United States Traffic Fatalities Heat Map

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the US had a total of 38,680 traffic fatalities in 2020. This is a 7.2% increase from the 36,096 traffic fatalities reported in 2019.

The fatality rate, which is the number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), was 1.37 in 2020. This represents a 24.0% increase from the fatality rate of 1.11 in 2019 and is the highest fatality rate since 2007.

It’s important to note that many factors contribute to traffic fatalities, and changes in driving behavior, road conditions, vehicle safety, and other factors can affect the fatality rate. The NHTSA is working to address these issues and reduce the number of traffic fatalities through initiatives such as promoting seat belt use, improving roadway design and maintenance, and encouraging safe driving behaviors.

Heat Map below shows where traffic takes the most lives in the United States.

Which states have the highest traffic fatalities?

According to the latest available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the year 2020, the following states had the highest number of traffic fatalities:

1. Texas – 4,864 fatalities
2. California – 4,214 fatalities
3. Florida – 3,633 fatalities
4. Georgia – 1,706 fatalities
5. North Carolina – 1,595 fatalities
6. Pennsylvania – 1,291 fatalities
7. Ohio – 1,253 fatalities
8. Tennessee – 1,223 fatalities
9. Illinois – 1,151 fatalities
10. Alabama – 1,130 fatalities

It’s worth noting that these states are also among the most populous states in the US, and therefore have higher traffic volumes, which can contribute to higher numbers of traffic fatalities. However, there are many factors that can contribute to traffic fatalities, including driver behavior, road conditions, and vehicle safety, among others.

Which states have the highest traffic fatalities per capita?

When it comes to traffic fatalities per capita, the rankings can be different than the ones based solely on the total number of fatalities. Based on the latest available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the year 2020, the following states had the highest number of traffic fatalities per capita:

1. Wyoming – 25.5 fatalities per 100,000 population
2. Mississippi – 23.1 fatalities per 100,000 population
3. Montana – 22.5 fatalities per 100,000 population
4. South Carolina – 22.4 fatalities per 100,000 population
5. Alabama – 22.2 fatalities per 100,000 population
6. New Mexico – 20.9 fatalities per 100,000 population
7. Louisiana – 19.7 fatalities per 100,000 population
8. Oklahoma – 19.6 fatalities per 100,000 population
9. Arkansas – 19.3 fatalities per 100,000 population
10. Kentucky – 19.1 fatalities per 100,000 population