U.S. Car Accident Statistics: 2026 Report on Deaths, Injuries and Trends
Every year the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) publishes official crash data for the United States. This report summarizes the most recent verified numbers — nationally and in several of the communities we serve — and what the trends mean for people injured in a car accident.
The national picture
| Traffic deaths in the U.S. (2024) | 39,254 |
|---|---|
| Traffic deaths in the U.S. (2023) | 40,901 |
| People injured in traffic crashes (2023) | 2.44 million |
| Fatality rate (2024) | 1.20 per 100 million vehicle miles — the lowest since 2019 |
The good news: deaths fell below 40,000 in 2024 for the first time since 2020, capping eleven consecutive quarterly declines. The bad news: nearly 2.5 million people are still injured on U.S. roads every year — and behind each number is a family dealing with medical bills, lost income and an insurance company that wants to close the claim cheap.
Where the numbers stand out
- Memphis, TN: Shelby County recorded 748 serious or fatal crashes in 2024 — the highest in Tennessee. Accident attorneys serving Memphis.
- Louisville, KY: Jefferson County logged 25,417 collisions and 113 deaths in 2024, more than any other Kentucky county. Accident attorneys serving Louisville.
- Albuquerque, NM: Bernalillo County had 118 traffic deaths in 2024 — the highest of any New Mexico county, and up 3.5% while the rest of the state improved. Accident attorneys serving Albuquerque.
- Orlando, FL: Orange County reported 25,408 crashes in 2024, with 155 fatal crashes and more than 19,000 people injured. Accident attorneys serving Orlando.
- El Paso, TX: a bright spot — traffic deaths fell from 101 in 2023 to 80 in 2024, though the county still saw 18,344 crashes. Accident attorneys serving El Paso.
- Tucson, AZ: 5,977 crashes and 96 people killed in 2024, with pedestrian crashes the deadliest category. Accident attorneys serving Tucson.
What the trends mean for your claim
Fewer deaths does not mean fewer victims. In several of the cities above, injury crashes went up even as fatal crashes went down — Bakersfield, for example, saw fatal collisions drop to 44 in 2024 while injury collisions rose to 1,813. Insurance companies know these numbers too, and a lower-severity claim is exactly the kind they try to settle fast and cheap, before you know what your medical care will really cost.
If you were hurt in a crash, the data is on your side: document everything, get medical attention, and talk to a lawyer before accepting any offer. We connect injured people with car accident attorneys and personal injury attorneys across the United States — the case review is free and bilingual, and most attorneys work on contingency, no fee unless you win.
Sources
NHTSA / FARS (2024 final counts and early estimates); IIHS state-by-state fatality data (2024); state and local crash data: TxDOT, FLHSMV, NCDOT, California OTS, Kentucky State Police/KYTC, Tennessee Highway Safety Office, NMDOT/UNM, and the Bakersfield, Tucson and Chattanooga police departments. Figures are the latest official numbers available as of mid-2026; some are preliminary and may be revised.
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