--- title: "How Many People Die In Car Accidents Every Year?" canonical: "https://www.simplyinsurance.com/how-many-people-die-in-car-accidents-every-year/" description: "Every day, more than **3,700 people die in car accidents** around the world. That’s **over 1 million people a year!** Fortunately, that number has been…" silo: "business" published: "2026-05-21" updated: "2026-06-13" author: "sa-el" source: "Simply Insurance" --- Every day, more than **3,700 people die in car accidents** around the world. That’s **over 1 million people a year!** Fortunately, that number has been dropping in recent years as cars become safer and accident prevention measures are taken. This can make figuring out **how many people die in car accidents every year** somewhat complicated.  Especially since other types of vehicle collisions are declining, there are still new driving distractions that might push this number up; **for example**; [Texting and driving was linked to over 951,000 vehicle accidents](https://www.simplyinsurance.com/how-many-people-die-from-texting-and-driving-statistics/) throughout the world. ## How Many People Die in Car Accidents Every Year? Every year, **1.35 million people are killed** in car accidents across the world. ### How Many People Die In Car Accidents Every Day? Every day, **3,700 people are killed in automobile accidents** worldwide. ### What Is The Cause Of So Many Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths? User error causes more than **90 percent of all** motor vehicle accident fatalities. **Key Statistics:** - Almost half of all road fatalities occur among persons aged 15 to 44. - Every year, about 2 million drivers are made permanently disabled on average. - Car accidents are the 8th leading cause of death, accounting for 2.2% of all deaths worldwide. - Car accidents are the top cause of death among children and young adults ages 5 to 29. - Car Accidents are the second most common cause of death worldwide among teenagers and teen drivers aged 5 to 14. - Almost three-quarters (73%) of all road traffic fatalities occur among young males under the age of 25. - The majority of road deaths occur in low- and middle-income nations with fewer than half of the world’s cars. - Traffic accidents and fatalities cost a country roughly 3% of its annual GDP each year. - Low- and middle-income countries lose USD $65 billion each year as a result of vehicle accidents. - By 2030, road traffic injuries are expected to become the fifth major cause of death in the United States. ## Number of Car Accidents Per Year Worldwide ### **How Many People Are Injured In Car Crashes Each Year?** Around the world, around **20 and 50 million automobile accidents** happen every year. ### How Many Car Accidents Happen Per Day? Every day, between **55,000 and 138,000 automobile accidents** occur worldwide. **Key Statistics:** - Every year, about 2 million drivers are made permanently disabled on average. - Low- and middle-income countries lose USD $65 billion each year as a result of vehicle accidents. ## Fatal Car Accidents in America ### **How Many People Die From Car Accidents Each Year In The U.S.?** Every year, there are **38,000 automobile fatalities** in the United States. ### **How Many Car Accident Deaths Happen Per Day In The U.S.A.?** More than **100 people die each day in automobile accidents** in the United States. ### **Traffic Fatalities In America by State** The most recent statistics show that there were 33,244 fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States, with 36,096 fatalities. The state of **Texas has the most fatal crashes in America at some 3,305**.  Followed by California (3,259), Florida (2,915), Georgia (1,407), and North Carolina (1,321). **Rhode Island** has the least amount of fatal crashes in America with **only 56 fatal crashes**. STATE | FATAL CRASHES --- | --- Alabama | 930 Alaska | 67 Arizona | 981 Arkansas | 505 California | 3606 Colorado | 596 Connecticut | 249 Delaware | 132 District of Columbia | 23 Florida | 3183 Georgia | 1491 Hawaii | 108 Idaho | 224 Illinois | 1009 Indiana | 809 Iowa | 336 Kansas | 411 Kentucky | 732 Louisiana | 727 Maine | 157 Maryland | 521 Massachusetts | 334 Michigan | 985 Minnesota | 364 Mississippi | 643 Missouri | 880 Montana | 184 Nebraska | 248 Nevada | 304 New Hampshire | 101 New Jersey | 559 New Mexico | 424 New York | 931 North Carolina | 1373 North Dakota | 100 Ohio | 1153 Oklahoma | 640 Oregon | 489 Pennsylvania | 1059 Rhode Island | 57 South Carolina | 1001 South Dakota | 102 Tennessee | 1135 Texas | 3615 Utah | 248 Vermont | 47 Virginia | 831 Washington | 519 West Virginia | 260 Wisconsin | 566 Wyoming | 147 **Key Statistics:** - Every day, 29 people are killed in motor vehicle accidents caused by drunk drivers, according to 2021 Road Safety Facts data. - The leading cause of death in persons aged 1 to 54 in the United States is vehicle crashes. - One of the most common causes of death among healthy Americans traveling abroad is vehicle accidents. - Every year, nearly 1,200 kids under the age of 16 are killed in automobile accidents. - It’s terrible. According to the CDC, there are nearly 8,000 fatalities each year among drivers under the age of 20. ## Car Accidents in the United States ### **How Many Car Accidents Happen Per Year In America?** There are **6 million car accidents in the United States** each year. ### **How Many Car Crashes Happen A Day In The U.S.?** Around **18,510 automobile accidents occur every day** in the United States. ### **How Many Americans Are Injured In Car Crashes Each Year?** Every year, **[3 million individuals are injured or disabled](https://www.simplyinsurance.com/compare-small-business-insurance-quotes-online/)** in automobile accidents. **Key Statistics:** - Of the 3 million automobile accidents, 22,471 were caused only by property damage. - Every year in the United States, $871 billion is lost due to automobile accidents, which equals an average of $900 per person. - Teenagers aged 16 to 19 are three times more likely to be involved in automobile accidents than those over the age of 20. - Almost 951,000 vehicle accidents are linked to texting and driving. ## General Auto Accident Statistics & Causes ### **What is the most common cause of car crash deaths?** The most frequent reasons of fatalities caused by accidents are [**driving under the influence (28%)**](https://www.simplyinsurance.com/how-many-people-die-from-drunk-driving/) **and speeding (26%)**. (CDC and NSC) **Key Statistics:** - 1 in 7 drivers don’t use their seat belt when they’re behind the wheel. - The chance of serious harm is reduced by 50% with seat belt use, and the risk of death is decreased by 45%. - In the event of a collision, those who do not use their seat belts are 30 times more likely to be ejected. - Only one vehicle was involved in 57% of fatal automobile accidents, and a traffic accident was to blame for 43%. - The majority of vehicle accidents happen on weekends, particularly on Saturday nights between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. - The most common locations where automobile accidents occur are parking lots, rural highways, stop signs, and two-lane roads. - According to the NHTSA’s calculations, the cost of traffic accidents totals almost $900 billion each year. ## Concluding Thoughts ### **Taking Action** We hope you found these auto accident statistics enlightening and eye-opening because the number of car accidents and fatalities worldwide is staggering. I can’t believe over 1 million people are killed every year due to car accidents and that we (humans) are over 90% responsible for all car accidents. It’s always important to be aware of the risks involved in driving a car, which is why it’s so important to [How Many People Drive Without Insurance in America?](https://www.simplyinsurance.com/how-many-people-drive-without-insurance/) before taking your vehicle out on the road. **Sources:** NHTSA **| [USA Today](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/29/steep-economic-toll-of-crashes/9715893/) | NSC | CDC |[WHO](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries) |** ## Top U.S. & Worldwide Car Accident Statistics: - Every year, approximately **1.35 million people are killed in motor vehicle accidents** across the world. - **Each day, there are nearly 3,700 fatalities** in automobile accidents globally. - More than **94% of all vehicle accident deaths** are caused by user error. - The number one cause of death for people aged **1 to 54 is automobile accidents**. - Every year, there are **6 million automobile accidents in the United States** alone. - In the United States, there are approximately **18,510 automobile accidents each day**. - **Every year, 2.7 million individuals** are hurt in automobile accidents. - **38,000 Americans** die in car crashes every year.