The number of car accident deaths varies greatly across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. There are a number of factors that can affect the statistics when comparing motor vehicle fatalities on a state by state basis, including weather, types of vehicles involved, number of passengers, travel speeds, topography, and more.
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It’s also important to factor in a state’s population when examining the number of car accident fatalities in each state. Using data from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, we compared the number of motor vehicle fatalities in every state, taking into account each state’s total population.
Key takeaways
In 2020, there were 35,766 fatal car accidents across the United States.
California had the most fatal crashes in the country, 3,558, and Washington D.C. had the least, 34.
The five states with the most fatal crashes in 2020 were California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
The five states with the least fatal crashes in the country in 2020 were Washington D.C., Alaska, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Hawaii.
List of car accidents by state
Car accidents can happen everywhere, no matter what state you live in. In 2020, there were 35,766 fatal car accidents across the United States. The table below is a state-by-state breakdown of fatal motor vehicle crashes and motor vehicle crash deaths per all 50 states and Washington D.C. as of 2020, according to the IIHS. [1]
State | Population | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
Alabama | 5,024,803 | 852 | 934 |
Alaska | 732,441 | 53 | 64 |
Arizona | 7,177,986 | 967 | 1,054 |
Arkansas | 3,012,232 | 585 | 638 |
California | 39,499,738 | 3,558 | 3,847 |
Colorado | 5,784,308 | 574 | 622 |
Connecticut | 3,600,260 | 279 | 295 |
Delaware | 991,886 | 104 | 116 |
District of Columbia | 690,093 | 34 | 36 |
Florida | 21,569,932 | 3,098 | 3,331 |
Georgia | 10,725,800 | 1,522 | 1,664 |
Hawaii | 1,451,911 | 81 | 85 |
Idaho | 1,847,772 | 188 | 214 |
Illinois | 12,785,245 | 1,087 | 1,194 |
Indiana | 6,785,644 | 815 | 897 |
Iowa | 3,188,669 | 304 | 337 |
Kansas | 2,935,880 | 382 | 426 |
Kentucky | 4,503,958 | 709 | 780 |
Louisiana | 4,651,203 | 762 | 828 |
Maine | 1,362,280 | 151 | 164 |
Maryland | 6,172,679 | 540 | 567 |
Massachusetts | 7,022,220 | 327 | 343 |
Michigan | 10,067,664 | 1,011 | 1,084 |
Minnesota | 5,707,165 | 369 | 394 |
Mississippi | 2,956,870 | 687 | 752 |
Missouri | 6,154,481 | 914 | 987 |
Montana | 1,086,193 | 190 | 213 |
Nebraska | 1,961,455 | 217 | 233 |
Nevada | 3,114,071 | 293 | 317 |
New Hampshire | 1,377,848 | 98 | 104 |
New Jersey | 9,279,743 | 547 | 584 |
New Mexico | 2,117,566 | 365 | 398 |
New York | 20,154,933 | 963 | 1,046 |
North Carolina | 10,457,177 | 1,412 | 1,538 |
North Dakota | 778,962 | 96 | 100 |
Ohio | 11,790,587 | 1,154 | 1,230 |
Oklahoma | 3,962,031 | 599 | 652 |
Oregon | 4,241,544 | 461 | 508 |
Pennsylvania | 12,989,625 | 1,060 | 1,129 |
Rhode Island | 1,096,229 | 66 | 67 |
South Carolina | 5,130,729 | 962 | 1,064 |
South Dakota | 887,099 | 132 | 141 |
Tennessee | 6,920,119 | 1,119 | 1,217 |
Texas | 29,217,653 | 3,520 | 3,874 |
Utah | 3,281,684 | 256 | 276 |
Vermont | 642,495 | 58 | 62 |
Virginia | 8,632,044 | 796 | 850 |
Washington | 7,718,785 | 525 | 560 |
West Virginia | 1,789,798 | 249 | 267 |
Wisconsin | 5,892,323 | 561 | 614 |
Wyoming | 577,267 | 114 | 127 |
U.S. total | 331,501,080 | 35,766 | 38,824 |
→ Learn about how much car insurance rates go up after an accident
Car accident statistics at a glance
In 2020, the number of motor vehicle fatalities varied widely across all 50 states. California had the highest number of fatal crashes, 3,558, and Washington D.C. had the lowest, 34.
Population size is an important factor — California’s population is nearly 56 times that of Washington D.C., and Californians may be driving longer distances more frequently than D.C. drivers.
Insurance companies know that more people on the road can lead to more car accidents, which is part of the reason why drivers who live in big cities or dense areas often pay more for car insurance than drivers who live in less population-dense locales.
29% - Percentage of motor vehicle fatalities involving an SUV or pickup in Wisconsin in 2020
38,824 - Total number of fatalities from car accidents in all 50 states in 2020
55% - Percentage of deaths in single vehicle crashes nationwide in 2020
90% - Percentage of seat belt use by front seat occupants nationwide in 2020
$11,556 - The average medical cost for people injured in a car accident in 2020
13% - Percentage of all U.S. drivers who were uninsured in 2019, that’s one in eight drivers
43% - Percentage of motor vehicle deaths that occurred in rural areas nationwide in 2020
77% - Percentage of motor vehicle deaths in South Dakota that took place on rural roads in 2020
Data sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Insurance Research Council, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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States with the most car accidents
In 2020, the following states reported the highest numbers of fatal car accidents in the U.S.:
California: 3,847 deaths out of 3,558 accidents
Texas: 3,874 deaths out of 3,520 accidents
Florida: 3,331 deaths out of 2,950 accidents
Georgia: 1,664 deaths out of 1,522 accidents
North Carolina: 1,538 deaths out of 1,412 accidents
States with the least car accidents
The states with the lowest number of fatal car accidents are also some of the least populated, and are:
Washington, D.C.: 36 deaths out of 34 accidents
Alaska: 53 deaths out of 64 accidents
Vermont: 62 deaths out of 58 accidents
Rhode Island: 67 deaths out of 66 accidents
Hawaii: 85 deaths out of 81 accidents
Frequently asked questions
What is the number one leading cause of vehicle accidents in the US?
Most accidents tend to happen because of distracted driving and speeding, with young drivers being the most affected by both, according to experts. Alcohol and drug impairment tend to be the main contributors of speeding, but slick roads and extreme weather can also cause drivers to drive faster than the speed limit.
Where do the most car accidents happen in the US?
A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that out of 1,644 patients involved in car accidents, 1,267 of them were injured within 10 miles of their home. And more people on the road also means more accidents, so it makes sense that California had the most fatal car accidents out of any state in 2019 with 3,316.
What car has the most accidents?
According to a report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the make and model that had the highest rate of death in single-vehicle rollover crashes in 2017 was the Ford Fiesta, with 141 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. The Hyundai Accent, another subcompact car, had the next highest death rate at 116 per million registered vehicle years.
What city has the most car accidents?
According to Allstate’s 2019 Best Drivers report, Baltimore is the U.S. city with the most car accidents in the nation. Baltimore drivers average one accident every 4.19 years.
