD Member: Annual. [COVERAGE] ROAD TRAFFIC Road traffic is any movement of a road vehicle on a given road network. When a road vehicle is being carried on another vehicle, only the movement of the carrying (active mode) is considered. [COVERAGE] ROAD TRAFFIC IRTAD - Data refer to road motor vehicle traffic of motorised two-wheelers, passenger cars, goods road motor vehicles and buses. [STAT_CONC_DEF] ROAD TRAFFIC IRTAD - Data are calculated using automatic and manual roadside traffic counts.

In 2022, light trucks were the main vehicle type involved in alcohol-impaired fatal crashes in the United States, with more than ***** drivers reported, followed by passenger cars, with more than ***** crashes reported. In 2022, light trucks were leading in light vehicle sales in the country.

The Motor Vehicle Collisions crash table contains details on the crash event. Each row represents a crash event. The Motor Vehicle Collisions data tables contain information from all police reported motor vehicle collisions in NYC. The police report (MV104-AN) is required to be filled out for collisions where someone is injured or killed, or where there is at least $1000 worth of damage (https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/ny_overlay_mv-104an_rev05_2004.pdf). It should be noted that the data is preliminary and subject to change when the MV-104AN forms are amended based on revised crash details.For the most accurate, up to date statistics on traffic fatalities, please refer to the NYPD Motor Vehicle Collisions page (updated weekly) or Vision Zero View (updated monthly). Due to success of the CompStat program, NYPD began to ask how to apply the CompStat principles to other problems. Other than homicides, the fatal incidents with which police have the most contact with the public are fatal traffic collisions. Therefore in April 1998, the Department implemented TrafficStat, which uses the CompStat model to work towards improving traffic safety. Police officers complete form MV-104AN for all vehicle collisions. The MV-104AN is a New York State form that has all of the details of a traffic collision. Before implementing Trafficstat, there was no uniform traffic safety data collection procedure for all of the NYPD precincts. Therefore, the Police Department implemented the Traffic Accident Management System (TAMS) in July 1999 in order to collect traffic data in a uniform method across the City. TAMS required the precincts manually enter a few selected MV-104AN fields to collect very basic intersection traffic crash statistics which included the number of accidents, injuries and fatalities. As the years progressed, there grew a need for additional traffic data so that more detailed analyses could be conducted. The Citywide traffic safety initiative, Vision Zero started in the year 2014. Vision Zero further emphasized the need for the collection of more traffic data in order to work towards the Vision Zero goal, which is to eliminate traffic fatalities. Therefore, the Department in March 2016 replaced the TAMS with the new Finest Online Records Management System (FORMS). FORMS enables the police officers to electronically, using a Department cellphone or computer, enter all of the MV-104AN data fields and stores all of the MV-104AN data fields in the Department’s crime data warehouse. Since all of the MV-104AN data fields are now stored for each traffic collision, detailed traffic safety analyses can be conducted as applicable.

The dataset contains information on the motor vehicle fatalities on U.S. roads and miles of distance and rate of fatalities in various condition. National Transportation Statistics presents statistics on the U.S. transportation system, including its physical components, safety record, economic performance, the human and natural environment, and national security.

In 2020, passenger cars and light trucks had recorded the highest number of occupants killed in U.S. road traffic. More than 13,000 passenger car occupants and more than 10,000 light truck occupants were killed. Motor vehicle crashes and drug overdoses are the leading causes of death among those under the age of 55 in the United States.

The graph displays the number of car accident fatalities in the United States from 2011 to 2024. The x-axis represents the years, labeled from '11 to '24, while the y-axis indicates the number of deaths resulting from car accidents. Fatalities range from a low of 29,135 in 2024 to a high of 43,230 in 2021. Over the period from 2011 to 2021, there is a general upward trend in fatalities, peaking in 2021. The data shows a slight decrease in 2022 and 2023, with fatalities at 42,514 and 40,990, respectively. In early estimates of 2024, there were 39,345 deaths, but this only includes the first three quarters. This data highlights fluctuations in annual car accident fatalities over the years.

In 2023, the death rate from drug overdose in the United States stood at around 29 per 100,000 population, while the death rate from motor vehicle traffic accidents was 12.5 per 100,000 population. Drug overdose, motor vehicle traffic accidents, and falls are the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States.

The Motor Vehicle Collisions vehicle table contains details on each vehicle involved in the crash. Each row represents a motor vehicle involved in a crash. The data in this table goes back to April 2016 when crash reporting switched to an electronic system.

The Motor Vehicle Collisions data tables contain information from all police reported motor vehicle collisions in NYC. The police report (MV104-AN) is required to be filled out for collisions where someone is injured or killed, or where there is at least $1000 worth of damage (https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/ny_overlay_mv-104an_rev05_2004.pdf). It should be noted that the data is preliminary and subject to change when the MV-104AN forms are amended based on revised crash details.

Due to success of the CompStat program, NYPD began to ask how to apply the CompStat principles to other problems. Other than homicides, the fatal incidents with which police have the most contact with the public are fatal traffic collisions. Therefore in April 1998, the Department implemented TrafficStat, which uses the CompStat model to work towards improving traffic safety. Police officers complete form MV-104AN for all vehicle collisions. The MV-104AN is a New York State form that has all of the details of a traffic collision. Before implementing Trafficstat, there was no uniform traffic safety data collection procedure for all of the NYPD precincts. Therefore, the Police Department implemented the Traffic Accident Management System (TAMS) in July 1999 in order to collect traffic data in a uniform method across the City. TAMS required the precincts manually enter a few selected MV-104AN fields to collect very basic intersection traffic crash statistics which included the number of accidents, injuries and fatalities. As the years progressed, there grew a need for additional traffic data so that more detailed analyses could be conducted. The Citywide traffic safety initiative, Vision Zero started in the year 2014. Vision Zero further emphasized the need for the collection of more traffic data in order to work towards the Vision Zero goal, which is to eliminate traffic fatalities. Therefore, the Department in March 2016 replaced the TAMS with the new Finest Online Records Management System (FORMS). FORMS enables the police officers to electronically, using a Department cellphone or computer, enter all of the MV-104AN data fields and stores all of the MV-104AN data fields in the Department’s crime data warehouse. Since all of the MV-104AN data fields are now stored for each traffic collision, detailed traffic safety analyses can be conducted as applicable.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR
Fatalities From Crashes (EN4)

FULL MEASURE NAME
Fatalities from Crashes (traffic collisions)

LAST UPDATED
October 2022

DESCRIPTION
Fatalities from crashes refers to deaths as a result of fatalities sustained in collisions. The California Highway Patrol includes deaths within 30 days of the collision that are a result of fatalities sustained as part of this metric. This total fatalities dataset includes fatality counts for the region and counties, as well as individual collision data and metropolitan area data.

DATA SOURCE
National Highway Safety Administration: Fatality Analysis Reporting System - https://www.nhtsa.gov/file-downloads?p=nhtsa/downloads/FARS/
1990-2020

Caltrans: Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) - https://dot.ca.gov/programs/research-innovation-system-information/highway-performance-monitoring-system
Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)
2001-2020

California Department of Finance: E-4 Historical Population Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State - https://dof.ca.gov/forecasting/demographics/estimates/
1990-2020

US Census Population and Housing Unit Estimates - https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest.html
1990-2020

CONTACT INFORMATION
vitalsigns.info@bayareametro.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator)
Fatalities from crashes data is reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) program. Data for individual collisions is reported by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). The data was tabulated using provided categories specifying injury level, individuals involved, causes of collision and location/jurisdiction of collision (for more information refer to the SWITRS codebook - http://tims.berkeley.edu/help/files/switrs_codebook.doc). For case data, latitude and longitude information for each accident is geocoded by SafeTREC’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS). Fatalities were normalized over historic population data from the US Census Bureau’s population estimates and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) data from the Federal Highway Administration.

The crash data only include crashes that involved a motor vehicle. Bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities that did not involve a motor vehicle, such as a bicyclist and pedestrian collision or a bicycle crash due to a pothole, are not included in the data.

For more regarding reporting procedures and injury classification, refer to the CHP Manual - https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/ca_chp555_manual_2_2003_ch1-13.pdf.