510 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401 | Available 24/7

California Car Accident Statistic Data

California Car Accident Statistic Data 2024

Table of Contents for Specific Topics

California is one of the most populous states with over 39 million people. It also happens to be the state with the highest number of registered vehicles [1] with over 30 million vehicles registered as of 2020. This makes major cities like Los Angeles much more likely to experience traffic accidents due to the sheer volume of drivers on the road. Driving is still one of the most popular ways to get around and with the staggering number of cars on the road, accidents are bound to happen. The car accident statistical data that is presented below is up to date with the most recently accessible data sets provided to the public as of December 2023.

*It is important to note that there are some discrepancies between the data sets due to collection methods and sample sizes used by different referenced data sources.

 

5 Year Analysis of California Car Accident Statistics

According to 2022 data pulled directly from the California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 4,015 crashes that resulted in fatalities in the state of California. The combined fatality count including drivers, passengers, and victims of those accidents reaches 4,328. This metric indicates a year over year decline from the 5 year all time high benchmark of 4,477 set in 2021 [2].

 

California Accident Fatality Statistics 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Crashes Resulting in Fatalities 3478 3438 3672 4161 4015
Year Over Year % Change -1% 7% 13% -4%
Vehicle Accident-Related Fatalities 3804 3737 3982 4477 4328
Year Over Year % Change -2% 7% 12% -3%

 

bar graph showing number of California car crashes with year over year change from 2019 - 2022

bar graph showing number of California car accident related fatalities with year over year change from 2019 - 2022

 

SWITR data also indicated that crashes that resulted in fatalities and serious injuries (FSI) were down year over year by 2% when comparing 2022’s benchmark of 19,280 vehicle accident related FSI to 2021’s 5 year high of 19,593 [3].

 

California Accident FSI Statistics 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Crashes Resulting in FSI 17376 17486 16845 19593 19280
Year Over Year % Change 1% -4% 16% -2%
Vehicle Accident Related FSI 19962 20180 19374 22561 22128
Year Over Year % Change 1% -4% 16% -2%

 

Using the information provided by SWITR, we can deduce some additional information related to the California car accident statistics that are available to the public:

 

  • On average, in the state of California there was 1 vehicle related accident that resulted in fatality or serious injury reported every 27 minutes in 2022.
  • On average, in the state of California there was 1 person was killed roughly every 2 hours due to a traffic accident in 2022.
  • For every 5 people seriously injured in a car accident in California, there was one vehicle related fatality.

 

California Car Accident by Cause Statistics

Everyone traveling in California is at risk of getting into a traffic-related accident. Learning about car accident causes can help you reduce your risk of getting into an accident and contributing to the California traffic accident statistics. In 2022, the data collected by SWITR indicated that speeding accounted for roughly 25% of all vehicle related fatalities and serious injuries, which was the leading cause followed by alcohol related fatalities and serious injuries [4].

pie chart showing top reasons for car accident fatalities in 2022

 

Speeding Related Car Accident Statistics in California

  • Speeding related fatalities declined to 1,086 in 2022 from 1,278 in 2021. This marked a 15% decline which was a strong reversal from the strong 18% year over year growth experienced in 2021 [5]. Speeding related FSI benchmarks also experienced a 9% year over year decline in 2022.
Speeding 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Speeding Related Fatalities 957 1009 1081 1278 1086
Year Over Year Change % 5% 7% 18% -15%
Speeding Related FSI 5322 5655 5349 6248 5706
Year Over Year Change % 6% -5% 17% -9%

bar graph showing number of California speeding related car accident fatalities with year over year change from 2019 - 2022

 

Alcohol Related Car Accident Statistics in California

  • Alcohol related driving fatalities decreased to 987 in 2022 from 1,166 in 2021 which marked a 15% year over year decline [6].This trend was a strong reversal from the previous 2 years that saw accelerating growth. Alcohol related FSI metrics also experienced a 7% decline in 2022.

 

Alcohol 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Alcohol Related Fatalities 956 929 1034 1166 987
Year Over Year Change % -3% 11% 13% -15%
Alcohol Related FSI 4436 4434 4259 5115 4733
Year Over Year Change % 0% -4% 20% -7%

bar graph showing number of California alcohol related car accident fatalities with year over year change from 2019 - 2022

 

Unrestrained Car Occupant Statistics in California

  • Passengers that died due to failing to follow California seat belt laws decreased to 840 in 2022 from 924 in 2021 [7]. This marks a 9% year-over-year decline in unrestrained occupant fatalities. Unrestrained occupant related FSI continued its trend of deceleration which resulted in a 10% year over year decline in 2022.

 

Unrestrained Occupant 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Unrestrained Occupant Related Fatalities 633 648 774 924 840
Year Over Year Change % 2% 19% 19% -9%
Unrestrained Occupant Related FSI 2091 2162 2606 3020 2705
Year Over Year Change % 3% 21% 16% -10%

bar graph showing number of California unrestrained occupant related car accident fatalities with year over year change from 2019 - 2022

 

  • In 2020, driving under the influence was the most impactful collision factor that resulted in accidents involving unrestrained vehicle occupants that resulted in fatality or serious injury. This factor resulted in 38.9%, or 883, of the 2,270 sampled crashes [8].

 

Unrestrained Accident Collision Factors # %
Driving Under the Influence 883 39%
Improper Turning 651 29%
Unsafe Speed 327 14%
Traffic Signals 107 5%
Wrong Side of Road 79 4%
Other 222 10%

 

  • The crash type that resulted in the most unrestrained fatalities or serious injuries in 2020 were vehicles hitting objects. This accounted for 1040, or 45.8%, of the 2,270 sampled crashes [9].

 

Unrestrained Accident Crash Types # %
Hit Object 1040 46%
Overturned 297 13%
Broadside (T-Bone) 295 13%
Rear End 261 12%
Head On 243 11%
Other 134 6%

Drug Related Car Accident Statistics in California

  • Both fatalities and FSI metrics caused by drivers under the influence of drugs dropped dramatically in 2022. Fatalities were down by 45% with 2022 reporting only 377 drug related vehicle accidents compared to 683 in 2022. FSI metrics also dropped 38% [10].

 

Drug Related 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Drug Related Fatalities 513 561 770 683 377
Year Over Year Change % 9% 37% -11% -45%
Drug Related FSI 1064 1132 1415 1346 832
Year Over Year Change % 6% 25% -5% -38%

bar graph showing number of California drug related car accident fatalities with year over year change from 2019 - 2022

 

Distracted Driving Car Accident Statistics in California

  • Distracted driving related fatalities reported 129 deaths in 2022 which was 15% lower than 2021’s 152 fatalities. Distracted driving FSI was down 11% when comparing 2022’s 742 fatalities and serious injuries against 2021’s 834 [11].

 

Distracted Driving 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Distracted Driving Related Fatalities 140 163 126 152 129
Year Over Year Change % 16% -23% 21% -15%
Distracted Driving Related FSI 882 950 761 834 742
Year Over Year Change % 8% -20% 10% -11%

bar graph showing number of California distracted driving related car accident fatalities with year over year change from 2019 - 2022

 

California Car Accident by Accident Type

According to 2021 data provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), there was a total of 3,983 fatal crashes which resulted in 4,285 deaths in California [12].

 

  • Of those 4,285 deaths, the top 3 vehicle types that resulted in the most deaths were cars (35%), pickup trucks / SUVs (19%), and motorcycles (14%) [13]. Pedestrian victims also accounted for a large portion (26%) of the fatalities that resulted from vehicle crashes in California.

pie chart showing top vehicle accidents by road user

 

Motorcycle Accident Statistics in California

  • Motorcycle accident deaths increased from 549 in 2020 to 565 in 2021 which indicates 2.9% year over year growth [14]. However, this is a remarkable deceleration from the 15.8% year over year increase that occurred in 2020 from 2019.

 

Motorcycle Fatalities 2018 2019 2020 2021
Motorcycle Fatalities 523 474 549 565
% Change YoY -9.4% +15.8% +2.9%

 

  • Motorcycle accident deaths that resulted from riders not wearing helmets experienced 8.8% year over year growth in 2021 [15]. This increase from 34 deaths in 2020 to 37 deaths in 2021 was still a deceleration from 2020’s 21.4% year-over-year growth.

 

Helmet Related Motorcycle Fatalities 2018 2019 2020 2021
Helmet Related Motorcycle Fatalities 34 28 34 37
% Change YoY -17.6% +21.4% +8.8%

 

  • Broadside accidents were the most common motorcycle accident type in California, accounting for roughly 850 of the 3,385 sampled crashes in 2020 [16].

 

Motorcycle Accident Crash Types # %
Broadside (T-bone) 850 25%
Overturned 711 21%
Hit Object 636 19%
Rear End 423 13%
Sideswipe 389 12%
Other 376 11%

 

 

Motorcycle Accident Crash Causes   #   %
Unsafe Speed 1046 30.90%
Improper Turning 751 22%
Car Right of Way 545 16.10%
Riding Under the Influence 301 8.90%
Traffic Signals 149 4.40%
Other 592 17.50%

 

  • Los Angeles County had the highest number of motorcycle related incidents in California and was responsible for 114 (21.1%) of reported motorcycle related fatalities and 702 (23.8%) of reported motorcycle related serious injuries in the state [18]. However, the Fatal & Serious Injury (FSI) per 100K population metric for Los Angeles was 8.15 which was below the state average of 8.83.

 

Pedestrian and Bicycle Accident Statistics in California

  • Pedestrian related traffic fatalities experienced a 9.4% increase which grew from 1013 deaths in 2020 to 1108 deaths in 2021 [19]. This benchmark unfortunately saw the continuation of a trend that accelerated from the previous year’s 4.3% growth.

 

Pedestrian Fatalities 2018 2019 2020 2021
Pedestrian Fatalities 978 972 1013 1108
% Change YoY -0.6% +4.2% +9.4%

 

  • Bicycle related traffic fatalities declined by 8.1% which resulted in 125 deaths in 2021 compared to 136 deaths in 2020 [20].

 

Bicycle Fatalities 2018 2019 2020 2021
Bicycle Fatalities 165 133 136 125
% Change YoY -19.4% +2.3% -8.1%

 

Los Angeles Car Accident Statistics

Los Angeles came in at the top of the list of California cities responsible for the most vehicle related fatalities and FSI. Los Angeles accounted for 8.4% of all car accident related fatalities as well as 9.9% of all fatalities and serious injuries attributed to car accidents in California. The cities that made up the top 10 list can be seen below [21].

 

Cities with Most Vehicle Related Fatalities 2022 %
California (Statewide) 4328 100.0%
Los Angeles 363 8.4%
San Diego 122 2.8%
Sacramento 76 1.8%
Fresno 63 1.5%
Long Beach 58 1.3%
Bakersfield 57 1.3%
Riverside 57 1.3%
San Bernardino 53 1.2%
Oakland 46 1.1%
San Francisco 43 1.0%

 

Cities with Most Vehicle Related FSI 2022 %
California (Statewide) 22,128 100.0%
Los Angeles 2,186 9.9%
San Diego 541 2.4%
San Francisco 349 1.6%
Sacramento 346 1.6%
Long Beach 321 1.5%
Fresno 259 1.2%
San Jose 251 1.1%
Oakland 219 1.0%
Riverside 204 0.9%
San Bernardino 170 0.8%

 

This makes sense given that Los Angeles is the largest city in California by population size and continues to be one of the most traffic congested cities in the state. However, according to the data provided by data.lacity.org, the number of car collisions in Los Angeles has dropped 3 years in a row [22].

 

Year # of Reported Collisions
2023 15236
2022 16413
2021 18791

 

 

The cause of car accident-related fatalities in both the county and the city of Los Angeles matches the data identified at the state level. The top reasons include speeding, alcohol, and unrestrained occupants [23].

  • LA County data:
Fatalities – LA County 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Speeding 233 245 264 322 302
Year Over Year Change (%) 5% 8% 22% -6%
Alcohol Related 174 144 175 148 120
Year Over Year Change (%) -17% 22% -15% -19%
Unrestrained Occupant 89 78 116 119 123
Year Over Year Change (%) -12% 49% 3% 3%
Drug Related 104 106 166 49 23
Year Over Year Change (%) 2% 57% -70% -53%
Distracted Driving 24 26 24 22 16
Year Over Year Change (%) 8% -8% -8% -27%

 

  • LA City data:
Fatalities – LA (City) 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Speeding 90 103 101 151 127
Year Over Year Change (%) 14% -2% 50% -16%
Alcohol Related 54 49 62 58 52
Year Over Year Change (%) -9% 27% -6% -10%
Unrestrained Occupant 37 23 45 28 39
Year Over Year Change (%) -38% 96% -38% 39%
Drug Related 36 34 64 11 11
Year Over Year Change (%) -6% 88% -83% 0%
Distracted Driving 8 7 9 6 5
Year Over Year Change (%) -13% 29% -33% -17%

 

Most Dangerous Intersections in Los Angeles

According to the LAPD, the deadliest intersections in Los Angeles in 2021 [24] were:

 

For total collisions:

  • San Pedro St. and Washington Blvd.
  • Florence Ave. and Vermont Ave.
  • Oxnard St. and Van Nuys Blvd.
  • Highland Ave. and Hollywood Blvd.

 

For pedestrians:

  • Caesar E. Chavez Ave. and Soto St.
  • Avalon Blvd. and Imperial Highway
  • De Soto Ave. and Lassen St.
  • Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave.

 

For cyclists:

  • Humboldt St. and San Fernando Road
  • Anaheim St. and King Ave.
  • Valley Vista Blvd. and Van Nuys Blvd.
  • La Brea Ave. and Sunset Blvd.

 

How to Make LA Streets Safer

Streety safety is a basic right for everyone in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, there’s no simple solution to making LA streets safer. While agencies such as LADOT have implemented programs such as Vision Zero to try and eliminate traffic-related injuries and deaths, these measures have been largely ineffective.

 

Making the streets of Los Angeles safer requires numerous changes at the individual and systemic level. Both state- and city-wide level awareness programs can utilize car accident statistics like the ones analyzed above to identify where there are areas that need to be dramatically improved. By understanding how speeding, driving under the influence, and not following seatbelt and helmet laws play into increasing car and motorcycle accidents, our local and state leaders can develop plans that focus on addressing the biggest problems. New programs that increase awareness and laws that implement stricter penalties for breaking the safety rules of the road would help reduce vehicle related fatalities and serious injuries.

 

These measures will also require that each driver obeys traffic safety laws by slowing down and paying attention to the road. Certain at-risk demographics like motorcyclists need to follow to motorcycle helmet laws and rider training to reduce the likelihood of injury or death. Whether it’s a driver, bicyclist, or pedestrian, each person that travels throughout Los Angeles deserves to feel safe and it will take effort from every individual in the city to play their part in making the streets safe.

 

Schedule a Consultation with a Mesriani Car Accident Lawyer If You Have Been in a Car Accident

Getting into a car accident can be a traumatizing experience. While minor accidents may not always leave victims with significant harm, major car crashes can cause serious and fatal injuries. In California, car accident victims are entitled to compensation for their losses. If you or someone you know has been hurt in a car accident, contact Mesriani Law Group to learn more about your legal options. Our law firm have over 20 years of experience helping car accident victims get the justice they deserve. We have successfully recovered over $100 million for our clients and have consistently obtain the maximum compensation.

 

Whether you were injured by a negligent driver or government agency, we can represent you against the other party and help you move forward. We accept clients on a contingency basis and do not charge you anything if we do not win your case. There is strict deadline for filing personal injury claims so do not wait to start your claim. Contact us today at (866) 500-7070 for a free consultation.

 

Sources

[1] https://www.valuepenguin.com/auto-insurance/car-ownership-statistics#national

[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [10] [11] [21] [23] https://tims.berkeley.edu/summary.php?showArea=city&expandTables=false&injury=3&yearRange=5&showMap=crashes

[8] [9] https://safetrec.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/publications/safetrecfactsoccupantprotection_2022.pdf

[12] [13] https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state

[14] [15] [19] [20] https://www.ots.ca.gov/ots-and-traffic-safety/score-card/

[16] [17] [18] https://safetrec.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/publications/safetrecfactsmotorcyclesafety_2022.pdf

[22] https://data.lacity.org/Public-Safety/Traffic-Collision-Data-from-2010-to-Present/d5tf-ez2w/data

[24] https://laist.com/news/transportation/traffic-violence-surges-in-los-angeles-2021

[25] https://www.driverknowledge.com/car-accident-statistics/

 

Car Accident Statistic FAQs

 

How many car accidents happen in the U.S. in 2021?

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of 2021. That is an increase of 18.4% compared to 2020. Unfortunately, that is the largest number of projected fatalities since 2006.

 How many car accidents happen a year in the U.S.?

On average, 6 million car accidents happen a year in the U.S [25]. 3 million people get hurt as a result of a car accident every year. Each day, more than 90 people die because of a car accident. Approximately 2 million drivers who get hurt due to a car crash suffer from permanent injuries each year. On average, the car crashes were 6% fatal and 27% non-fatal; 72% resulted in property damage. The most common cause of accident that resulted in death was alcohol, accounting for 40% of the crashes. Other top causes include speeding (30%) and reckless driving (33%).

 

About the Author
Picture of Rodney Mesriani
Rodney Mesriani

Rodney Mesriani is the principal partner of the Los Angeles and Santa Monica based Mesriani Law Group. He specializes in personal injury and employment law while also being an accomplished litigator and trial attorney. Rodney is an aggressive negotiator and a well-known and respected attorney in the areas of practice he specializes in.

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from California State University Northridge before attending Southwestern School of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate. While being an accomplished personal injury and employment lawyer, Rodney Mesriani has made it a point to attend numerous State Sponsored MCLE events and seminars over the years as a law practitioner to be informed of the latest laws and litigation strategies.

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Related Posts

SCHEDULE YOUR

Free Consultation

Scroll to Top