Motor vehicle fatality rate in U.S. by year

The table below shows the motor vehicle fatality rate in the United States by year from 1899 through 2021. It excludes indirect car-related fatalities.

For 2016 specifically, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows 37,461 people were killed in 34,436 motor vehicle crashes, an average of 102 per day.[1]

In 2010, there were an estimated 5,419,000 crashes, 30,296 deadly, killing 32,999, and injuring 2,239,000.[2] About 2,000 children under 16 die every year in traffic collisions.[3] Records indicate that there were 3,613,732 motor vehicle fatalities in the United States from 1899 to 2013.

Although the number of deaths, and deaths relative to the total US population, declined over most of the previous two decades, the trend reversed in 2015 and continued to move upward in 2016.[needs update] From 1979 to 2005, the number of deaths per year decreased 14.97% while the number of deaths per capita decreased by 35.46%. The 32,479 traffic fatalities in 2011 were the lowest in 62 years, since 1949. US motor death statistics reported by government only include those on public roads, and do not include parking lots, driveways, and private roads.[4]

## Contents

* 1 Motor vehicle deaths in U.S. by year
* 2 References

## Motor vehicle deaths in U.S. by year[edit | edit source]

Annual US miles traveled (blue), traffic fatalities per billion vehicle miles traveled (VMT) (red), per million people (orange), total annual deaths (light blue), VMT in 10s of billions (dark blue) and population in millions (teal), from 1921 to 2017 Year  | Deaths  | VMT– Vehicle miles traveled (billions)  | Fatalities per 100 million VMT  | Population  | Fatalities per 100,000 population  | Change in per capita fatalities from previous year

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1899  | 26[5] |  |  |  |  |
1900  | 36  |  |  | 76,094,000  | 0.05  | NA
1901  | 54  |  |  | 77,584,000  | 0.07  | 47.1%
1902  | 79  |  |  | 79,163,000  | 0.10  | 43.4%
1903  | 117  |  |  | 80,632,000  | 0.15  | 45.4%
1904  | 172  |  |  | 82,166,000  | 0.21  | 44.3%
1905  | 252  |  |  | 83,822,000  | 0.30  | 43.6%
1906  | 338  |  |  | 85,450,000  | 0.40  | 31.6%
1907  | 581  |  |  | 87,008,000  | 0.67  | 68.8%
1908  | 751  |  |  | 88,710,000  | 0.85  | 26.8%
1909  | 1,174  |  |  | 90,490,000  | 1.30  | 53.3%
1910  | 1,599  |  |  | 92,407,000  | 1.73  | 33.4%
1911  | 2,043  |  |  | 93,863,000  | 2.18  | 25.8%
1912  | 2,968  |  |  | 95,335,000  | 3.11  | 43.0%
1913  | 4,079  |  |  | 97,225,000  | 4.20  | 34.8%
1914  | 4,468  |  |  | 99,111,000  | 4.51  | 7.5%
1915  | 6,779  |  |  | 100,546,000  | 6.74  | 49.6%
1916  | 7,766  |  |  | 101,961,000  | 7.62  | 13.0%
1917  | 9,630  |  |  | 103,268,000  | 9.33  | 22.4%
1918  | 10,390  |  |  | 103,208,000  | 10.07  | 8.0%
1919  | 10,896  |  |  | 104,514,000  | 10.42  | 3.6%
1920  | 12,155  |  |  | 106,461,000  | 11.42  | 9.5%
1921  | 13,253  | 55  | 24.09  | 108,538,000  | 12.21  | 7.0%
1922  | 14,859  | 67  | 21.95  | 110,049,000  | 13.50  | 10.6%
1923  | 17,870  | 85  | 21.03  | 111,947,000  | 15.96  | 18.2%
1924  | 18,400  | 104  | 17.55  | 114,109,000  | 16.13  | 1.0%
1925  | 20,771  | 122  | 16.98  | 115,829,000  | 17.93  | 11.2%
1926  | 22,194  | 140  | 15.77  | 117,397,000  | 18.91  | 5.4%
1927  | 24,470  | 158  | 15.44  | 119,035,000  | 20.56  | 8.7%
1928  | 26,557  | 172  | 15.36  | 120,509,000  | 22.04  | 7.2%
1929  | 29,592  | 197  | 14.97  | 121,767,000  | 24.30  | 10.3%
1930  | 31,204  | 206  | 15.12  | 123,076,741  | 25.35  | 4.3%
1931  | 31,963  | 216  | 14.79  | 124,039,648  | 25.77  | 1.6%
1932  | 27,979  | 200  | 13.95  | 124,840,471  | 22.41  | -13.0%
1933  | 29,746  | 200  | 14.83  | 125,578,763  | 23.69  | 5.7%
1934  | 34,240  | 215  | 15.88  | 126,373,773  | 27.09  | 14.4%
1935  | 34,494  | 228  | 15.09  | 127,250,232  | 27.11  | 0.1%
1936  | 36,126  | 252  | 14.33  | 128,053,180  | 28.21  | 4.1%
1937  | 37,819  | 270  | 14.00  | 128,824,829  | 29.36  | 4.1%
1938  | 31,083  | 271  | 11.46  | 129,824,939  | 23.94  | -18.4%
1939  | 30,895  | 285  | 10.83  | 130,879,718  | 23.61  | -1.4%
1940  | 32,914  | 302  | 10.89  | 132,122,446  | 24.91  | 5.5%
1941  | 38,142  | 333  | 11.43  | 133,402,471  | 28.59  | 14.8%
1942  | 27,007  | 268  | 10.07  | 134,859,553  | 20.03  | -30.0%
1943  | 22,727  | 208  | 10.92  | 136,739,353  | 16.62  | -17.0%
1944  | 23,165  | 212  | 10.89  | 138,397,345  | 16.74  | 0.7%
1945  | 26,785  | 250  | 10.71  | 139,928,165  | 19.14  | 14.4%
1946  | 31,874  | 340  | 9.35  | 141,388,566  | 22.54  | 17.8%
1947  | 31,193  | 370  | 8.41  | 144,126,071  | 21.64  | -4.0%
1948  | 30,775  | 397  | 7.73  | 146,631,302  | 21.00  | -3.0%
1949  | 30,246  | 424  | 7.13  | 149,188,130  | 20.27  | -3.4%
1950  | 33,186  | 458  | 7.24  | 152,271,417  | 21.79  | 7.5%
1951  | 35,309  | 491  | 7.19  | 154,877,889  | 22.80  | 4.6%
1952  | 36,088  | 513  | 7.03  | 157,552,740  | 22.91  | 0.5%
1953  | 36,190  | 544  | 6.65  | 160,184,192  | 22.59  | -1.4%
1954  | 33,890  | 561  | 6.03  | 163,025,854  | 20.79  | -8.0%
1955  | 36,688  | 605  | 6.06  | 165,931,202  | 22.11  | 6.4%
1956  | 37,965  | 627  | 6.05  | 168,903,031  | 22.48  | 1.7%
1957  | 36,932  | 647  | 5.71  | 171,984,130  | 21.47  | -4.5%
1958  | 35,331  | 664  | 5.32  | 174,881,904  | 20.20  | -5.9%
1959  | 36,223  | 700  | 5.17  | 177,829,628  | 20.37  | 0.8%
1960  | 36,399  | 718  | 5.06  | 180,671,158  | 20.15  | -1.1%
1961  | 36,285  | 737  | 4.92  | 183,691,481  | 19.75  | -2.0%
1962  | 38,980  | 766  | 5.08  | 186,537,737  | 20.90  | 5.8%
1963  | 41,723  | 805  | 5.18  | 189,241,798  | 22.05  | 5.5%
1964  | 45,645  | 846  | 5.39  | 191,888,791  | 23.79  | 7.9%
1965  | 47,089  | 887  | 5.30  | 194,302,963  | 24.24  | 1.9%
1966  | 50,894  | 925  | 5.50  | 196,560,338  | 25.89  | 6.8%
1967  | 50,724  | 964  | 5.26  | 198,712,056  | 25.53  | -1.4%
1968  | 52,725  | 1,015  | 5.19  | 200,706,052  | 26.27  | 2.9%
1969  | 53,543  | 1,061  | 5.04  | 202,676,946  | 26.42  | 0.6%
1970  | 52,627  | 1,109  | 4.74  | 205,052,174  | 25.67  | -2.9%
1971  | 52,542  | 1,178  | 4.46  | 207,660,677  | 25.30  | -1.4%
1972  | 54,589  | 1,259  | 4.33  | 209,896,021  | 26.01  | 2.8%
1973  | 54,052  | 1,313  | 4.12  | 211,908,788  | 25.51  | -1.9%
1974  | 45,196  | 1,280  | 3.53  | 213,853,928  | 21.13  | -17.1%
1975  | 44,525  | 1,327  | 3.35  | 215,973,199  | 20.62  | -2.5%
1976  | 45,523  | 1,402  | 3.25  | 218,035,164  | 20.88  | 1.3%
1977  | 47,878  | 1,467  | 3.26  | 220,239,425  | 21.74  | 4.1%
1978  | 50,331  | 1,544  | 3.26  | 222,584,545  | 22.61  | 4.0%
1979  | 51,093  | 1,529  | 3.34  | 225,055,487  | 22.70  | 0.4%
1980  | 51,091  | 1,527  | 3.35  | 227,224,681  | 22.48  | -1.0%
1981  | 49,301  | 1,552  | 3.18  | 229,465,714  | 21.49  | -4.5%
1982  | 43,945  | 1,595  | 2.76  | 231,664,458  | 18.97  | -11.7%
1983  | 42,589  | 1,652  | 2.58  | 233,791,994  | 18.22  | -4.0%
1984  | 44,257  | 1,720  | 2.57  | 235,824,902  | 18.77  | 3.0%
1985  | 43,825  | 1,774  | 2.47  | 237,923,795  | 18.42  | -1.9%
1986  | 46,087  | 1,834  | 2.51  | 240,132,887  | 19.19  | 4.2%
1987  | 46,390  | 1,921  | 2.42  | 242,288,918  | 19.15  | -0.2%
1988  | 47,087  | 2,025  | 2.32  | 244,498,982  | 19.26  | 0.6%
1989  | 45,582  | 2,096  | 2.17  | 246,819,230  | 18.47  | -4.1%
1990  | 44,599  | 2,144  | 2.08  | 249,464,396  | 17.88  | -3.2%
1991  | 41,508  | 2,172  | 1.91  | 252,153,092  | 16.46  | -7.9%
1992  | 39,250  | 2,247  | 1.75  | 255,029,699  | 15.39  | -6.5%
1993  | 40,150  | 2,296  | 1.75  | 257,782,608  | 15.58  | 1.2%
1994  | 40,716  | 2,358  | 1.73  | 260,327,021  | 15.64  | 0.4%
1995  | 41,817  | 2,423  | 1.73  | 262,803,276  | 15.91  | 1.7%
1996  | 42,065  | 2,486  | 1.69  | 265,228,572  | 15.86  | -0.3%
1997  | 42,013  | 2,562  | 1.64  | 267,783,607  | 15.69  | -1.1%
1998  | 41,501  | 2,632  | 1.58  | 270,248,003  | 15.36  | -2.1%
1999  | 41,717  | 2,691  | 1.55  | 272,690,813  | 15.30  | -0.4%
2000  | 41,945  | 2,747  | 1.53  | 282,216,952  | 14.86  | -2.9%
2001[2] | 42,196  | 2,797  | 1.51  | 285,226,284  | 14.79  | -0.5%
2002  | 43,005  | 2,856  | 1.51  | 288,125,973  | 14.93  | 0.9%
2003  | 42,884  | 2,890  | 1.48  | 290,796,023  | 14.75  | -1.8%
2004  | 42,836  | 2,965  | 1.44  | 293,638,158  | 14.59  | -0.5%
2005  | 43,510  | 2,989  | 1.46  | 296,507,061  | 14.67  | 0.4%
2006  | 42,708  | 3,014  | 1.42  | 299,398,484  | 14.27  | -2.8%
2007  | 41,259  | 3,031  | 1.36  | 301,139,947  | 13.70  | -3.9%
2008  | 37,423  | 2,977  | 1.26  | 303,824,640  | 12.32  | -11.0%
2009  | 33,883  | 2,957  | 1.15  | 306,700,000  | 11.05  | -9.7%
2010[2] | 32,999  | 2,967  | 1.11  | 309,326,000  | 10.67  | -3.5%
2011[6] | 32,479  | 2,950  | 1.10  | 311,588,000  | 10.42  | -2.3%
2012[7] | 33,782  | 2,969  | 1.14  | 313,914,000  | 10.75  | 2.6%
2013  | 32,893  | 2,988  | 1.10  | 316,129,000  | 10.40  | -3.3%
2014  | 32,744  | 3,026  | 1.08  | 318,860,000  | 10.28  | -1.2%
2015  | 35,485  | 3,095  | 1.15  | 321,370,000  | 11.06  | 7.6%
2016[8] | 37,806  | 3,174  | 1.19  | 323,121,000  | 11.59  | 4.8%
2017[8][9] | 37,473  | 3,213  | 1.16  | 326,213,213  | 11.40  | -1.6%
2018[9][10] | 36,835  | 3,223  | 1.13  | 327,096,265  | 11.18  | -1.9%
2019[11] | 36,355  | 3,248  | 1.10  | 328,231,337[12] | 10.99  | -1.2%
2020[13] | 38,824  | 2,904  | 1.34  | 331,449,281[14] | 11.67  | 7.1%
2021[15] | 42,915[16] | 3,230[17] | 1.33  | 332,915,073[18] | 12.89  | 10.5%

## References[edit | edit source]

1. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2017-10-09.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 'Fatality Analysis Reporting System' 2010 Archived 2009-10-26 at the Wayback Machine, fars.NHTSA.dot.gov Retrieved July 3, 2014
3. ↑ Dow Chang. "Comparison of Crash Fatalities by Sex and Age Group". nhtsa.dot.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-01-31. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
4. ↑ "2016 traffic deaths jump to highest level in nearly a decade - SFGate". Archived from the original on 2017-02-15. Retrieved 2017-02-15.
5. ↑ "U.S. Highway Deaths Decline 2.9%, Falling for Fifth Year". Bloomberg. December 8, 2011. Archived from the original on 2016-09-18. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
6. ↑ 'Fatality Analysis Reporting System' 2011 Archived 2009-10-26 at the Wayback Machine, fars.NHTSA.dot.gov Retrieved July 3, 2014
7. ↑ "NHTSA Quick Facts 2014". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2014. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-10-25. Retrieved 2018-10-26.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "2018 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. October 2019. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
10. ↑ "U.S. pedestrian, bicyclist deaths rise in 2018: report". Reuters. 2019-06-17. Archived from the original on 2019-06-17. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
11. ↑ "NHTSA Releases 2019 Crash Fatality Data | NHTSA". Archived from the original on 2021-12-03. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
12. ↑ "Census Bureau Projects U.S. And World Populations on New Year's Day". Archived from the original on 2022-06-17. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
13. ↑ "2020 Fatality Data Show Increased Traffic Fatalities During Pandemic | NHTSA". Archived from the original on 2022-08-24. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
14. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States". Archived from the original on 2019-12-30.
15. ↑ "NHTSA Data Estimates Indicate Traffic Fatalities Continued to Rise at Record Pace in First Nine Months of 2021 | NHTSA". www.nhtsa.gov. Archived from the original on 2022-03-19. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
16. ↑ Reuters (2022-05-17). "U.S. traffic deaths jump 10.5% in 2021 to highest number since 2005". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2022-05-17. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
17. ↑ Shepardson, David; Disavino, Scott (2022-02-18). "U.S. driving soars in 2021 to 3.23 trillion miles, up 11.2%". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2022-03-20. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
18. ↑ "U.S. Population 1950-2022". www.macrotrends.net. Archived from the original on 2022-03-26. Retrieved 2022-03-20.