The annual number of car accidents in the U.S. has risen steadily since 2011. This is consequential not only for the overall health and safety of American society but for the American economy as well. The combined economic cost of U.S. car crash fatalities in 2022 reached over $79 billion.
Demographically, young drivers pose the highest risk on the road. Teens ages 16 to 19, accounting for only 3.6% of all licensed U.S. drivers, make up 9.1% of drivers in car crashes and 6.1% of drivers in fatal car crashes. Men are also at increased risk on the road, as they made up over 72% of America’s car crash fatalities in 2022.
In 2021, there were a total of 39,508 fatal car crashes in the U.S., up 10% from 35,935 in 2020.
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Each car crash fatality costs the U.S. economy roughly $1.87 million. A nonfatal disabling injury is estimated to cost $162,000, and an evident injury costs $42,000.
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Though they account for only 3.6% of all licensed drivers in the U.S., drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are involved in 9.1% of all car crashes and 6.1% of all fatal car crashes. Over 2 million drivers within this age range got into car accidents in 2022, with 4,000 involved in fatal car accidents.
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In 2022, men accounted for just over 72% of U.S. car crash deaths, compared with only about 28% for women. In total, 30,669 motor vehicle deaths in 2022 were men, and 11,737 were women.
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Car crashes by year
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were a total of 39,508 fatal car crashes in the U.S. in 2021. That number increased by 10% from 35,935 in 2020.
Within the 20-year period from 2001 to 2021, the annual number of fatal U.S. car crashes reached its lowest point in 2011, at 29,867. Between 2011 and 2021, the annual number of fatal crashes increased by over 32%.
Car accident demographics
The likelihood that you’ll be in a car accident varies substantially depending on your gender and age.
Car accidents by gender
Men are far more likely to be involved in fatal car accidents than women. While the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that only about 50.3% of licensed drivers in the U.S. are male, men made up over 74% of drivers involved in fatal car accidents in 2021.
In 2022, men accounted for about 72% of all car crash deaths, including drivers and passengers, while women only accounted for about 28%. In total, 30,669 men and 11,737 women died in car accidents that year.
Car accidents by driver age
Americans between the ages of 25 and 34 are involved in more car accidents than any other age group, accounting for 22% of all crashes and 21.8% of all fatal crashes in 2022. However, this age range also accounts for the largest share of licensed drivers, at 17.4%.
Conversely, those between the ages of 16 and 19 only account for 3.6% of all licensed drivers but comprise 9.1% of all drivers involved in crashes and 6.1% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes. A total of 2.07 million drivers within this age range got into car accidents in 2022, and 4,000 of them got into fatal car accidents that year.
What causes car crashes?
The driving behavior that’s most frequently correlated with fatal car crashes is driving too fast or racing, which was exhibited by 11,254 drivers who got into fatal car crashes in the U.S. in 2021. This means 18.5% of drivers in fatal crashes that year were driving too fast when the fatal accident occurred.
Other common risk factors that lead to fatal car crashes include drivers operating their vehicles carelessly (11.9% of drivers), being under the influence (11.2%) and failing to either yield or keep within the proper lane (7% and 6.6%, respectively).
What factors increase risk for teen drivers?
Teenagers are particularly prone to certain driving behaviors that lead to disproportionate involvement in car crashes. The most prominent risk factors for teenage drivers include the following:
Alcohol
The presence of alcohol in a driver’s system massively increases the risk of crashing. According to research conducted in 2017 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5.5% of high school-aged youth reported driving after they consumed alcohol. The rate is even higher when solely focusing on male students, at 6.8%.
A driver’s alcohol consumption also increases the risk of death or injury for their passengers. Despite this, over 16% of high school students have ridden in a car driven by someone under the influence of alcohol.
Drugs
Whether drivers are under the influence of legally obtained recreational marijuana, prescription drugs or any other substance, drug-impaired driving is of great concern. This is especially true when these substances are combined with alcohol. Shockingly, one-third of all teens believe that it’s legal to drive under the influence of marijuana in their state. A quarter of teens also admit that driving under the influence of marijuana is common among their friends.
Distracted driving
In 2015, 9% of the 3,183 drivers under the age of 20 who were involved in fatal crashes were distracted when the crash occurred. Distracted driving can be classified as follows:
- Visual distractions take a driver’s eyes off the road.
- Manual distractions take a driver’s hands off the wheel.
- Cognitive distractions take a driver’s mind off what they’re doing.
More specifically, distracted driving commonly involves eating, drinking, using cell phones or GPS and adjusting radios or music players.
Driving with passengers
Driving with passengers is also common among teens and can significantly increase the risk of car accidents. For teens, the susceptibility to peer influence, the desire to satisfy peers and the social consequences they might experience by distancing themselves from peers can all increase risky behavior while driving with passengers.
Compared with driving alone, the risk of death per mile driven by 16- and 17-year-old drivers is two times higher with two passengers under 21 and four times higher with three or more underage passengers.
Overall, 94% of teens report observing distracting behaviors among car passengers, including acting wildly (69%), consuming alcohol or drugs (53%) and encouraging speeding (45%).
Risky driving
Risky driving includes a multitude of behaviors, such as pulling into traffic with insufficient space, making illegal lane changes, following too closely and speeding. Some of these behaviors are more common among male drivers, especially when there are male passengers in the car.
Speeding is often exacerbated by alcohol consumption. In 2016, 22% of those under age 21 and 42% of those ages 21 to 24 involved in fatal crashes while speeding had a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher.
Seat belt usage
Seat belt use in the U.S. has generally increased in recent years. But choosing not to wear a seat belt is nonetheless another road risk taken by far too many teens and young adults.
In 2017, nearly 6% of high school students reported rarely or never wearing seat belts as passengers. The previous year, 53% of individuals ages 16 to 20 killed in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing seat belts.
Night and weekend driving
Driving at night and on weekends increases the risk of crashing for all drivers, especially younger ones. In 2016, peak crash times for teens were between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m. Crashes during these hours make up 49% of all daily car crashes for teenage drivers.
Additionally, 53% of fatal crashes involving teens occurred on weekends, with 16% on Fridays, 19% on Saturdays and 18% on Sundays. Factors like limited visibility, fatigue, alcohol use, risk-taking behavior and the presence of teen passengers contribute significantly to these heightened risks.
Car accident costs
The National Safety Council estimates that each car crash fatality in the U.S. costs an average of $1.869 million. That figure reflects more obvious costs, like medical expenses and repairing vehicle damage, as well as less apparent costs, like administrative expenses and wage and productivity losses.
This means that the 42,406 car crash fatalities that occurred in 2022 in the U.S. cost over $79 billion.
Accidents that aren’t lethal are nonetheless still expensive, with each nonfatal disabling car crash injury estimated to cost $162,000 and each evident injury $42,000.
While car insurance companies may pay for much of the damages associated with a car crash, a crash’s overall cost to society exceeds what can be covered by an insurance policy. The National Safety Council estimates that each car crash fatality has a comprehensive cost of over $13 million when factoring in both economic and quality-of-life losses for those involved.
FAQ
What is the largest contributor to fatal car crashes?
Speeding and racing are the largest contributors to fatal car crashes, as they were contributing behavioral factors for 11,254 drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2021. That accounts for 18.5% of drivers involved in fatal crashes that year. Other common contributing factors include driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (11.2%) and distracted driving (5.5%).
What state has the highest rate of fatal car accidents?
As of 2022, Mississippi had the highest rate of fatal car accidents among any U.S. state, at 21.97 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents. Mississippi’s total number of 646 fatal car accidents that year, however, was relatively low compared with the 4,109 fatal car accidents that occurred in the much larger state of California.
How many people die in car crashes each year?
About 42,400 people died in car crashes in the U.S. in 2022. This was about 3.6% of the estimated 1.19 million people who die each year as a result of fatal car crashes worldwide.
Although low- and middle-income countries have about 60% of the world’s vehicles, they account for 92% of global road fatalities.
How old are the drivers who crash cars the most?
Drivers between the ages of 25 and 34 make up 22% of all drivers involved in car crashes in the U.S., according to the National Safety Council. This age group was involved in more total crashes than any other age group that the National Safety Council assessed.
That said, other age groups account for a disproportionately large share of car accidents. Drivers between the ages of 16 and 19, for instance, represent only 3.6% of all licensed U.S. drivers, but they account for 9.1% of all crashes and 6.1% of all fatal crashes.
Which gender causes more fatal car crashes?
Men are far more likely to be involved in fatal car crashes than women. Despite accounting for only 50.3% of licensed U.S. drivers, men made up more than 74% of drivers involved in fatal car crashes in 2021.
References
- “Factors that Increase the Risk of Crashes.” Youth.gov. Evaluated July 3, 2024.Link Here
- “Motor Vehicle Overview.” National Safety Council Injury Facts. Evaluated July 5, 2024.Link Here
- “Guide to Calculating Costs.” National Safety Council Injury Facts. Evaluated July 5, 2024.Link Here
- “Fatal Crashes and Crash Rates by Month.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Evaluated July 5, 2024.Link Here
- “Related Factors for Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Evaluated July 5, 2024.Link Here
- “Road traffic injuries.” World Health Organization. Evaluated July 8, 2024.Link Here
- “Highway Statistics Series.” U.S. Department of Transportation. Evaluated July 8, 2024.Link Here
- “Age of Driver.” National Safety Council Injury Facts. Evaluated July 8, 2024.Link Here
- “Fatality Facts 2022: Males and females.” Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Evaluated July 9, 2024.Link Here
- Carlier, M. “Number of drivers involved in fatal crashes in U.S. road traffic from 1996 to 2021 by sex.” Statista. Evaluated July 13, 2024.Link Here
