Method note: FARS is a census of fatal crashes. The annual crash chart counts fatal crashes; the rate chart uses annual fatalities divided by resident population, multiplied by 100,000. 1,3,4,5
Key Findings
- The U.S. fatality rate fell from its series high of 22.75 deaths per 100,000 residents in 1979 to 11.54 in 2024, a 49.3% decrease. 1,3,4,5
- The lowest rate in the 1975-2024 series was 10.26 in 2014. The 2024 rate remains 12.5% higher than that low point. 1,4,5
- Traffic deaths declined for three straight years after the 2021 spike, falling from 43,230 in 2021 to 39,254 in 2024. That is 3,976 fewer deaths, or a 9.2% decrease. The rate also fell from 13.02 to 11.54, down 11.4%. 1,2,3,4,5
- The post-2020 spike has not fully unwound. Compared with 2019, the 2024 total was still 2,899 deaths higher, up 8.0%. The fatality rate was also higher: 11.54 in 2024 versus 11.01 in 2019, a 4.8% increase. 1,2,3,4,5
- Long-run improvement is clearest after adjusting for population. From 1975 to 2024, the resident population rose 57.8%, while annual fatalities fell 11.8%. The fatality rate dropped from 20.66 to 11.54, down 44.1%. 1,2,3,4,5
Primary Sources
These are the federal source locations used for the annual crash totals and population-adjusted rate calculations.