Fatality Facts 2020Collisions with fixed objects and animals

Overview

About 20 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths result from a vehicle leaving the roadway and hitting a fixed object alongside the road. Trees, utility poles, and traffic barriers are the most common objects struck. Almost half of the deaths in fixed-object crashes occur at night. Alcohol is a frequent contributing factor. Motorists also run off the road because of excessive speeds, falling asleep, inattention or poor visibility. 

From 1975 to the mid-2000s there was a general upward trend in deaths from collisions with animals, but this trend has leveled off over the past decade. In 2020, these deaths occurred most often during July-September.

The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

The information on fixed-object crashes is based on fatal crashes in which the most harmful event coded was a collision with a fixed object, regardless of whether the first harmful event also was a collision with a fixed object or was instead another type of crash, such as a collision between two motor vehicles, that in turn led to a collision with a fixed object. Information on the most harmful event became available in FARS in 1979.

The information on collisions with animals is based on fatal crashes in which the first harmful event coded was a collision with an animal. Many of these collisions involve secondary impacts that are more severe, such as colliding with another vehicle or a tree. Information on the first harmful event has been available since FARS was established in 1975. FARS does not track the type of animal involved in the collision. However, according to a review of 147 fatal animal crashes during 2000-2002 in 9 states, 77 percent of the struck animals were deer, and a variety of other animals were involved including cattle, horses, dogs, bears, cats, and opossums. Williams, A. F. & Wells, J. K. (2005). Characteristics of vehicle-animal crashes in which vehicle occupants are killed. Traffic Injury Prevention, 6, 56–59.

Posted May 2022.

Alcohol

Forty-one percent of drivers killed in fixed-object crashes in 2020 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent. By comparison, 25 percent of drivers killed in other types of fatal crashes had BACs this high. The percentage of drivers killed in fixed-object crashes with BACs at or above 0.08 percent declined from 66 percent in 1982 to 41 percent in 2020, a reduction of 37 percent.

Percent of fatally injured drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by crash type, 1982-2020

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by crash type, 1982-2020
Year Fixed object crashes Other crashes All crashes
Driver deaths Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08 Driver deaths Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08 Driver deaths Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08
Number Number % Number Number % Number Number %
1982 6,089 3,991 66 18,601 8,148 44 24,690 12,139 49
1983 6,074 3,925 65 18,064 7,618 42 24,138 11,543 48
1984 6,496 4,027 62 19,093 7,472 39 25,589 11,499 45
1985 6,927 4,078 59 18,410 6,608 36 25,337 10,685 42
1986 7,121 4,209 59 19,509 7,201 37 26,630 11,409 43
1987 6,974 3,965 57 19,859 7,093 36 26,833 11,058 41
1988 7,239 3,987 55 20,014 7,116 36 27,253 11,103 41
1989 6,962 3,926 56 19,427 6,711 35 26,389 10,637 40
1990 6,786 3,897 57 18,964 6,498 34 25,750 10,395 40
1991 6,398 3,538 55 17,532 5,947 34 23,930 9,485 40
1992 5,979 3,151 53 16,605 5,301 32 22,584 8,452 37
1993 5,957 3,079 52 17,185 5,243 31 23,142 8,322 36
1994 5,943 2,885 49 17,748 5,028 28 23,691 7,913 33
1995 6,197 3,018 49 18,193 5,289 29 24,390 8,307 34
1996 6,077 2,917 48 18,457 5,258 28 24,534 8,175 33
1997 6,081 2,881 47 18,586 4,962 27 24,667 7,843 32
1998 6,280 2,964 47 18,463 4,870 26 24,743 7,834 32
1999 6,249 2,908 47 19,008 5,010 26 25,257 7,918 31
2000 6,595 3,080 47 18,972 5,086 27 25,567 8,166 32
2001 6,685 3,050 46 19,184 5,203 27 25,869 8,252 32
2002 7,218 3,292 46 19,441 5,224 27 26,659 8,515 32
2003 7,083 3,163 45 19,696 5,191 26 26,779 8,354 31
2004 6,987 3,083 44 19,884 5,072 26 26,871 8,155 30
2005 7,033 3,096 44 20,458 5,393 26 27,491 8,489 31
2006 7,273 3,190 44 20,075 5,388 27 27,348 8,578 31
2007 7,202 3,293 46 19,368 5,324 27 26,570 8,617 32
2008 6,955 3,128 45 17,299 4,833 28 24,254 7,961 33
2009 6,242 2,773 44 15,593 4,440 28 21,835 7,213 33
2010 5,925 2,599 44 15,147 3,980 26 21,072 6,579 31
2011 5,897 2,566 44 14,918 3,959 27 20,815 6,524 31
2012 6,163 2,634 43 15,327 4,100 27 21,490 6,735 31
2013 6,052 2,655 44 14,892 3,893 26 20,944 6,548 31
2014 6,044 2,603 43 14,744 3,783 26 20,788 6,387 31
2015 6,162 2,501 41 16,186 3,875 24 22,348 6,376 29
2016 6,506 2,576 40 17,209 4,105 24 23,715 6,681 28
2017 6,424 2,617 41 17,333 4,047 23 23,757 6,664 28
2018 6,129 2,347 38 16,916 4,002 24 23,045 6,349 28
2019 5,985 2,468 41 16,762 3,928 23 22,747 6,396 28
2020 7,038 2,897 41 17,749 4,384 25 24,787 7,281 29

Age and sex

Twenty-six percent of drivers killed in fixed-object crashes in 2020 were males younger than 30. Overall, males accounted for 82 percent of drivers killed in these crashes.

Driver deaths in fixed-object crashes by age and sex, 2020
Age Male Female *Total
Number % Number % Number %
<16 22 <1 3 <1 25 <1
16-19 367 5 72 1 440 6
20-24 690 10 157 2 847 12
25-29 729 10 169 2 900 13
30-34 630 9 137 2 767 11
35-39 480 7 119 2 600 9
40-44 467 7 81 1 548 8
45-49 353 5 77 1 430 6
50-54 404 6 94 1 499 7
55-59 449 6 80 1 529 8
60-64 360 5 74 1 435 6
65-69 269 4 57 1 326 5
≥70 520 7 158 2 680 10
Total* 5,751 82 1,278 18 7,038 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Crash types

Ninety-five percent of fixed-object crash deaths in 2020 occurred in single-vehicle crashes.

Deaths in fixed-object crashes by crash type, 2020
Crash type Deaths %
Single-vehicle crashes 8,137 95
Multiple-vehicle crashes 466 5
All crashes 8,603 100

Nineteen percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2020 involved vehicles rolling over.

Deaths in fixed-object crashes by rollover occurrence and object struck, 2020
Object struck Rollover No rollover All crashes
Number % Number % Number %
Culvert 61 30 141 70 202 100
Embankment 122 29 303 71 425 100
Ditch 107 31 241 69 348 100
Boulder 23 32 49 68 72 100
Utility pole 206 21 767 79 973 100
Bridge rail 15 21 57 79 72 100
Guardrail 84 19 352 81 436 100
Fence 46 20 181 80 227 100
Tree 722 19 3,231 82 3,953 100
Concrete traffic barrier 58 18 269 82 327 100
Wall 19 12 136 88 155 100
Curb 32 12 234 88 266 100
Building 23 10 187 89 210 100
Bridge pier 14 9 143 91 157 100
Other post/pole 16 11 132 89 148 100
Other 100 16 532 84 632 100
Total 1,648 19 6,955 81 8,603 100

Twenty percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2020 involved ejection; 15 percent of the occupants killed were fully ejected, and 5 percent were partially ejected.

Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in fixed-object crashes by occupant ejection status, 2020
Ejection status Deaths %
Not ejected 5,464 79
Fully ejected 1,012 15
Partially ejected 366 5
Total* 6,894 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

When and where crashes occur

Seventeen percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2020 occurred on interstates and freeways, 38 percent occurred on other major roads, and 43 percent occurred on minor roads.

Deaths in fixed-object crashes by road type, 2020
Road type Deaths %
Interstates and freeways 1,476 17
Other major roads 3,241 38
Minor roads 3,694 43
All road types* 8,603 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Fifty-one percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2020 occurred on urban roads.

Deaths in fixed-object crashes by land use, 2020
Land use Deaths %
Urban 4,426 51
Rural 4,067 47
Total* 8,603 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Forty-four percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2020 occurred on roads with speed limits of 55 mph or higher.

Deaths in fixed-object crashes by speed limit, 2020
Speed limit Deaths %
≤35 mph 2,286 27
40-50 mph 2,242 26
55+ mph 3,758 44
Total* 8,603 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Forty-three percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2020 occurred at night (9 p.m.-6 a.m.), with the highest proportion occurring between midnight and 3 a.m. (17 percent).

Deaths in fixed-object crashes by time of day, 2020
Hour of day Deaths %
Midnight - 3 a.m. 1,433 17
3 a.m. - 6 a.m. 829 10
6 a.m. - 9 a.m. 707 8
9 a.m. - noon 672 8
Noon - 3 p.m. 997 12
3 p.m. - 6 p.m. 1,156 13
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. 1,291 15
9 p.m. - midnight 1,397 16
Total* 8,603 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Collisions with animals

From 1975 to the mid-2000s there was a general upward trend in deaths from collisions with animals, but this trend has since leveled off. These deaths increased from 89 in 1975 to 223 in 2007 and then declined to 202 in 2020. In 2020, the highest number of deaths in collisions with animals occurred during July-September.

Motor vehicle crash deaths involving collisions with animals, 1975-2020

Motor vehicle crash deaths in collisions with animals by quarter of the year, 1975-2020
Year Months Total
Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec
1975 14 15 28 32 89
1976 15 25 34 25 99
1977 13 15 27 24 79
1978 7 19 34 20 80
1979 16 21 30 35 102
1980 14 22 33 25 94
1981 14 19 43 29 105
1982 10 18 27 27 82
1983 11 28 32 24 95
1984 11 25 33 23 92
1985 12 24 44 24 104
1986 21 29 26 35 111
1987 15 30 35 31 111
1988 14 23 44 37 118
1989 20 33 42 36 131
1990 14 17 39 36 106
1991 23 34 31 34 122
1992 20 27 34 39 120
1993 16 22 27 36 101
1994 20 41 27 43 131
1995 17 29 36 41 123
1996 14 59 38 42 153
1997 17 35 39 45 136
1998 17 36 59 53 165
1999 18 35 46 53 152
2000 29 30 45 46 150
2001 24 51 43 59 177
2002 21 42 57 50 170
2003 23 57 72 60 212
2004 26 55 62 61 204
2005 18 47 57 58 180
2006 26 67 63 66 222
2007 15 64 82 62 223
2008 25 58 70 57 210
2009 24 52 67 41 184
2010 20 62 87 44 213
2011 19 44 71 65 199
2012 20 50 62 44 176
2013 15 54 74 49 192
2014 18 50 60 38 166
2015 15 47 59 68 189
2016 20 55 58 56 189
2017 20 64 65 63 212
2018 20 60 67 43 190
2019 14 64 67 41 186
2020 21 46 78 57 202

Over the past 10 years, Texas had the highest numbers of deaths from collisions with animals. The numbers reflect the size of the driving population, the size of the animal population and the percentage of rural roads.

Motor vehicle crash deaths in collisions with animals by state, 2011-2020
State Year Total
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Alabama 2 5 1 9 2 3 1 3 3 3 32
Alaska 0 4 3 0 3 0 2 3 1 0 16
Arizona 2 4 2 0 3 1 4 2 4 2 24
Arkansas 4 3 3 4 4 7 1 2 2 2 32
California 6 4 4 4 2 5 9 4 3 4 45
Colorado 3 2 7 6 7 4 5 2 2 5 43
Connecticut 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 6
Delaware 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3
Florida 6 5 6 1 4 4 5 6 6 9 52
Georgia 8 3 2 5 5 4 3 7 9 10 56
Hawaii 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Idaho 5 3 3 1 2 1 2 0 0 0 17
Illinois 7 4 5 4 8 7 4 8 4 10 61
Indiana 13 9 3 2 5 5 7 7 7 5 63
Iowa 1 2 4 3 0 2 2 5 1 3 23
Kansas 2 4 7 2 4 7 7 3 5 5 46
Kentucky 5 0 3 4 4 4 3 6 6 8 43
Louisiana 2 1 3 2 0 1 2 1 4 2 18
Maine 1 2 0 3 4 2 1 1 0 4 18
Maryland 2 4 4 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 16
Massachusetts 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3
Michigan 7 6 9 8 7 15 17 14 12 2 97
Minnesota 5 8 8 3 8 3 6 9 5 4 59
Mississippi 0 1 1 3 5 3 4 2 3 2 24
Missouri 7 5 2 3 4 6 7 6 9 6 55
Montana 4 3 10 1 4 6 3 3 7 12 53
Nebraska 4 3 2 1 4 1 3 2 1 3 24
Nevada 0 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 10
New Hampshire 1 1 0 0 4 0 1 1 0 2 10
New Jersey 1 1 3 3 2 1 3 2 4 0 20
New Mexico 4 1 4 2 2 6 5 1 3 2 30
New York 7 3 4 4 9 4 5 6 10 4 56
North Carolina 8 5 4 2 8 5 1 3 3 2 41
North Dakota 0 1 1 4 1 1 1 2 2 2 15
Ohio 7 8 8 4 4 6 10 3 4 3 57
Oklahoma 5 2 3 6 8 4 3 6 6 3 46
Oregon 2 4 1 2 2 0 0 7 3 3 24
Pennsylvania 10 7 15 10 8 13 15 11 8 15 112
Rhode Island 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
South Carolina 8 5 5 8 7 4 3 6 10 2 58
South Dakota 3 2 2 1 0 3 3 3 0 4 21
Tennessee 3 7 8 4 2 2 4 6 4 2 42
Texas 21 15 18 25 22 19 27 16 16 21 200
Utah 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 2 1 14
Vermont 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 3
Virginia 8 4 4 3 1 3 5 5 1 6 40
Washington 0 2 3 2 1 3 4 1 0 7 23
West Virginia 0 1 2 2 3 3 2 2 0 2 17
Wisconsin 12 16 7 13 7 13 13 7 14 15 117
Wyoming 1 2 1 0 3 2 1 1 1 2 14
U.S. Total 199 176 192 166 189 189 212 190 186 202 1901

Among animal-involved crash deaths in 2020, 66 percent occurred in crashes in which the most harmful event was a collision with an animal. Rollover and collisions with fixed objects were the next most common most harmful events, accounting for 13 and 7 percent of deaths, respectively.

Percent distribution of animal-involved crash deaths by the most harmful event, 2020

Motor vehicle crash deaths in collisions with animals by the most harmful event, 2020
Most harmful event Deaths %
Collision with an animal 134 66
Rollover 26 13
Collision with a fixed object 14 7
Collision with a vehicle in transport 12 6
Other 16 8
Total 202 100

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