Approximately 1.3 million people globally die yearly from motor vehicle crashes. Car accidents are also the leading cause of death for US residents ages 1–54. In 2022, fatal car accidents killed more than 46,000 people.

Unsafe driving habits such as drinking and speeding often cause car accidents. Both male and female drivers engage in such behaviors, but the numbers show males do it more.

In this article, you'll learn how dangerous roads are, the other leading causes of car crashes, car accident fatalities, and more. Let's jump straight to the numbers!

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  • Police-reported car crashes in 2020 reached 5.25 million in the US.
  • Global road traffic deaths reached 1.35 million in 2018.
  • Around 3,700 people die daily in crashes involving buses, motorbikes, vehicles, heavy trucks, bicycles, passenger cars, or pedestrians.
  • Car accidents killed 38,824 people in the US. 
  • Vehicle miles traveled have decreased by 11% in 2020 due to the pandemic.
  • 25.4 in every 100,000 people die in car crashes in Mississippi, the highest in the country.
  • Vehicle occupants make up 66% of total fatalities.
  • 7,713 people between 25-34 have died in vehicular accidents.
  • 72% of car accident-related deaths are men.

How Many Car Accidents Happen Yearly?

The police-reported vehicular accidents in 2020 are estimated to be around 5.25 million, down by 20% from 2019's 6.76 million. These car crashes killed almost 39,000 people and injured over 2.2 million. 

In the following sections, you'll learn who is usually involved in car crashes, the leading causes of injuries and deaths, and other statistics and facts showing how dangerous roads are.

Car Accident Report Statistics

Due to the pandemic, total vehicle miles decreased by 11% in 2020, from 3,261,772 million in 2019 to 2,903,622 million in 2020.

This raises the question of whether damages, injuries, and deaths have also decreased. Let's see what the numbers tell us.

1. There were 2.28+ million injured and 38,000+ deaths in 2020 in the US.

(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) 

The total number of people injured due to car crashes has decreased by 17% in 2020, while deaths have increased by 6.8%. The increased deaths and decreased miles traveled resulted in the fatality rate reaching 1.34 per 100 million VMT in 2020 (from 1.11 in 2019).

The most significant increase ever recorded is 21%. From 84 in 2019 to 79 in 2020, the injury rate per 100 million VMT has dropped by 6%.

2. Mississippi is the number one state for fatal car accidents per capita.

(The Zebra)

With 25.4 out of 100,000 people killed in car accidents, Mississippi gets the top spot in car crashes per capita. This state also ranks high in the nonuse of seat belts and distracted driving.

Among the top states for fatal car crashes per capita are:

State

Population

Fatal crashes

Deaths per 100,000 people

Mississippi

2956870

687

25.4

Wyoming

577267

114

22

Arkansas

3012232

585

21.2

South Carolina

5130729

962

20.7

Montana

1086193

190

19.6

New Mexico

2117566

365

18.8

Alabama

5024803

852

18.6

Louisiana

4651203

762

17.8

Tennessee

6920119

1119

17.6

Kentucky

4503958

709

17.3

3. Vehicle occupant fatalities make up 66% of the total motor vehicle crash deaths.

(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Casualties were divided into vehicle occupants (inside the vehicle) and nonoccupants (outside the vehicle). Listed below is the percentage breakdown of casualties per person type:

  • Passenger Car Occupants: 35%
  • Light-Truck Occupants: 27%
  • Large-Truck, Bus, and Other Vehicle Occupants: 4%
  • Motorcyclists: 14%
  • Pedestrians, pedal cyclists, and Other Nonoccupants: 20%

Car Accident Victim Demographics Statistics

Road accidents can happen to anyone, regardless of age, sex, or ethnicity. Here, you will identify who is commonly involved in car crashes. However, this doesn't mean you are in lesser danger if you don't meet the criteria.

4. Deaths in the 25-34 age bracket have increased by 17%, the highest increase rate.

(Fatality Analysis Reporting System and Annual Report File)

Based on the 2019 FARS and 2020 ARF, people aged 25–34 are most involved in fatal car crashes. People killed in car accidents aged 65 and above decreased. 

 

Age Brackets

<15

15-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

2019

1064

5848

6596

5154

4990

5385

7261

2020

1093

6634

7713

5836

5222

5605

6549

Change

29

786

1117

682

232

220

-712

Change %

3%

13%

17%

13%

5%

4%

-10%

5. Men are killed more on the road than women.

(Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC) 

Men cause approximately 6.1 million accidents annually, while women only cause 4.4 million. These accidents resulted in 28,033 male deaths, almost triple the number of women killed in car accidents at 10,690.

  • 72% of pedestrians killed on the road were men.
  • 72% of passenger vehicle drivers who died in accidents were men.
  • 9 of 10 motorcyclists who died in motor vehicle crashes were men.

The same survey shows women are more likely than men to be injured in car crashes.

6. Non-Hispanic blacks had the highest fatality rate per 100 million person-miles, reaching 75.84.

(National Safety Council) 

Based on the number of fatalities alone, non-Hispanic whites had the highest average deaths at 17,608 from 2016 to 2018.

Regarding person miles traveled, non-Hispanic blacks are killed more on the road, at 75.84 per 100 million PMT. Asians have the lowest fatality rate among the four ethnic groups.

Race or Ethnicity

Person-miles traveled in 2017 (100 million)

Fatalities (2016-2018 Average)

Fatality rate per 100 million person-miles traveled

Non-Hispanic White

20,450.99

17,608

27

Non-Hispanic Black

2,828.94

4,675

75.84

Non-Hispanic Asian

1,249.87

480

15

Hispanic

4,880.98

4,661

42.26

(CDC)

Alcohol-impaired fatalities involve drivers with BACs of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or greater. In the US, 32 people are killed daily in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.

In 2020, more than 11,000 people acquired fatal injuries that led to death from drunk-driving-related accidents, a 14.3% increase compared to 2019.

Medical costs and cost estimates for lives lost from crash deaths involving alcohol-impaired drivers are estimated to be about $12.3 billion in 2020.

8. Speeding killed 11,258 people in 2020.

(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) 

In 2020, deaths due to speeding increased by 17% compared to 2019. 29% of car accident-related deaths occur when at least one driver is speeding. 13% of people injured in car crashes, or 308,013 people, are related to speeding.

3,828 (37%) of all drivers involved in fatal car crashes were speeding or alcohol-impaired. 53% of drivers who die from speeding are unrestrained.

9. Unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants killed increased by 14%.

(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) 

6,000+ of these deaths happened at night. All states except New Hampshire require seat belts for adult front seat occupants.

10,893 passenger vehicle occupants killed in car accidents were not wearing seat belts. Over 29,000 vehicle occupants who survived a car crash were wearing one. 

Car Accident Lawyer Statistics

Car accident lawyers are personal injury lawyers specializing in car accidents. You can choose to hire or not hire a lawyer if you are the victim of a vehicle crash.

Learn how many car accident lawyers are in the US and how many vehicle-crash-related cases our courts handle with these statistics:

10. There are 179,508 Personal Injury Lawyers & Attorneys in the US in 2023.

(IBIS World) 

Employment of personal injury lawyers and attorneys saw a year-on-year increase of 3.4% between 2018 and 2023.

This results from increasing personal injury cases, including car crashes. As of 2023, 179,508 people are employed in this industry across 53,000+ companies.

11. Car accidents make up 52% of personal injury cases.

(Abels & Annes, P.C.)

60% of property, contract, and tort cases involved personal injury. Only around 5% of these cases reach the courts. The report shows around 300,000 to 500,000 personal injury cases in the US annually. 

52% of these cases are the result of car crashes, both fatal and nonfatal. The rest are from medical malpractice, product liability, and others. Car crash-related claims have a success rate of roughly 61%.

Many of these cases are resolved before trial; therefore, victims' chances of receiving compensation outside and within the court increase.

(Stephenson Rife LLP)

95–96% of car accident personal injury lawsuits settle before trial, while the rest are during trial. With this figure, lawsuits will also likely be resolved out of court. You may prolong the trial until the judgment if the settlement offer doesn't satisfy.

Car Accident Settlement/ Compensation Statistics

Car crashes do not just cause physical damage or death. All accident victims suffer financial and emotional losses.

Financial losses usually cover hospital and medical bills, property damage, lost income, settlements, and legal fees.

Victims have the option to settle or push for a lawsuit. If the victim is unsatisfied with the settlement, they can bring the case to court.

13. Motor-vehicle accidents cost $340 billion in damages.

(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) 

This amount pertains to losses due to the following:

  • Medical costs
  • Lost productivity
  • Legal and court costs
  • Emergency service costs
  • Insurance administration costs
  • Congestion costs
  • Property damage
  • Workplace losses resulting from car accidents

The cost of damages is equivalent to $1,035 for each person in the US or 1.6% of the real US GDP. The average compensation for physical injuries resulting from car crashes is around $18,000.

Key Takeaways

Road safety is a shared responsibility between policymakers, authorities, and all road users. Modern technology also plays a role in making our roads safer.

Yearly, car crashes cost billions of dollars and take thousands of lives. Despite increased efforts and technological advancements, the number of people dying in car accidents still increases.

There are many ways to avoid unnecessary costs, injuries, and loss of lives because of road accidents. Buckle up, don't drive when you're drunk, and follow traffic laws.