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.

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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 2022, there were around 13.8 deaths from motor vehicles per 100,000 population, compared to a rate of 26.8 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 6 and 9 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 inexperienced drivers. As of 2017, around 5.5 percent of high school students reported they had driven while under the influence of alcohol. Drinking and driving is more common among males than females and Hispanic males reported drinking and driving more than other races or ethnicities.

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

Analysis of ‘Impaired Driving Death Rate, by Age and Gender, 2012 & 2014, Region 7 - Kansas City’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/c3ae64b2-6063-42ea-a26a-f43097193dcc on 27 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---

Analysis of ‘Impaired Driving Death Rate, by Age and Gender, 2012 & 2014, Region 4 - Atlanta’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/cc44b39d-70e7-400f-9fdc-8bb7fea87e3f on 27 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

The number of traffic accident deaths in Germany has decreased considerably in the last decade, compared to the 1990s, and especially the 1960s and 1970s. Around 2,839 deaths were recorded in 2023. Recording these numbers takes on particular significance in the country that is home to the Autobahn and some of the most famous cars in the world. Staying safe The reduction of road traffic deaths in Germany may be due to a number of positive factors with long-term potential: progressive automotive engineering, increased regulation and legislation regarding road traffic and driving, as well as expanded driving safety resources and training. Another reason may simply be less people owning cars, and therefore less drivers being out on the road. Traffic accidents happen for various reasons, be it a bad combination of circumstances or the human factor. Certain choices and consumption habits significantly increase the risk of a car accident, a common example being driving after drinking. Into the future The addition of e-scooters to German city traffic in particular, alongside various vehicles, motorcycles and bikes in often already crowded areas, poses a new challenge for preventing accidents and fatalities. There were over 8,400 injuries recorded in 2023 which were the result of an e-scooter crash. That same year, 21 fatalities also occurred following an e-scooter accident. Increasing mobility and various transportation modes attached to it will definitely keep the issue of road safety on the map.

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

In 2021, more than 44,000 male drivers were involved in fatal crashes in U.S. road traffic, which accounted for 72.3 percent of the total, while female drivers were involved in about 15,100 fatal crashes. The number of drivers who were involved in fatal crashes has shown an increase of about 16.2 percent from 2016.

In 2022, around 11 people per 1 million inhabitants died as a result of road accidents in Chile. New Zealand, with around seven fatalities per 1 million inhabitants, was second in the ranking.

Analysis of ‘Impaired Driving Death Rate, by Age and Gender, 2012 & 2014, Region 3 - Philadelphia’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/42d56291-beb9-46ec-ab21-efbb0755029f on 26 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---

In 2022, the state of California reported almost 4,100 motor-vehicle deaths, a slight decrease from the year before. Death from motor-vehicles remains a relevant problem across the United States.

Motor-vehicle deaths in the United States

In the United States, a person’s lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident is around 1 in 93. Death rates from motor vehicles have decreased in recent years and are significantly lower than the rates recorded in the 1970s and 1980s. This is due to a mass improvement in car safety standards and features. For example, all states, with the exception of New Hampshire, have laws against not wearing safety belts.

Drinking and driving

One of the biggest causes of motor-vehicle deaths is driving while under the influence of alcohol. The state with the highest number of fatalities due to alcohol-impaired driving in 2020 was Texas, followed by California and Florida. Passenger cars are the vehicle type most often involved in fatal crashes caused by alcohol-impaired drivers, with around 4,726 such accidents in the United States in 2020.

In 2020, out of the 38,824 fatalities in general, the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in 30 percent of the drivers involved in the fatal crashes was found to be higher than 0.08. About five percent had BAC between 0.01 to 0.07, however the remaining majority had BAC of 0.00 percent, with one percent (91 fatalities) of unknown.

Analysis of ‘Impaired Driving Death Rate, by Age and Gender, 2012 & 2014, Region 9 - San Francisco’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/0c9b848d-9239-4b9b-adc1-4433b1d3352d on 27 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---

Analysis of ‘Impaired Driving Death Rate, by Age and Gender, 2012 & 2014, Region 1 - Boston’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/6e41e501-c530-4aca-98d2-cdd8344626be on 26 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

Rate of deaths by age/gender (per 100,000 population) for people killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC =>0.08%, 2012, 2014. 2012 Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). 2014 Source: National Highway Traffic 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.

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---