Car Crash Statistics [2023]

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the U.S., with tens of thousands of deaths occurring nationwide each year.

Although many of us get into cars every day without considering the risk, they can be a dangerous mode of transportation. Learn more about car crash statistics — in California and nationwide — below.

California Car Crash Statistics

Car crashes are common and deadly in California. Here are some of the most shocking statistics, according to different reporting agencies in the state.

According to the California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), in 2019 (the year the most recent report was released):

  • 3,737 people were killed in 3,438 fatal crashes.
  • 269,031 people were injured in 187,211 injury crashes.
  • About 1.43 people were injured in each injury-causing crash.
  • There is about an 8 percent chance that a fatal crash will kill more than one person.
California highway patrol's statewide integrated traffic records system (switrs), 2019

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), in 2019 (the most recent year for which data is available):

  • Traffic fatalities declined 5.1 percent, from 3,798 in 2018 to 3,606 in 2019.
  • 1.06 people were killed for every 100 million miles traveled by Californians in 2019.
  • Deaths of passengers who were not wearing their seatbelts declined 2.4 percent, from 635 in 2018 to 620 in 2019.
California Car Crash Statistics 2018 and 2019

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over the last 10 years:

  • An average of 3,322 Californians die in motor vehicle crashes each year.
  • 21-25-year-olds are most likely to die in motor vehicle crashes in California. Historically, they’ve been killed 1.5 times more often than 16-20-year-olds, and twice as often as 41-45-year-olds.
  • Men account for 72 percent of crash-related deaths in California, making them almost three times as likely to die in a vehicle crash than women.
  • 29 percent of deadly crashes in California involve speeding, compared to 26 percent nationwide.
  • The 10 deadliest cities for drivers in California are:
    • Los Angeles
    • San Diego
    • San Jose
    • Sacramento
    • Fresno
    • Bakersfield
    • San Francisco
    • Long Beach
    • San Bernardino
    • Stockton
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (Nhtsa), Over The Last 10 Years In California:

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS):

  • California has the highest number of motor vehicle crash-related deaths out of any state. However, that’s only because California is one of the most populous states in the country. When fatalities are adjusted by population, Mississippi has the most deaths per 100 million miles traveled (1.56), and Wyoming has the most deaths per 100,000 people (25.4).
  • 68 percent of motor vehicle crash-related deaths in California happen in urban areas. In the nation as a whole, it’s more common for traffic deaths to happen in rural areas.

According to A Secure Life, the top three deadliest highways in California from 2015 to 2017 were:

  • I-5, with 192 fatalities.
  • US-101, with 139 fatalities.
  • SR-99, with 110 fatalities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

  • Traffic crash deaths cost California $5.83 billion in 2018.

California Driving Under the Influence Statistics

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), in 2019 (the most recent year for which data is available):

  • Car crash fatalities involving a driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher declined 4.5 percent, from 1,116 in 2018 to 1,066 in 2019.
  • 50 percent of all drivers killed in car crashes who were tested for drugs tested positive. This included both legal and illegal drugs.
  • The number of people killed in car crashes who tested positive for drugs increased 8 percent from 2018 to 2019.
Car Crash Fatalities Involving A Driver Or Motorcycle Rider Under The Influence

According to the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility:

  • 30 percent of deadly crashes in California involve alcohol. That’s slightly higher than the national average of 28.8 percent.
  • Of the total number of alcohol-related traffic deaths in California, 28.8 percent involve drivers who are under the influence while under the age of 21. This is also higher than the national average of 24 percent.
  • 77.9 percent of California drivers involved in fatal, alcohol-related crashes have at least one DUI on their record already.
50% Of Drivers Killed In Car Crashes Were Under The Influence*

California Motorcycle Crash Statistics

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), in 2019 (the most recent year for which data is available):

  • Motorcycle crash fatalities declined 9.4 percent, from 523 in 2018 to 474 in 2019.
  • Deaths of motorcycle riders who were not wearing helmets decreased 18 percent, from 34 in 2018 to 28 in 2019.
California Motorcycle Crash Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over the last 10 years:

  • California averages 484 fatal motorcycle crashes per year.

According to the Motorcycle Legal Foundation:

  • 8 percent of those killed in motorcycle crashes died after colliding with another vehicle from behind.
  • Motorcycles being hit from behind account for only about 2 percent of all deaths from rear-end crashes.
8 percent of those killed in motorcycle crashes died after colliding with another vehicle from behind.

California Teen Safety Statistics

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), in 2019 (the most recent year for which data is available):

  • Deaths of teens in car crashes (ages 16-19) declined 25.2 percent, from 219 in 2018 to 164 in 2019.
  • Deaths of teenage drivers (ages 16-19) also decreased, by 12.7 percent, from 95 in 2018 to 83 in 2019.
California Teen Safety Statistics

California Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Statistics

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), in 2019 (the most recent year for which data is available):

  • Pedestrian fatalities in car crashes declined by 0.6 percent, from 978 in 2018 to 972 in 2019.
  • However, deaths of pedestrians ages 65 and older increased by 1.9 percent, from 218 in 2018 to 222 in 2019.
  • Deaths of bicyclists in car crashes declined 19.5 percent, from 165 in 2018 to 133 in 2019.
California Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2020 (the most recent year for which data is available):

  • California has the 11th highest rate of pedestrian deaths due to motor vehicle crashes.
  • In 2020, 986 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes — 2.5 per 100,000 people.
  • Pedestrians account for 24% of all people killed in vehicle crashes in California.
California has the 11th highest rate of pedestrian deaths due to motor vehicle crashes.

National Car Crash Statistics

According to preliminary data from the National Safety Council:

  • Deaths related to motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. increased by about 8 percent in 2020, despite lockdowns and other restrictions causing a 13 percent decrease in total miles Americans drove that year.

According to the Insurance Information Institute:

  • The spike in fatal crashes in 2020 may be because people are driving faster.
  • The institute found that property damage claims due to vehicle crashes dropped 30 percent in frequency in 2020, but increased 20 percent in severity. This could indicate that drivers took fewer cars on the roads as an invitation to speed.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in 2020 (the most recent year for which data is available):

Statistics From Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (Ihs), 2020
  • There were 42,915 fatal motor vehicle crashes in 2021, that’s a 10% increase over 2020.
  • 38,824 people died in those motor vehicle crashes. That includes cars, motorcycles, and all other types of motorized vehicles. This is more than 10 times the number of people who died in car crashes in California in the same year.
  • There were about 11.8 car crash-related deaths per 100,000 people in the U.S. in 2020.
  • Car crashes are a leading cause of death for young adults. In 2020, there were 19.2 deaths per 100,000 people ages 20-24.
  • 1.34 people died per 100 million miles traveled nationwide in 2020.
  • In 2020, August was the deadliest month for car crashes. April had the lowest number of fatalities.
  • In 2020, nearly half of all traffic-related deaths occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
  • The U.S. Department of Transportation’s most recent estimate of the annual economic cost of crashes is $340 billion.

According to the Weather Channel and the Federal Highway Administration’s Road Weather Management Program:

  • Weather-related vehicle crashes cause far more deaths each year than large-scale weather disasters themselves.
  • Wet pavement is a risk factor in about 12 percent of fatal vehicle crashes.
  • Icy pavement contributes to only about 2 percent of fatal vehicle crashes.

According to the analytics company Arity:

  • 2020 saw a 12 percent increase in drivers who were interested in sharing telemetrics app data about their driving habits.
  • About 50 percent of drivers now say they’re comfortable with telemetrics apps collecting their driving data, up from just 30-40 percent in 2019.
$242 Billion Motor Vehicle Crashes Cost The United States Each Year

What Causes Car Crashes?

Most car crashes can be categorized into three categories – roadway environment, the vehicle, and human factors.

Roadway environment factors include external conditions such as weather and environmental hazards, road conditions and road design.

Vehicle factors are mechanical failures, such as equipment failures or vehicle breakdowns.

Human factors include behaviors (like driving at an unsafe speed), as well as distractions, anger, and other emotions.

Some of the most common causes for car crashes are below.

most common causes for car crashes

Roadway Environment Factors

  • Unsafe road conditions. Unsafe road conditions can occur for many reasons. They may be caused by people or animals on the road; bad weather like snow, ice, or fog; or even simply darkness. Drivers typically have no control over these conditions, but it’s still up to them to do their best to drive safely.
  • Blind spots. Sometimes, an obstruction outside of the vehicle causes a blind spot that prevents you from seeing clearly while driving. This could be snow, mud, dirty water, litter, or even debris like fallen leaves or tree branches that can fall onto your vehicle while you’re driving. If this happens, pull over as soon as you can safely do so to remove the obstruction.

Vehicle Factors

  • Failure of safety equipment. Safety equipment such as lights, brakes, and airbags need to be properly maintained to stay in good working order. If any of these parts fails while you’re driving, it could contribute to a crash.
  • Vehicle breakdown. Vehicles can break down while you’re driving. If this happens in a high-traffic area, it can be particularly dangerous and create higher risk of a crash.
  • Blind spots. Almost all vehicles have blind spots. It’s up to you to check your blind spot periodically, especially before you make any maneuvers that involve moving into your blind spot (like changing lanes).

Human factors

  • Lack of driving experience. Driving experience is gained through practice over time, as drivers learn from the different experiences they have behind the wheel. A lack of experience is one factor that can contribute to crashes — especially when it comes to the higher number of crashes involving young people.
  • Failure to recognize danger. Sometimes there’s a hazard or risk, and a driver simply doesn’t recognize it. This can easily lead to crashes.
  • Rear-end collisions. Rear-end collisions are some of the most common crashes, which are frequently caused by drivers becoming distracted at stop signs or signals, or in areas with enough traffic congestion to cause slow-downs.
  • Falling asleep. Drowsy driving is extremely dangerous, and more common than you think. Hundreds of crashes each year occur because a driver nods off at the wheel.
  • Loss of control. Loss of control can happen for a variety of reasons, from bad weather to distractions to driving too fast. Lane departures are a common cause for traffic accidents, and they can easily occur when a driver loses control of their vehicle.

How to Avoid Car Crashes

It’s not always possible to avoid car crashes; in fact, the average person is involved in 3-4 car accidents over the course of their life. However, you can take steps to keep yourself and others safe on the road.

Plan Ahead

Get into the habit of checking the weather and road conditions before you drive, so you know of any hazards you need to look out for. Plan ahead to leave early enough that you have plenty of time to get to your destination without speeding. And plan to drive at the best times of the day — like when there’s good light and visibility, but not too much traffic.

These are just a few of the ways that planning ahead can make you a safer driver and help you avoid crashes.

Scan Your Surroundings

Drivers should be constantly scanning their surroundings for potential hazards — and that doesn’t mean just the road ahead. As you drive, you should move your eyes constantly from the road in front of you, to the sides of your car, to the rearview mirror, and back. This will allow you to see a hazard no matter what direction it comes from.

Regulate Your Emotions

Being emotional does not make you a better driver. In fact, being angry or sad behind the wheel can distract you, make you less aware of risk, and decrease your inhibitions. If you’re feeling any strong emotions, try to delay driving until you feel better.

The same goes for when you’re already behind the wheel. Try not to let other drivers’ actions affect your emotions, as this can lead to road rage and accidents.

Avoid Distractions While Driving

Distracted driving is a major hazard, both for you and for other drivers on the road. Distractions can include anything that distracts your eyes from the road and areas around you, your hands from the wheel, or your mind from the task at hand: driving. Avoid distractions while you’re behind the wheel by putting your phone on do-not-disturb, choosing music and setting up the GPS before you leave, and focusing on driving safely.

Learn Defensive Driving Techniques

All of the tips above are techniques commonly used in defensive driving. You can learn about these and other defensive driving techniques by taking a course.

In California, the Mature Driver Improvement Program is available online in a fast, convenient, and affordable format. This course is meant to help mature drivers refresh their knowledge of the California Vehicle Code and common driving skills. Drivers over 65 years of age receive an automatic discount on their auto insurance rates for completing the course — younger drivers may be eligible for discounts at the discretion of their insurance carrier.

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