The Ultimate List of Driving Statistics for 2023

• In 2019, there were 228,679,719 licensed drivers and 299,267,114 registered vehicles in the United States. These drivers drove a total of 3,261,772,000,000 (over three trillion) miles. (NHTSA, 2021)
• Over 492,000 plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) were sold in 2021. Over 2.2 million plug-in EVs have been sold since 2010. (These figures include both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in battery electric vehicles.) (Argonne National Laboratory, 2021)
• In 2021, EVs accounted for nearly 5% of SUVs and sedans sold and more than 20% of all passenger vehicles sold. This is up sharply from the 2% of passenger vehicle sales in 2018. (E&E News, 2021)
• In 2019–2020, a survey of about 5,000 US residents ages 16 and older found that 88.3% of respondents drove at least occasionally and made an average of 2.5 driving trips daily. They drove for an average of about 59 minutes and nearly 30 miles daily. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• In 2019–2020, a survey of about 5,000 US residents ages 16 and older found that 97% of respondents aged 35–49 drove at least occasionally, a larger percentage than for any other age group. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• In 2019–2020, the percentage of US residents ages 16 and older who reported that they drove at least occasionally varied by education level. 97% of college graduates drove at least occasionally, compared with 85% of residents who did not graduate from high school. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• Men are slightly more likely to drive than women. In 2019–2020, 94% of male US residents ages 16 and older drove at least occasionally, whereas 93% of female residents did. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• Among US residents in 2019–2020, married residents drove an average of 68.3 minutes and 34.9 miles, more than did those of any other marital status. Widowed residents drove least of all: an average of 32.0 minutes and 14.1 miles. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• Among US residents ages 16 and older in 2019–2020, 96% of white residents, 90% of Hispanic residents, and 88% of black residents drove at least occasionally. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• In 2017, 28% of vehicle miles traveled by households were for traveling to or from work, 25% for social or recreational purposes, 17% for family errands, 15% for shopping, and another 15% for traveling to or from school or church. (US Department of Transportation, 2020)
• The percentage of teenagers who hold a driver's license has declined since the 1980s (although there has been a slight uptick since 2014). For example, in 1983, 46.2% of 16-year-olds held a driver's license; in 2018, only 25.6% of 16-year-olds held a driver's license. (Federal Highway Administration, 2020)
• In 2021, there were 8,575,569 registered on-road motorcycles in the United States, approximately double the number (4,320,807) in 2002. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2021, the largest single category of registered on-road motorcycles was cruisers (39.9% of registered motorcycles), followed by touring motorcycles (23.1%). (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2018, 8.02% of US households owned motorcycles. (Motorcycle Industry Council, 2019)
• In 2018, 81% of motorcycle owners were male, and 19% were female. (Motorcycle Industry Council, 2019)
• In 2019, there were 37.9 million trucks registered and used for business purposes (excluding government and farming), representing 23.9% of all trucks registered. This included 3.97 million Class 8 (heavy) trucks, such as truck tractors and dump trucks. (American Trucking Associations, 2021)
• In 2019, all registered trucks traveled 300.05 billion miles, and combination trucks (tractor-trailers) traveled 175.3 billion miles. (American Trucking Associations, 2021)
• In 2018, there were 3.5 million truck drivers employed in the United States. (American Trucking Associations, 2020)
• An online survey of 2,097 truck drivers in August–September 2021 found that more than eight percent were female; 14.5% of company drivers and 14.9% of owner-operator/independent carrier drivers (OO/ICs) were college graduates; and 1.6% of company drivers and 2.4% of OO/ICs had a master’s degree. (American Transportation Research Institute, 2022)
• An online survey of 2,097 truck drivers in August–September 2021 found that 68.6% of OO/IC respondents were part of small operations (1–5 trucks), whereas 72.7% of Company Driver respondents worked for fleets with 21 – 1,000+ trucks. Five-axle flatbed trucks were more common among OO/ICs leased to a motor carrier (22.6%) and OO/ICs with their own authority to transport freight (17.6%) than among Company Drivers (5.8%). On the other hand, 5-axle tanker trucks were more common among Company Drivers (9.7%) than among OO/ICs leased to a motor carrier (4.6%) or OO/ICs with their own authority (2.5%). (American Transportation Research Institute, 2022)
• An online survey of 2,097 truck drivers in August–September 2021 found that longer trip lengths were more prevalent among OO/IC respondents. 73.9% of OO/IC respondents reported average length of haul exceeding 500 miles per trip. Among Company Driver respondents, 55.4% reported operating local or regional trips of less than 500 miles per trip. (American Transportation Research Institute, 2022)
• An online survey of 2,097 truck drivers in August–September 2021 examined the motivating factors behind each respondent’s choice of becoming a Company Driver or an owner-operator/independent carrier (OO/IC), as well as the current level of driver satisfaction with each factor.
  • Among Company Drivers, the top three motivating factors were Job Security/Stability (88.5%), Income (83.1%), and Healthcare/Retirement Savings (79.1%). However, only 59.5% of Company Drivers reported being satisfied with their Healthcare/Retirement Savings. Among female Company Drivers, 84.3% indicated Healthcare/Retirement Savings was an important motivating factor for becoming a Company Driver, and 68.6% of female drivers reported being satisfied with Healthcare/Retirement Savings.
  • Among OO/ICs, the top three motivating factors were Independence/Ability to Set Hours (94.8%), Schedule/Flexibility (93.6%), and Choice of Routes/Length of Haul (91.3%). In contrast with Company Drivers, only 39.2% of OO/ICs rated Healthcare/Retirement Savings as a top motivating factor. (American Transportation Research Institute, 2022)
• In the first quarter of 2019, about 276 million vehicles were operating on America's roads. (Statista, 2020)

Speeding Statistics

• Speed-related crashes cost Americans $40.4 billion each year. (Insurance Information Institute, 2019)
• In 2018, speeding was the cause of 31% of motorcyclist fatalities, 18% of car driver fatalities, 14% of light-truck driver fatalities, and 7% of large-truck driver fatalities. (US Department of Transportation, 2020)
• Over 50% of the five million yearly car crashes in the United States are caused by aggressive drivers, with speeding being the most prevalent contributor to this statistic. (TeenSafe, 2018)
• Speeding killed 10,111 people in the US in 2016, accounting for more than a quarter (27%) of all traffic fatalities. (NHTSA, 2018)
• Speed was a factor in 31% of US teen driver fatalities. (NHTSA, 2018)
• 42% of the surveyed drivers said they don't consider going 10 mph over the speed limit to be speeding. Another 10% said they don't think a 20-mph increase is speeding. (Everquote, 2016)
• Drivers speed at least 10 mph over the speed limit more than half the time. (Everquote, 2016)
• National data shows that even a 10-mph speed increase ups the risk of a crash by 9.1%. (Fortune, 2016)
• Drivers ages 15-20 had the highest representation in speed-related fatal crashes (32% and 22%) compared with any other age group in 2016. (NHTSA, 2018)
• Speeding continues to be the number one cited driver-related factor in fatal highway crashes. (Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2017)
• In 2017, there were 203 fatal crashes in work zones in which speeding had been a factor. (FHWA, 2019)

Driving Ability Statistics

• One study found that 18% of licensed American drivers would fail the knowledge test for a learner's permit if they had to retake it. (National General Insurance, 2011) Another study found that nearly 40% would fail it. The passing score for the knowledge test is usually 80%. (CarInsurance.com, 2013)

Accident Statistics

• In 2019, there were 6,756,000 police-reported motor vehicle crashes, including 1,916,000 crashes involving injury and 33,244 crashes involving death. (NHTSA, 2021)
• In 2010, the economic cost of traffic crashes (both reported and unreported) was estimated to be about $242 billion, plus an additional $594 billion in societal costs resulting from the effects of these crashes on the victims, for a total cost of $836 billion. This total cost represented about 5.6% of the US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2010. (NHTSA, 2017)
• Around 2 million drivers in car accidents experience permanent injuries every year. (Driver Knowledge, 2019)
• Crash risk is highest during the first year that drivers are licensed. (CDC, 2018)
• Out of nearly six million vehicular crashes that occur every year in the United States, approximately 22% are weather-related. (FHWA, 2017)
• Rear-end crashes are the most frequently occurring type of collision, accounting for approximately 29% of all crashes. (NHTSA, 2017)
• In 16.7% of fatal large truck crashes in 2019, a passenger car rear-ended the truck; in 3.7%, the truck rear-ended a passenger car. In 17.9% of fatal large truck crashes, an oncoming passenger car drifted into the truck's lane (head-on collision); in 2.2%, an oncoming large truck drifted into a passenger car's lane. Most of the remaining fatal crashes were side-impact crashes. (FMCSA, 2021)
• Of the 4,949 drivers of large trucks involved in fatal crashes in 2019, 354 (7%) were 25 years of age or younger, and 361 (7%) were 66 years of age or older. In comparison, 3 (1%) of the 232 drivers of buses in fatal crashes were 25 years of age or younger, and 33 (14%) were 66 years of age or older. The average age of large truck drivers involved in fatal crashes was 46.5 years for male drivers and 43.7 years for female drivers. (FMCSA, 2021)
• Tailgating is a contributing factor in more than one-third of all crashes on the road. (TeenSafe, 2018)
• In 2019, at least one driver-related factor was recorded for 33% of the large truck drivers in fatal crashes, compared with 53% of the passenger car drivers in fatal crashes (FMCSA, 2021).
• For large truck drivers in fatal crashes in 2019, these were the most common driver-related factors: speeding (7.6%), distraction or inattention (5.3%), impairment (fatigue, alcohol, illness, etc.) (4.7%), failure to yield the right-of-way (4.6%), and careless driving (4.4%).
• For passenger car drivers in fatal crashes in 2019, these were the most common driver-related factors: speeding (16.6%), impairment (fatigue, alcohol, illness, etc.) (15.1%), failure to yield the right-of-way (8.4%), careless driving (6.6%), and distraction or inattention (6.3%). (FMCSA, 2021)
• In fatal large truck crashes in 2019, 75.4% of the drivers had a valid commercial driver's license (CDL); 19.8% had no CDL; and many of the rest had a CDL that was expired, revoked, or suspended. (FMCSA, 2021)
• Certain driver performance errors, including committing a right-of-way error (with or without the yield sign), sudden or improper braking or stopping, failure to stop at a stop sign, and being unfamiliar with a vehicle or roadway, increased the risk of crashing by hundreds of times. (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2016)
• About 10 million or more crashes go unreported each year. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2018)
• In Canada, economic losses caused by traffic collision-related health care costs and lost productivity are at least $10 billion annually. This represents about 1% of Canada's annual Gross Domestic Product. (Government of Canada)

Aggressive Driving Statistics

• 66% of traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving. (SafeMotorist.com, 2019)
• 37% of aggressive driving incidents involve a firearm. (SafeMotorist.com, 2019)
• Male and younger drivers ages 19-39 were significantly more likely to engage in aggressive behaviors. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2016)
• Half of the drivers who are on the receiving end of aggressive behavior, such as horn honking, a rude gesture, or tailgating admit to responding with aggressive behavior themselves. (SafeMotorist.com, 2019)
• 2% of drivers admit to trying to run an aggressor off the road at least once. (SafeMotorist.com, 2019)
• In 2014, 0.7% of drivers admitted to regularly blocking other vehicles from changing lanes. 0.3% of drivers admitted to regularly cutting off other vehicles deliberately. 0.1% of drivers admitted to regularly bumping or ramming other vehicles intentionally. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2016)
• A 2020 survey of US drivers ages 16 and older found that 45% of respondents admitted to speeding at 15 mph or more above the speed limit on a freeway in the past 30 days, 23% admitted to driving through a red light, and 21% admitted to tailgating another vehicle or switching lanes quickly. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• On a single day during the 2017-2018 school year, 108,623 school bus drivers across the country reported that 83,944 vehicles passed their stopped school buses illegally.

Pedestrian Safety Statistics

• In 2019, pedestrians accounted for about 17% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities. Twenty-one percent of pedestrian deaths occurred in hit-and-run accidents. (IIHS, 2021)
• The pedestrian death rate per 100,000 people decreased by 46% from 1975 to 2019. The death rate for pedestrians decreased by 93% for ages 0-12, and by 70% for ages 70 and older. Children of these ages had the second-highest death rate in 1975 but the lowest in 2019. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2017, the seven states (Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Washington) and Washington, DC that legalized recreational use of marijuana between 2012 and 2016 reported a collective 16.4% increase in pedestrian fatalities for the first six months of 2017 versus the first six months of 2016, whereas all other states reported a collective 5.8% decrease in pedestrian fatalities.
• Pedestrians have a 90% chance of surviving a crash at 30 kph (19 mph) or less but only a 50% chance at higher speeds. (AutoInsurance.org, 2018)
• About half of the deaths resulting from red-light running each year are pedestrians and occupants of other vehicles who are hit. (Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, 2018)
• Distractions are the number three cause of pedestrian fatalities, mainly by electronic devices. (Active Transportation Alliance, 2018)
• A pedestrian who is struck at 20 mph has a 10% chance of dying. A pedestrian struck at 40 mph has an 80% chance of dying. (Active Transportation Alliance, 2018)
• 74% of pedestrian fatalities happen at night, and 72% of those killed were not crossing at intersections. (Active Transportation Alliance, 2018)
• On average, a pedestrian was killed every 1.5 hours in traffic crashes in 2016. (NHTSA, 2017)
• In 2018, 26% of pedestrian deaths in 2018 occurred in crashes between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., and 24% occurred between 9 p.m. and midnight. (IIHS, 2019)

Winter Driving Statistics

• 17% of all vehicle crashes occur during winter conditions. (NHTSA, 2019)
• There are about 156,000 crashes annually due to icy roads. (Carsurance.net, 2020)
• Weather-related vehicle accidents kill more people annually than large-scale weather disasters. (The Weather Channel, 2018)
• It takes up to 10 times longer to stop on snow and ice than it does on dry pavement. (Geico Insurance, 2018)
• Freeway speeds are reduced by 3% to 13% in light snow and by 5% to 40% in heavy snow. (FHWA, 2019)
• Each year, 24% of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy or icy pavement and 15% happen during snowfall or sleet. (FHWA, 2019)
• Deicing pays for itself a mere 25 minutes after salt is spread. (Safe Winter Roads, 2019)
• More than 116,000 Americans are injured, and over 1,300 are killed on snowy, slushy or icy pavement every winter. (Safe Winter Roads, 2019)
• A four-wheel traction system can help a car get moving in snow and ice and provide extra control when turning, but it doesn't help the vehicle stop much faster than a front- or rear-wheel-drive car. (US News & World Report, 2018)
• Over 70% of the nation's roads are located in snowy regions, which receive more than five inches (or 13 cm) average snowfall annually. (FHWA, 2019)
• Seventy percent of America's population lives in areas that have snowy or icy conditions during the winter. (The Zebra, 2021)
• In a 2021 survey of American drivers, 75.8% of respondents had driven on black ice, but 57.9% of respondents never used snow tires in the winter. 35.1% of respondents named an ice scraper as the most important tool to have in the winter, followed by gloves or mittens (28%) and sand or kitty litter (25.4%). (The Zebra, 2021)

Child Safety Statistics

• Heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash-related fatalities among US children. (NHTSA, 2018)
• In 2017-2021, an average of 39 children per year have died in overheated vehicles. Since 1998, 805 children have died in overheated vehicles. 88% of them were 3 years of age or younger. 55% of them were one year of age or younger. A young child's body can overheat 3-5 times faster than an adult's body. (KidsandCars.org, 2021)
• Among children who died in overheated vehicles in 1990-2020, 55% of them were unknowingly left in the vehicle, 26% of them gained access to the vehicle on their own, 14% of them were knowingly left in the vehicle, and the circumstances of the rest were unknown. (KidsandCars.org, 2021)
• At least 50 children per week are backed over by vehicles, of whom two die per week. The predominant age of young backover victims is 12-23 months of age. Over60%ofthese backoversinvolvealargervehicle(truck,van,or SUV). (KidsandCars.org, 2021)
• Drivers ages 16-24 have the lowest seat belt use rate. (Safe Ride 4 Kids, 2018)
• In 2016, frontal airbags saved the lives of 2,756 occupants ages 13 and older. (NHTSA, 2018)
• An outside temperature in the mid-60s Fahrenheit can cause a vehicle's interior temperature to rise above 110 degrees. The interior temperature of a car can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes. (NHTSA, 2018)

General Statistics on Driving-Related Fatalities

• Every year, roughly 1.3 million people die in car accidents worldwide - an average of 3,287 deaths per day. (SaferAmerica, 2019)
• In 2019, there were 33,244 police-reported fatal motor vehicle crashes, resulting in 36,096 deaths. (NHTSA, 2021)
• In 2019, there were 1.11 traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, 11.00 traffic fatalities per 100,000 population, 12.06 traffic fatalities per 100,000 registered vehicles, and 15.78 traffic fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers. (NHTSA, 2021)
• 58% of police-reported fatal car accidents in the US involved only one vehicle. (SaferAmerica, 2019)
• Road traffic crashes cause up to 50 million injuries globally each year. (WHO, 2018)
• The number of annual road traffic deaths has reached 1.35 million. (WHO, 2018)
• In the United States, 36,096 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2019, down 13.9% from 41,945 in 2000. (IIHS, 2021)
• In the United States in 2019, there were 11.0 motor vehicle deaths per 100,000 population, down 26.2% from 14.9 per 100,000 population in 2000.
• In 2018 in Canada, there were 1,922 motor vehicle fatalities, up 3.6% from 2017. (Transport Canada, 2019)
• More than 900 people die each year and nearly 2,000 are injured as a result of vehicles running red lights. (Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, 2018)
• Car occupant deaths have declined 46% since 1975, while pickup occupant deaths have risen 25% and SUV occupant deaths are more than 10 times as high. (IIHS, 2018)
• Frontal impacts accounted for 54% of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2016. Side impacts accounted for another 25% of passenger vehicle occupant deaths. (IIHS, 2018)
• In 2019, 6,358 passenger vehicle occupants died in rollover crashes. 74% of these rollovers followed a pre-rollover impact; the other 26% occurred without hitting anything beforehand. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, rollover crashes accounted for 20% of occupant deaths in cars, 38% of occupant deaths in pickup trucks, and 39% of occupant deaths in SUVs. (IIHS, 2021).
• In 2019, the rollover rate of SUVs in fatal crashes was 21.2%. This rate exceeds the rollover rates in fatal crashes of all other common types of motor vehicles: cars, pickup trucks, vans, large trucks, and buses. (NHTSA, 2019)
• In 2010-2019, 235 occupants of 15-passenger vans were killed in rollover crashes. 69% of the occupants killed in rollovers were not wearing seatbelts. 57% of the occupants killed in rollovers were ejected from the vehicle. (NHTSA, 2021)
• In 2019, there were 6,358 rollover fatalities, a decline of 41.3% from the peak of 10,825 rollover fatalities in 2005. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 15.3% of fatal large truck crashes in 2019, the truck driver was killed; in 55.1%, the driver of another vehicle was killed. In 2.5% of fatal large truck crashes, a passenger in the truck was killed; in 15.5%, a passenger in another vehicle was killed. In 9.1% of fatal large truck crashes, a pedestrian was killed; in 1.8%, a cyclist was killed. (FMCSA, 2021)
• In Canada, in 2017, there were 5.0 traffic fatalities per 100,000 population. In 2018, there were 5.2 traffic fatalities per 100,000 population. These were the lowest rates since the early 1970s. (Transport Canada, 2019)
• In Canada, in 2017, there were 4.8 fatalities per billion vehicle kilometers traveled. In 2018, there were 4.9 fatalities per billion vehicle kilometers traveled. These were the lowest rates since the early 1970s. (Transport Canada, 2019)
• In the European Union, there were 25,100 road fatalities in 2018, a decline of 21% compared with 2010. This represents an average of 49 road deaths per one million inhabitants. By this measure, the European Union's roads are the safest in the world. (European Commission, 2019)

Fatalities by Location

• Death rates from road traffic accidents are three times higher in low-income countries than in high-income countries. (WHO, 2018)
• Nationwide, 50% of motor vehicle deaths in 2016 occurred in rural areas. (IIHS, 2016)
• In 2016, only 21% of the population lived in rural areas but 60% of crash fatalities occurred in rural areas. (NHTSA, 2018)
• In 2019, there were 248 fatal work zone crashes involving trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 10,000 pounds. (FMCSA, 2021)
• In 2017, there were 799 work zone traffic fatalities, up 2% from 2016: 658 drivers and passengers, 136 pedestrians and bicyclists, and 5 others. There were 132 worker fatalities. (FHWA, 2019)
• One work zone fatality occurs for every 4 billion vehicle-miles of travel and for every $112 million worth of roadway construction expenditures. (FHWA, 2019)
• Highway-rail grade crossing collisions and pedestrian trespass on tracks together constitute over 95% of all railroad fatalities in the United States. (Federal Railroad Administration, 2019)
• Since 1972, the number of train/motor vehicle collisions in the United States has declined by 83%. (Federal Railroad Administration, 2019)[SL1]
• In 2019, there were 2,231 vehicle crashes at railroad crossings, including 294 fatalities and 836 injuries. These figures are down sharply from 1981, when there were 9,461 crashes at railroad crossings, including 728 fatalities and 3,293 injuries. (Operation Lifesaver, 2021)
• 591 (81.2%) of the 728 fatalities at railroad crossings in 2019 were of trespassers. 192 (26.4%) of the 728 fatalities were deliberate suicides by drivers and trespassers. (US Department of Transportation, 2020)
• Motorcyclist deaths were more likely to occur in urban than in rural areas (60% vs. 38%). (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, 79% of bicyclists were killed in urban areas. In 1975, bicyclist deaths occurred about equally in rural and urban areas. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, 37% of bicyclist deaths occurred at intersections. (IIHS, 2019)
• 81% of pedestrian deaths in 2018 occurred in urban areas, up from 59% in 1975. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, 40% of pedestrian deaths among people aged 70 and older occurred at intersections, compared with 22% for those younger than 70. (IIHS, 2019)
• Among fatal large truck crashes in 2019, 27.3% occurred at intersections, 72.5% did not, and 0.2% were unknown. (FMCSA, 2021)
• About 21% of motor vehicle crashes are weather related. (FHWA, 2019)
• 70% of weather-related crashes happen on wet pavement, 46% during rainfall, 18% during snow or sleet, 16% on snowy or slushy pavement, 13% on icy pavement, and 3% in fog. (FHWA, 2019)
• In 2019, 80.2% of fatal large truck crashes occurred in good weather (clear or cloudy). 8.0% occurred in rain. Only 1.9% occurred in snow, and another 1.9% occurred under such limited-visibility conditions as fog, smog, and smoke. (FMCSA, 2021)

Fatalities by type of road user

• In 2019, 62% of crash fatalities were passenger vehicle (cars, pickups, SUVs, and vans) occupants, 17% were pedestrians, 14% were motorcyclists, 2% were bicyclists, and 2% were occupants of large trucks. (IIHS, 2021)
• In crashes of large trucks in 2018, 4,136 people were killed. 16% of these deaths were truck occupants, 67% were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 15% were pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, 96% of vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a large truck were occupants of the passenger vehicle. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, 74% of deaths in large truck crashes were in crashes involving tractor-trailers and 27% were in crashes involving single-unit trucks. Some crashes involved both a tractor-trailer and a single-unit truck. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, 62% of large truck occupants killed in multiple-vehicle crashes occurred in collisions involving another large truck. (IIHS, 2019)
• Occupant deaths in large truck crashes per 100 million truck miles traveled have declined substantially since 1975. In 1975, the rates were 3.39 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities and 1.13 large truck occupant fatalities per 100 million truck miles traveled. By 2018, these rates had declined to 0.91 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities and 0.22 large truck occupant fatalities per 100 million truck miles traveled. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2019, 73% of fatal large truck crashes resulted from a collision with another vehicle. Only 9% resulted from a collision with a fixed object, and only 4% resulted from a rollover. However, 12.1% of fatal single-vehicle large truck crashes resulted from a rollover, and 10.6% resulted from a collision with a bicycle or other personal conveyance. (FMCSA, 2021)
• In 2018, 45% of large truck occupant deaths occurred in rollovers. 42% of SUV occupant deaths occurred in rollovers. Only 20% of occupant deaths in non-SUV cars occurred in rollovers. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, 31% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes with a large truck were in vehicles struck head-on by the truck and another 24% were in vehicles that were side-struck by the truck. 23% involved the front of the passenger vehicle striking the rear of the large truck. (IIHS, 2019)
• More than half of all road traffic deaths worldwide are among pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. (WHO, 2018)
• In 2019, 5,014 motorcyclists were killed in crashes, more than double the number in 1997. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, the number of motorcycle fatalities per mile traveled was nearly 29 times the number of car fatalities per mile traveled. (IIHS, 2021)
• Motorcycles account for only 0.6% of all vehicle miles traveled, but motorcyclists account for 14% of all traffic fatalities and 17% of all occupant (driver and passenger) fatalities. (NHTSA, 2019)
• While 20% of passenger vehicle crashes result in injury or death, 80% of motorcycle crashes result in injury or death. (NHTSA, 2003)
• In 2018, 37% of motorcyclist deaths occurred in single-vehicle crashes, and 63% of motorcyclist deaths occurred in multiple-vehicle crashes. (IIHS, 2019)
• Among motorcycle drivers killed in 2018, 34% drove motorcycles with engine sizes larger than 1,400 cc, compared with 9% in 2000 and less than 1% in 1990. (IIHS, 2019)
• Supersport motorcycles have driver death rates about 4 times as high as that of cruisers and standards. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2018, 48% of motorcyclist deaths occurred on weekends, and those deaths were more likely to occur after 6 p.m. compared with weekdays. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, 53% of motorcyclist deaths occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways. (IIHS, 2019)
• By 2019, bicyclist deaths had decreased by 16% since 1975, but they had increased by 36% since reaching their lowest point in 2010. Ninety percent of bicyclist deaths in 2019 were among those aged 20 and older. Deaths among bicyclists younger than 20 have declined 90% since 1975, while deaths among bicyclists 20 and older have tripled. In every year since 1975, many more male than female bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles. Since 1975, the decline in deaths among female bicyclists (34%) was about 3 times the decline among male bicyclists (12%). (IIHS, 2021)
• Every year since 1975, many more male than female bicyclists have been killed in crashes with motor vehicles. The decline in traffic deaths since 1975 among female bicyclists (38%) was triple the decline among male bicyclists (12%). (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, bicyclist deaths were highest (21%) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2018, 63% of bicyclist deaths occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways, and 29% occurred on minor roads. Deaths of bicyclists younger than 20 were more likely to occur on minor roads compared with deaths of bicyclists ages 20 and older (44% vs. 28%). (IIHS, 2019)
• The rate of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people decreased by 46% from 1975 to 2019. The pedestrian death rate for children ages 0-12 decreased by 93%. Children of these ages had the second-highest pedestrian death rate in 1975 but the lowest in 2019. The death rate for pedestrians ages 70 and older declined by 74% from 1975. Pedestrians of these ages had the highest death rate every year since 1975, although the gap between older pedestrians and those aged 20-69 has narrowed considerably. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, pedestrian deaths accounted for 17% of all crash fatalities. Although pedestrian deaths were 17% lower in 2019 than in 1975, they had increased by 51% since reaching their lowest point in 2009. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2018, 69% of pedestrians killed were male, a percentage that has varied little since 1975. (IIHS, 2019)
• In a study of US pedestrian crashes, the average risk of severe injury to a pedestrian was found to be 10% at 17 mph, 25% at 25 mph, 50% at 33 mph, 75% at 41 mph, and 90% at 48 mph. (IIHS, 2021)

Fatalities by gender

• 74% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2016 were drivers; 71% of these were males. (IIHS, 2018)
• Male drivers were involved in 34% of fatal crashes in 2016, while female drivers were involved in 12%. (USDOT, 2017)
• In 2018, 71% of all motor vehicle crash deaths were males. Males accounted for 71% of passenger vehicle driver deaths, 48% of passenger vehicle passenger deaths, 97% of large truck driver deaths, 71% of large truck passenger deaths, 69% of pedestrian deaths, 86% of bicyclist deaths, and 91% of motorcyclist deaths. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2019, 70% of pedestrians killed were males, a proportion that has varied little since 1975. (IIHS, 2021)
• Since 1975, teenage crash deaths have decreased more among males than among females. In 1975, 75% of persons aged 13-19 who were killed in motor vehicle accidents were male. In 2019, 66% were male. (IIHS, 2021)

Fatalities by Age

• Globally, car accidents are the leading cause of death among young adults ages 15-29 - and the ninth leading cause of death for all people. (SaferAmerica, 2019)
• Road traffic crashes are the eighth leading cause of death for people of all ages. (WHO, 2018)
• In the United States from 1975 to 2019, the rate of motor vehicle deaths per 100,000 people declined by 80% for children ages 12 and younger (from 7.9 to 1.6),73% for teenagers (from 29.4 to 8.0), 49% for people ages 20-34 (from 29.6 to 15.2), 30% for people ages 35-69 (from 17.5 to 12.2), and 45% for people 70 and older (from 25.9 to 14.2). (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, 844 children under 13 years of age were killed in motor vehicle accidents. Of these 844 children, 72.5% were car passengers, 16.4% were pedestrians, 3.6% were bicyclists, and the remainder died in some other way. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, 34% of children ages 12 and under who were killed in passenger cars were unrestrained (no seatbelt or child safety seat). In comparison, in 1985, 71% of children ages 12 and under who were killed in passenger cars were unrestrained. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, teenagers accounted for 7% of motor vehicle crash deaths. They comprised 8% of passenger vehicle (cars, pickups, SUVs, and vans) occupant deaths among all ages, 4% of pedestrian deaths, 3% of motorcyclist deaths, 6% of bicyclist deaths, and 14% of all-terrain vehicle rider deaths. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2018, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death for female teenagers and the second leading cause (after suicide) of death for male teenagers. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, 78% of teenage crash deaths were of passenger vehicle occupants. The others were pedestrians (9%), motorcyclists (7%), bicyclists (2%), riders of all-terrain vehicles (2%), and people in other kinds of vehicles (3%). (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2016, teenagers ages 14-19 years accounted for 74% of crash fatalities among children and died at more than 6 times the rate of children under 14. (Safe Kids Worldwide, 2018)
• Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash. (CDC, 2018)
• In 2019, 61% of deaths among passenger vehicle occupants ages 16-19 were of drivers. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, 57% of the deaths of teenage passengers in passenger vehicles occurred in vehicles driven by another teenager. 13% of the deaths of passengers of all ages occurred when a teenager was driving. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2018, the rate of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 population was highest for pedestrians ages 80-84. (IIHS, 2019)
• In the late 1970s, the proportion of fatally injured motorcyclists who were 50 and older started to increase, rising from 3% of all rider deaths in 1975 to 14% in 1997 and 37% in 2019. In contrast, 27% of the fatally injured motorcyclists in 2019 were younger than 30, compared with 80% in 1975. (IIHS, 2021)

Distracted Driving Statistics

• In 2019, distracted driving led to 3,142 fatalities, an estimated 424,000 injuries, and 15% of all police-reported vehicle traffic crashes on US roads. (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2021)
• Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. (NHTSA, 2018)
• One in three teens who text say they have done so while driving. (NHTSA, 2018)
• Dialing a phone number while driving increases a teen's risk of crashing by six times. (NHTSA, 2018)
• One in four drivers used a cell phone right before they were involved in a crash. (Chicago Tribune, 2017)
• In a 2020 survey of US drivers ages 16 and older, 37% of respondents admitted to talking on a hand-held cell phone at least once while driving in the past 30 days, and 5% said they do so often or regularly. 23% of respondents reported typing or sending a text message from a hand-held cell phone at least once while driving. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• A study of 3,542 drivers' behavior in 2012-2013 showed that these drivers engaged in potentially distracting activities during 51.93% of the observed periods. The most common distractions were interacting with an adult or teen passenger (14.58% of observed periods); using a hand-held cell phone (6.40%); and interacting with an in-vehicle device, such as the radio or climate controls (3.53%). (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2016)
• Dialing a phone is one of the most dangerous distractions, increasing a driver's chance of crashing by 12 times. (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2016)
• Reading or writing increased the risk of crashing by 10 times. (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2016)
• Driving while crying or visibly angry increased the risk of crashing by 10 times. (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2016)
• Using a hands-free electronic device is four times more distracting than talking to an adult passenger. (Driver's Alert, 2017)
• Child passengers can be 12 times more distracting to a driver than talking on a cell phone. One study found that the average parent driver took his or her eyes off the road for three minutes and 22 seconds during a 16-minute trip. (Monash University, 2013)
• Over 80% of drivers admit to dangerous behavior while driving, such as changing clothes, steering with a foot, painting nails, or even shaving. (TeenSafe, 2018)
• A study of 1,006 drivers ages 14-18 found that 27% of them admitted to sometimes changing clothes or shoes while driving. (NPR, 2015)
• Among distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2019, the most frequent (62%) distraction was being lost in thought or letting the driver's mind wander. The next most frequent (13%) distraction was cellphone use, followed by external objects or events (rubbernecking) (7%). (IIHS, 2021)
• 20% of drivers say they've styled their hair from behind the wheel. (TeenSafe, 2018)
• Manual transmission vehicles double the chances of distracted driving crashes caused by food consumption. (Drive-Safely.net, 2019)
• A study conducted in 2017 found that programming GPS navigation was more distracting to drivers than texting. It took an average of 40 seconds to complete the programming of GPS navigation plus 13 more seconds for the brain to refocus after completing the task. (I Drive Safely, 2017)
• One survey of drivers in six countries found that 35% admitted to changing their clothes while driving, 13% admitted to applying makeup while driving, and 15% admitted to engaging in sexual activity while driving. (WIRED, 2010)
• Men are more likely than women to engage in distracting behavior; more than twice as many men as women watched a video. (Consumer Reports, 2017)
• Distracted driving in the US may be under-reported because many state crash-report forms don't have a field or code for many forms of distraction. (National Safety Council, 2017)

Texting and Driving Accident Statistics

• 1 out of 3 people text while driving. (Driver Knowledge, 2019)
• Texting while driving increases the risk of crashing by 23 times. (NHTSA, 2018)
• As of April 2021, 48 US states and Washington, DC ban texting while driving. (Only Missouri and Montana do not.) Also, 24 states and Washington, DC ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. (Governors Highway Safety Association, 2021)
• Texting increases your chances of rear-ending someone by a factor of 7. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2018)
• The maximum amount of time that a driver can safely divert his or her attention from the road is two seconds. It takes a driver an average of five seconds to send a text message. (TeenSafe, 2018)
• Each day, 11 teens die in crashes caused by texting and driving. (TeenSafe, 2018)
• In 2020, 22.7% of drivers reported that they typed or sent email or a text message on a hand-held cell phone within the past 30 days. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• 82% of American teens have a cell phone. 52% of these teens note that they talk on the phone while driving and 32% text on the road. (TeenSafe, 2018)
• 61% of drivers say texting is only acceptable if they have a hands-free, voice-activated option; 34% say if it's an emergency; 24% say never. (Consumer Reports, 2017)

Drunk Driving Statistics 2021

• In 2017, law enforcement agencies made nearly one million arrests for driving under the influence (DUI). Three-fourths of those arrested were male. (US Department of Transportation, 2020)
• Drunk driving costs the United States $199 billion every year (MADD, 2017)
• Alcohol-impaired driving accounts for more than 30% of all driving fatalities each year. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2017)
• Men are nearly twice as likely as women to have been intoxicated behind the wheel or involved in fatal motor vehicle traffic accidents. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016.)
• Every day in America, another 30 people die in drunk driving crashes. That's one person every 48 minutes. (NHTSA, 2018)
• Every day about 800 people are injured in a drunk driving crash. (NHTSA, 2017)
• The rate of under-21 drunk-driving fatalities per 100,000 population has declined by 29% over the past decade. (NHTSA, 2017)
• In 2017, among people of ages 16 or older, 21.4 million drove after drinking alcohol. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017)
• In 2019, 2.0% of large truck drivers, 18.9% of light truck drivers, 20.4% of car drivers, and 28.7% of motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.08% (which qualifies as legal intoxication). (FMCSA, 2021)
• Among persons killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2019, 2% of the large truck drivers, 28.4% of the car drivers, 29.2% of the motorcyclists, and 32.2% of the pedestrians had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.08% (which qualifies as legal intoxication). (IIHS, 2021)
• Among persons killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2019, 1.6% of the large truck drivers, 21.1% of the car drivers, 18.0% of the motorcyclists, and 24.9% of the pedestrians had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.15%. (A BAC of 0.08% qualifies as legal intoxication.) (IIHS, 2021)
• Among car drivers killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2019, 21.5% of those aged 16-20, 42.3% of those aged 21-30, 39.0% of those aged 31-40, 32.7% of those aged 41-50, and 17.1% of those over age 50 had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above 0.08% (which qualifies as legal intoxication). (IIHS, 2021)
• Among drivers involved in fatal wrong-way crashes on divided highways in 2010-2018, 60.1% of the wrong-way drivers had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of 0.08% or more, compared with 11.0% for the right-way drivers. (A BAC of 0.08% qualifies as legal intoxication.) (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• Young drivers are more impaired by alcohol than older drivers. For drivers aged 16-20, the chance of a fatal crash with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% is 10 times as high as with a BAC of zero. For drivers aged 21-34, it's 7 times as high; for drivers aged 35 and older, it's 6 times as high. (IIHS, 2021)
• A national roadside survey of drivers in 2013-2104 tested the breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of randomly selected drivers. The survey found that 1.5% of drivers had BACs at or above 0.08% (which constituted legal intoxication). This compares with 7.5% in a 1973 survey. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2018, 9% of car drivers ages 70 and older had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of 0.08% or more, compared with 19% for ages 60-69 and 35% for drivers ages 16-59. (IIHS, 2019)
• It is estimated that 25% of crash deaths could be prevented if all motor vehicle drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of 0.08% or more were prevented from driving. (IIHS, 2021)
• Among bicyclists ages 16 and older who were killed in 2019, 21% had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above 0.08% (meaning they were legally intoxicated at the time). (IIHS, 2021)
• In 16% of bicyclist fatalities in 2019 in which the bicyclist was struck by a car, the bicyclist, not the driver, had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or greater (which constituted legal intoxication). This compares with 8% of bicyclist fatalities in which the car driver, not the bicyclist, was legally intoxicated; and 3% of bicyclist fatalities in which both the bicyclist and the car driver were legally intoxicated. (NHTSA, 2021)
• In 2019, 42% of pedestrians 16 and older killed in nighttime (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) crashes had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08% (the legal limit), compared with 61% in 1982. The rate of high BACs among pedestrians 16 and older killed in daytime (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.) crashes in 2018 was 23%, compared with 27% in 1982. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 26% of pedestrian fatalities in 2019 in which the pedestrian was struck by a car, the pedestrian, not the driver, had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or greater (which constituted legal intoxication). This compares with 7% of pedestrian fatalities in which the car driver, not the pedestrian, was legally intoxicated; and 5% of pedestrian fatalities in which both the pedestrian and the car driver were legally intoxicated. (NHTSA, 2021)

Impaired Driving Statistics

• After alcohol, marijuana is the drug most often linked to drugged driving. (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2016)
• On average, three in five people will be involved in a crash due to impaired driving in their lifetime. (National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 2017)
• No distraction rivaled the risk involved with driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, which multiplied crash rates by 36 times. (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2016)
• In 2017, among people of ages 16 or older, 12.8 million drove after using illicit drugs. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017)
• The number of alcohol-positive drivers killed in crashes who also tested positive for drugs increased by 16% from 2006 to 2016. (Governors Highway Safety Association, 2017 )
• Among drug-positive drivers killed in crashes in 2016, 4% tested positive for both marijuana and opioids, 16% for opioids only, 38% for marijuana only, and 42% for other drugs. (Governors Highway Safety Association, 2017)
• The percentage of traffic deaths in which at least one driver tested positive for drugs has nearly doubled over a decade. (USA Today, 2016)
• 50 mg of diphenhydramine (a popular over-the-counter antihistamine) can impair your driving more than a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10%. (The legal limit for BAC is under 0.08% in most US states.) (University of Iowa, 2000)
• A study found that taking benzodiazepine medications (such as Valium or Xanax) increases the driver's chance of a vehicle crash by 60-80%, compared with not taking these medications. Taking benzodiazepines along with alcohol makes it 7.7 times as likely that the driver will be involved in a crash. (University of Newcastle, 2011)
• The common cold can increase a driver's reaction time about as much as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% (which constitutes legal intoxication in most states). This does not include possible additional driving impairment from medications taken to treat the common cold. (Cardiff University, 2012)
• It is estimated that 0.08% of commercial drivers have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.04% (the legal limit for commercial drivers) while on the road. (The standard error of this estimate is 0.03%.) Furthermore, it is estimated that 0.8% of commercial drivers have used drugs while on the road. (The standard error for this estimate is 0.3%.) (FMCSA, 2019)

Fatigued Driving Statistics

• 35% of US drivers sleep less than the recommended seven hours daily. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016)
• It is estimated that in 2017, 91,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy drivers. These crashes led to an estimated 50,000 people injured and nearly 800 deaths. (NHTSA, 2019)
• Drivers who decide to drive sleep-deprived are responsible for more than 6,400 US deaths annually. (National Sleep Foundation, 2018)
• A study conducted in 2010-2013 of the behavior of more than 3,500 drivers found that driver drowsiness was a factor in 8.8-9.5% of all vehicle crashes and 10.6-10.8% of vehicle crashes that resulted in major property damage, airbag deployment, or injury. Drowsiness was a factor in 17.7% of the crashes that occurred in darkness. (A driver was considered drowsy if his or her eyes were closed at least 12% of the time during his or her monitoring period.) (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2018)
• A study of 3,541 drivers conducted in 2012-2013 found that drivers with shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) were 7.50 times as likely to have a crash or near-crash than control drivers (drivers without any sleep disorders). Female drivers with restless leg syndrome were 2.26 times as likely to have a crash or near-crash, and drivers with insomnia were 1.49 times as likely. (Sleep, 2018)
• Being awake for 18 hours straight can impair driving as much as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05%. (National Sleep Foundation, 2018)
• Drivers missing 2-3 hours of sleep in 24 hours more than quadrupled their risk of a crash compared with drivers getting the recommended seven hours of sleep. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2016)
• If a driver falls asleep for just four seconds while traveling at a speed of 100 km/h (62 mph), the vehicle will travel 111 meters (364 feet) without a driver in control. (The length of a US football field including the two end zones is 360 feet.) (Transport Accident Commission, 2018)
• Driving while sleepy can make a driver approximately two-and-a-half times as likely to have a motor vehicle accident. (Sleep, Journal of the Sleep Research Society, 2017)
• Men (17%) are three times as likely as women (5%) to say they have fallen asleep at the wheel. (AA-Populus motoring panel survey, 2018)
• Drivers who get only five or six hours of sleep in 24 hours nearly double their risk of a crash. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2016)
• A survey of US drivers in 2020 found that 95% of them viewed drowsy driving as very or extremely dangerous. Nevertheless, 17.3% of them admitted that at least once in the past 30 days, they had driven while being so tired that they had a hard time keeping their eyes open. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• In 2001-2003, truck driver fatigue was associated with 13% of serious truck crashes. (NHTSA, 2006)every day in America.

Teen Accident Statistics

• Teens aged 15-20 without driver education are responsible for 91% of teen driver crashes. (Oregon DOT, 2018)
• For drivers ages 16-17, the fatal crash rate per mile driven is triple the rate for drivers ages 20 and older. For drivers ages 16-19, the crash rate per mile driven is nearly 4 times the rate for drivers ages 20 and older. (IIHS, 2021)
• The most common types of teen crashes involve left-hand turns, rear-end events, and running off the road. (DriveTeam, 2017)
• Speed was a factor in 31% of US teen driver fatalities. (NHTSA, 2016)
• When a teen driving has an additional passenger with them, the risk of them getting into a fatal car crash doubles. If two or more passengers are present, the odds are five times as likely. (TeenSafe, 2018)
• 53% of motor vehicle crash deaths among teenagers occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. (IIHS, 2016)
• 20% of female teens and 24% of male teens who crash say they were distracted by a passenger before the crash occurred. (DriveTeam, 2017)
• In a study of driving behavior, during the learner period, adolescent drivers were 67% more likely to have a crash or near-crash than experienced adult drivers and 4% more likely to engage in risky driving. In the first year of independent driving, however, adolescent drivers were 6.51 times as likely to have a crash or near-crash as experienced adult drivers, and 3.95 times as likely to engage in risky driving. (National Institutes of Health, 2018)

Senior Accident Statistics

• In 2019, 20% of all traffic fatalities were among people aged 65 years and older. (NHTSA, 2021)
• In 2019, older drivers comprised 20% of all licensed drivers and accounted for 15% of all fatal traffic crashes. (NHTSA, 2021)
• From 2010 through 2019, the population of Americans aged 65 and older increased by 34%. In this same period, traffic fatalities in this age group increased by 31%, including an increase of 39% for older male drivers and an increase of 12% for older female drivers. (NHTSA, 2021)
• Among passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2019, 71% of those aged 65 and older were restrained, compared with 48% of those under age 65. (NHTSA, 2021)
• Per mile traveled, fatal crash rates increase beginning at age 75 and rise sharply after age 80. This is mainly due to an increased risk of injury and medical complications, not an increased risk of crashes. (AAA, 2019)
• Except for teen drivers, seniors have the highest crash death rate per mile driven, even though they drive fewer miles than younger people. (AAA, 2019)
• Since older drivers are more fragile, their fatality rates are 17 times higher than those of 25- to 64-year-olds. (AAA, 2019)
• Among drivers ages 80 and greater who were involved in fatal crashes in 2018, multiple-vehicle crashes accounted for 39% of fatal crashes, compared with 20% for drivers ages 16-59. (IIHS, 2019)
• In crashes in 2019 involving drivers aged 70 or older, 73% of the people who died were either the drivers themselves (59%) or their older passengers (14%). (IIHS, 2021)
• The rate of fatalities per capita among older people has decreased by 43% since 1975. (IIHS, 2018)
• More than 3.5 million Americans 85 and older currently hold a driver's license. (Consumer Reports, 2017)
• Senior drivers are more likely to hurt themselves than to put others at risk. (EU Mobility & Transport, 2019)
• The fatality rate for drivers over 75 is more than five times higher than the average, and their injury rate is twice as high. (EU Mobility & Transport, 2019)
• Elderly drivers make up for physical disadvantages through their driving experience. (EU Mobility & Transport, 2019)
• In Europe, older drivers are over-represented in crashes at intersections. Typically the older driver turns against oncoming traffic with the right-of-way on the main road. (EU Mobility & Transport, 2019)
• In Europe, older drivers are under-represented in crashes involving loss of control or collisions due to speeding, risky passing, or driving under the influence of alcohol. (EU Mobility & Transport, 2019)

Trucking Statistics

• About 130,000 individuals are injured each year in truck collisions. (TruckAccidents.org, 2019)
• The average age of a trucker is 49. (Business Insider, 2016)
• 3,864 US fatal crashes involved trucks over 10,000 lbs. (FMCSA, 2016)
• In 2018, crashes of large trucks accounted for 11% of all motor vehicle crash deaths. (IIHS, 2019)
• In 2019, approximately 57% of all fatal US crashes involving large trucks occurred in rural areas, 25% occurred on interstate highways, and 13% fell into both categories by occurring on rural interstate highways. (FMCSA, 2021)
• In 2019, 36% of all fatal large truck crashes, 22% of all injury crashes, and 20% of all property-damage-only crashes involving large trucks occurred between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Also, 36% of fatalities in large truck crashes occurred between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sixteen percent of all fatal large truck crashes, 22% of all injury crashes, and 21% of all property-damage-only crashes involving large trucks occurred between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. (FMCSA, 2021)
• In 2019, 83% of fatal crashes involving large trucks and 86% of nonfatal crashes occurred on weekdays (Monday through Friday). (FMCSA, 2021)
• In 2019, the average speed limit where large trucks were involved in fatal crashes was 55.3 mph. Nevertheless, 20.0% of fatal large truck crashes occurred when the speed limit was 60-65 mph, nearly as many (19.2%) when it was 70-75 mph, and 0.5% when it was 80-85 mph. (FMCSA, 2021)
• In 2019, 33 percent of work zone fatal crashes and 14 percent of work zone injury crashes involved at least one large truck. (FMCSA, 2021)
• In 2016, when federal and state inspectors pulled commercial motor vehicles (such as buses and trucks) off the road for roadside inspections, they found that 4.92% of the drivers, 19.96% of the vehicles, and 3.96% of the hazardous materials cargoes (when present) had sufficient violations to require ordering the drivers or vehicles out of service. (FMCSA, 2017)
• Of the 22,746 hazardous materials transportation incidents in 2019, only 226 (1%) were the result of a vehicle crash. About 72% of the incidents occurred during loading or unloading. (US Department of Transportation, 2020)
• Two percent of the large trucks involved in fatal, injury, or property-damage-only crashes in 2019 were carrying hazardous materials cargoes. Hazardous materials were released from 17% of the placarded trucks in those crashes. Fifty-nine percent of the hazardous materials released in fatal large truck crashes were flammable liquids, such as gasoline. Another 15% were gases of all types, and 12% were corrosives. (FMCSA, 2021)
• Of the 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States, 5.8% (just over 200,000) are women. (Business Insider, 2016)
• 80% of all cargo in America is transported by the trucking industry, four times as much as air (8%), pipeline (6%), rail (4%), and water (2%) combined. (Business Insider, 2016)
• Truck drivers log 432 billion miles annually. (Business Insider, 2016)
• Truck drivers work 70 hours in an 8-day work week before getting a day off vs. 47 hours per week for an average American. (Business Insider, 2016)
• US trucking consumes 54 billion gallons of fuel per year. (Business Insider, 2016)
• Truck driving is the most common occupation in 29 states. (Business Insider, 2016)
• Truck driving is also the most dangerous occupation in the United States, with 28.3 fatal injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in 2018. Agriculture was in second place with 23.4 fatal injuries; fossil fuel extraction was in third place with 14.1 fatal injuries. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018)
• In 2017, the average annual pay for a US truck driver was $42,480 per year. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018)

Bus Driving Statistics

• In 2020, there were approximately 162,850 coach and transit bus drivers employed in the United States. (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021)
• As of 2021, there are over 218,000 school bus drivers employed in the United States. (Zippia, 2021)
• Bus travel is far safer than passenger car travel but not as safe as passenger rail travel or air travel. In 2019, the numbers of US passenger fatalities per billion vehicle miles traveled were as follows: o Commercial aviation: 0.00398 o Railroad passenger train: 0.05 o Bus: 0.5 o Passenger car: 4.5 (National Safety Council, 2021)
• The rate of fatal bus crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled has trended downward since the mid-1980s. In 1985, there were 7.53 fatal bus crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. In 2019, there were 1.28 fatal bus crashes. (In this context, a "bus" is defined as any motor vehicle that is designed to carry at least nine persons, including the driver.) (FMCSA, 2021)
• In 2019, there were 258 crash fatalities in buses, distributed as follows: school buses accounted for 35.7% of the fatalities, transit buses for 32.2%, vans for 13.6%, intercity (coach) buses for 7.0%, and other or unknown vehicles accounted for 12.0%. Of the 258 bus crash fatalities, only 35 (14%) were aboard the bus. (FMCSA, 2021)
• Total annual car mileage saved by students riding school buses is 62,399,998,800. (American School Bus Council, 2019)
• Every school bus on the road eliminates approximately 36 cars. (American School Bus Council, 2019)
• It would take over 17 million cars to transport all the students currently riding on all school buses in the United States. (American School Bus Council, 2019)
• Students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a school bus instead of traveling by car. (NHTSA, 2019)
• Some 480,000 school buses carry 25 million children - more than half of America's schoolchildren - each day, making the school bus industry the largest form of mass transit in the United States. (American School Bus Council, 2019)
• Almost one-third of those who died taking a school bus to school were killed while they were approaching or leaving the bus. (NHTSA, 2016)
• From 2009 to 2019, school buses accounted for 39% of all buses involved in fatal crashes, transit buses accounted for 34%, and intercity (coach) buses accounted for 12%. (FMCSA, 2021)
• Although four to six school-age children die each year on school transportation vehicles, that's less than 1% of all traffic fatalities nationwide. (NHTSA, 2019)
• Most of those schoolchildren who are killed in school bus-related accidents are 5 to 7 years old. They are hit in the "danger zones" around the bus. These are the areas 10 feet in front of the bus, 10 feet behind it, and 10 feet to either side of it. The children are struck either by the school bus itself or by a passing vehicle, even though it is illegal for a vehicle to pass a school bus when its red lights are flashing. (Stanford Children's Health, 2019)

Taxi/Ridesharing/Limousine Statistics

• Taxi drivers suffer the highest murder rate of any occupation. (CBS News, 2019)
• The median annual wage for taxi drivers, ride-hailing drivers, and chauffeurs was $27,093 in 2021. (Zippia, 2021)
• In 2021, there were over 47,000 taxi drivers currently employed in the United States, of whom 74.6% were male and 21.7% were female. Eleven percent of the taxi drivers were LGBT. (Zippia, 2021)
• In 2021, 56.8% of taxi drivers were white, 20.6% were Hispanic, and 9.2% were black. (Zippia, 2021)
• About 1 in 4 US taxi drivers, ride-hailing drivers, and chauffeurs worked part-time in 2016. (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017)
• In 2021, Uber employed nearly 4 million drivers in 600 cities worldwide. Lyft employed 1.4 million drivers worldwide. 24.5% of US ride-share drivers worked for both Uber and Lyft. (PolicyAdvice, 2021)
• In the United States, the average taxi logs 70,000 miles each year. (New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission, 2018)
• The average salary for a US professional taxi driver is $35,000. (Salary.com, 2019)
• In 2021, the highest-paid 10% of taxi drivers earned $53,000 per year or more. (Zippia, 2021)
• In 2021, the ride-sharing industry was worth an estimated $61 billion worldwide. About 25% of the US population used ride-sharing at least once per month.
• In March 2020, Uber controlled 69% of the US ride-sharing market, and Lyft controlled 30%, for a total of 99% of the US ride-sharing market. (This represents one of the biggest duopolies in the United States.) Combined, Uber and Lyft were responsible for up to 14% of vehicle miles traveled in the United States. (PolicyAdvice, 2021)
• In 2021, 43% of all Uber trips in the US were travel to dinners or parties. 53% of Americans earning over $75,000 per year used ride-sharing services, compared with only 24% of Americans earning less than $30,000 per year. (PolicyAdvice, 2021)
• The majority of Uber drivers use the platform to supplement their main source of income. Nearly 50% earn less than $99 per month, and 84% earn less than $500. Only 2% of Uber drivers earn more than $1,500 per month, and none earn more than $2,000. (Earnest, 2017)

Seat belt Statistics

• If you are not wearing a seat belt, you are 30 times more likely to be ejected from your vehicle during a crash. (Your chance of death is much higher if you are ejected from your vehicle.) (Driver Knowledge, 2019)
• A 2020 survey of US drivers ages 16 and older found that 12% of the respondents admitted to not wearing a seatbelt at least once while driving in the past 30 days, and 3% said they drive without wearing a seatbelt often or regularly. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• Men are 10% less likely to wear seat belts than women. (Virtual Drive, 2019)
• Adults aged 18-34 are less likely to wear seat belts than those 35 or older. (Virtual Drive, 2019)
• In 2017, seat belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives. For drivers and front-seat passengers, wearing seat belts in a car reduces the risk of fatal injury by 45% and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50%. Wearing seat belts in an SUV, van, or pickup truck reduces the risk of fatal injury by 60% and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 65%. (IIHS, 2021)
• In the center rear seat, wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of fatal injury by 58% in cars and by 75% in SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks.
• In 2019, 91% of drivers, 89% of right-front seat passengers, and 78% of rear-seat passengers wore seat belts in moving vehicles. In 1983, only 14% of drivers wore seat belts. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, 49% of drivers, 53% of front-seat passengers, and 29% of rear-seat passengers who were killed were wearing seat belts. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, seat belt use among fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers ages 16 (58%), 17 (51%), 18 (48%) and 19 (48%) was higher than among fatally injured drivers ages 20-59 (43%), but similar to that among drivers ages 60 and older (64%). Among fatally injured occupants aged 16-19, seat belt use among passengers (31%) was considerably lower than among drivers (50%).
• In 2019, 89% of male front-seat occupants and 93% of female front-seat occupants wore seat belts. (IIHS, 2021)
• Among front-seat occupants in 2019, 88% of occupants ages 16-24, 91% of occupants ages 25-69, and 92% of occupants ages 70 and older wore seat belts. (IIHS, 2021)
• One study found that in modern cars with front-seat safety devices such as airbags, the risk of a restrained passenger dying in a crash was no greater in the front seat than in the rear seat. Furthermore, unrestrained rear-seat passengers were nearly eight times as likely to sustain a serious injury in a crash as restrained rear-seat passengers. (IIHS and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2015)
• One survey found that 91% of front-seat passengers wear seat belts while only 74% of rear-seat passengers in personal vehicles and 57% in hired vehicles (e.g., taxis) wear seat belts. The most cited reason for not wearing a seat belt in the rear seat was the belief that the rear seat is safer than the front seat. (Actually, modern front-seat safety devices have negated that safety advantage.) (IIHS, 2017)
• If the passenger sitting behind the driver is unbelted, the driver's risk of fatal injury in a frontal crash is 137% greater than if the passenger were wearing the seat belt. This is because in a frontal crash, the unbelted passenger will become a human missile, shooting forward and crushing the driver against the airbag and dashboard. (IIHS, 2021)
• Among killed passenger vehicle occupants with known restraint use, 47% of those in the front row and 57% of those in the second row of seats were unrestrained. (NHTSA, 2017)
• Restraint use differed by vehicle type: 60% of drivers of pickup trucks, 53% of SUV drivers, 42% of passenger car drivers, and 37% of van drivers who were killed were unrestrained. (NHTSA, 2017)
• In 2018, 49% of fatally injured large truck drivers were using seat belts, the same percentage as fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers. (NHTSA, 2019)

Airbags Statistics

• In frontal crashes, front airbags reduce driver fatalities by 29% and fatalities of front-seat passengers ages 13 and older by 32%. The combination of an airbag plus a lap and shoulder belt is estimated to reduce the risk of death in frontal crashes by 61%, compared with a 50% reduction for belts alone. (IIHS, 2021)
• In driver's-side crashes, side airbags with head protection reduce a car driver's risk of death by 37% and an SUV driver's risk by 52%. (IIHS, 2021)
• Side airbags with head and torso protection have reduced crash fatalities for front-seat occupants ages 70 and older by 45%, compared with a 30% reduction for front-seat occupants ages 13-49. (IIHS, 2021)
• NHTSA estimates that as of 2012, 2,252 lives were saved by side airbags; and as of 2017, 50,547 lives were saved by frontal airbags. (IIHS, 2021)
• Studies indicate that there may be a correlation between height, weight, and driver injuries from airbags. Shorter (under 160 cm or 5'3") and lighter (under 55 kg or 121 pounds) drivers who sit closer to the steering wheel suffer more injuries from airbags. (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 2017)
• In American cars, the frontal airbag starts to deploy in 19-25 milliseconds after a collision and can fully deploy in as little as 20-30 milliseconds. (ItStillRuns.com, 2021; Car and Driver, 2011)
• In American cars, the frontal airbag deploys at a speed of up to 200 mph. (HowStuffWorks.com, 2021)
• The Takata airbag recall was the largest recall in US automotive history, involving the recall of about 70 million vehicles. Long-term exposure to high heat and humidity could cause these airbags to explode when deployed. This problem resulted in at least 15 confirmed US deaths and over 250 US injuries. (IIHS, 2021)

Other Vehicle Safety Equipment Statistics

• According to the National Digital Car Seat Check Form (NDCF) database, more than half of all child car seats inspected by child passenger safety technicians were found to be improperly installed or used. (AAA, 2021)
• In 2020,94% of motorcyclists observed in states with universal helmet laws were wearing helmets. In states without such laws, helmet use was60%. In states with universal helmet laws, 84% of motorcyclists were wearing helmets judged compliant with federal safety regulations, compared with 54% in states without such laws. (IIHS, 2021)
• As of 2021, 18 states and the District of Columbia have universal helmet laws. Twenty-nine states have laws covering some motorcyclists (typically those under 18 years of age). Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire have no helmet laws. (IIHS, 2021)
• Among motorcyclists (drivers, not passengers) killed in 2019, 61% were wearing helmets, 36% were not, and the rest were unknown. (IIHS, 2021)
• In motorcycle crashes in 2016, wearing a helmet reduced the likelihood of death by 37% for the operator and 41% for the passenger. (NHTSA, 2018)
• Among bicyclists killed in 2019, 15% were wearing helmets and 62% were not. Helmet use was unknown for 23%. (IIHS, 2021)
• One study has found that electronic stability control (ESC) has reduced the risk of being involved in a crash by 7% (95% confidence limits 3-10), the risk of being injured in a crash by 9% (3-14), and the risk of being killed in a crash by 56% (39-68). (IIHS, 2004)
• IIHS and HLDI have found that forward collision warning (FCW) reduced rear-end car crashes by 27%, rear-end car crashes with injuries by 20%, and large truck rear-end crashes by 44%. (IIHS, 2020)
• IIHS and HLDI have found that FCW plus automatic emergency braking (AEB) reduced rear-end car crashes by 50%, rear-end car crashes with injuries by 56%, and large truck rear-end crashes by 41%. (IIHS, 2020)
• IIHS and HLDI have found that lane departure warning systems (LDWS) reduced single-vehicle, sideswipe, and head-on car crashes by 11%; and reduced such crashes with injuries by 21%. (IIHS, 2020)
• IIHS and HLDI have found that blind spot detection systems reduced lane-change car crashes by 14% and reduced lane-change car crashes with injuries by 23%. (IIHS, 2020)
• IIHS and HLDI have found that rear automatic braking reduced car crashes during backing by 78%. (IIHS, 2020)
• IIHS estimates that equipping large trucks with FCW will reduce the rate of front-to-rear large truck crashes per mile by 44%. (IIHS, 2021)
• In 2019, a survey of US residents ages 16 and older found that a plurality of respondents would prefer to own vehicles with lower levels (0 or 1) of driving automation, even if the cost of higher levels was not a factor. Respondents were more likely to trust lower levels of automation to prevent crashes: 56% would trust level 2 to prevent crashes, whereas only 35% would trust level 5. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• In 2019, a survey of US residents ages 16 and older found that the biggest concern about higher levels of driving automation was the possible consequences of a technical malfunction: 60% of respondents were concerned about a malfunction in level 2, rising to 76% for level 5. The second biggest concern was driver over-reliance on automation: 57% were concerned about over-reliance on level 2, 72% were concerned about level 3, and 67% were concerned about level 4. (With level 5, a driver has no choice but to rely on it.) (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021)
• Australia has found that wearing protective clothing significantly reduces the risk of injury to the rider in a motorcycle crash. Motorcyclists were significantly less likely to be admitted to the hospital if they crashed wearing motorcycle jackets (relative risk = 0.79, 95% confidence interval: 0.69-0.91), pants (RR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.25-0.94), or gloves (RR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.26-0.66). When garments included fitted body armor, there was a significantly reduced risk of injury to the upper body (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.66-0.89), hands and wrists (RR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.38-0.81), legs (RR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.40-0.90), feet and ankles (RR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.35-0.83). Non-motorcycle boots were also associated with a reduced risk of injury compared to shoes or joggers (RR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.28-0.75). (University of Sydney Australia et al., 2011)
• In 2021, ABS was a standard feature on 16.1% of on-road motorcycles registered in the United States, and an optional feature on another 16.9% of registered motorcycles. (IIHS, 2021)
• The rate of fatal motorcycle crashes is 22% lower for motorcycles with optional ABS than for those same models of motorcycle without ABS. (IIHS, 2021)
• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates that equipping large trucks with electronic stability control (ESC) may prevent or mitigate as many as 31,000 crashes involving large trucks each year, including up to 20% of moderate-to-serious-injury large truck crashes and 11% of fatal large truck crashes. (IIHS, 2021)
• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates that equipping large trucks with collision avoidance (blind spot detection, forward collision warning/mitigation, and lane departure warning) as well as electronic stability control (ESC) could reduce crashes by 28%. (IIHS, 2021)
• NHTSA estimates that equipping large truck tractors and large buses with electronic stability control (ESC) could prevent 40-56% of untripped rollovers and 14% of loss-of-control crashes. (A tripped rollover is a rollover caused by a collision with another object, such as a curb.) (IIHS, 2021)