Fatality Facts 2020Passenger vehicle occupants
Overview
The largest number of motor vehicle crash deaths occurs among occupants of passenger vehicles, including cars, minivans, pickups, SUVs, and cargo/large passenger vans. The likelihood of crash death varies markedly among these vehicle types according to size. Small/light vehicles have less structure to absorb crash energy, so crash forces on occupants will be higher. People in lighter vehicles are at a disadvantage in collisions with heavier vehicles.
Guide to car size groups
Curb weight | Shadow (overall length x width in square feet) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
70-80 | 81-90 | 91-100 | 101-110 | > 110 | |
Note: Includes minivans. | |||||
2,001-2,500 lbs | Mini | Small | Small | Small | Midsize |
2,501-3,000 lbs | Small | Small | Midsize | Midsize | Midsize |
3,001-3,500 lbs | Small | Midsize | Midsize | Large | Large |
3,501-4,000 lbs | Small | Midsize | Large | Large | Very large |
> 4,000 lbs | Midsize | Midsize | Large | Very large | Very large |
Guide to SUV size groups
Curb weight | |
---|---|
Small | 3,001-3,750 lbs |
Midsize | 3,751-4,750 lbs |
Large | 4,751-5,750 lbs |
Very large | > 5,750 lbs or shadow > 115 sq ft |
Guide to pickup size groups
Curb weight | |
---|---|
Small | ≤ 4,000 lbs |
Large | > 4,000 lbs and carrying capacity = 1/2 ton |
Very large | > 4,000 lbs and carrying capacity > 1/2 ton |
The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and IHS Markit.
Posted May 2022.
Trends
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths represented 62 percent of the 38,824 motor vehicle crash deaths in 2020.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths vs. all motor vehicle crash deaths, 1975-2020 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Passenger vehicle occupant deaths | Other deaths | All motor vehicle crash deaths | |||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
1975 | 30,601 | 69 | 13,924 | 31 | 44,525 | 100 |
1976 | 31,724 | 70 | 13,799 | 30 | 45,523 | 100 |
1977 | 32,823 | 69 | 15,055 | 31 | 47,878 | 100 |
1978 | 34,923 | 69 | 15,408 | 31 | 50,331 | 100 |
1979 | 35,026 | 69 | 16,067 | 31 | 51,093 | 100 |
1980 | 34,996 | 68 | 16,095 | 32 | 51,091 | 100 |
1981 | 33,711 | 68 | 15,590 | 32 | 49,301 | 100 |
1982 | 29,656 | 67 | 14,289 | 33 | 43,945 | 100 |
1983 | 29,154 | 68 | 13,435 | 32 | 42,589 | 100 |
1984 | 30,094 | 68 | 14,163 | 32 | 44,257 | 100 |
1985 | 29,848 | 68 | 13,977 | 32 | 43,825 | 100 |
1986 | 32,224 | 70 | 13,863 | 30 | 46,087 | 100 |
1987 | 33,145 | 71 | 13,245 | 29 | 46,390 | 100 |
1988 | 34,105 | 72 | 12,982 | 28 | 47,087 | 100 |
1989 | 33,599 | 74 | 11,983 | 26 | 45,582 | 100 |
1990 | 32,711 | 73 | 11,888 | 27 | 44,599 | 100 |
1991 | 30,810 | 74 | 10,698 | 26 | 41,508 | 100 |
1992 | 29,457 | 75 | 9,793 | 25 | 39,250 | 100 |
1993 | 29,994 | 75 | 10,156 | 25 | 40,150 | 100 |
1994 | 30,820 | 76 | 9,896 | 24 | 40,716 | 100 |
1995 | 31,914 | 76 | 9,903 | 24 | 41,817 | 100 |
1996 | 32,353 | 77 | 9,712 | 23 | 42,065 | 100 |
1997 | 32,343 | 77 | 9,670 | 23 | 42,013 | 100 |
1998 | 31,781 | 77 | 9,720 | 23 | 41,501 | 100 |
1999 | 32,008 | 77 | 9,709 | 23 | 41,717 | 100 |
2000 | 32,109 | 77 | 9,836 | 23 | 41,945 | 100 |
2001 | 31,938 | 76 | 10,258 | 24 | 42,196 | 100 |
2002 | 32,724 | 76 | 10,281 | 24 | 43,005 | 100 |
2003 | 32,166 | 75 | 10,718 | 25 | 42,884 | 100 |
2004 | 31,750 | 74 | 11,086 | 26 | 42,836 | 100 |
2005 | 31,455 | 72 | 12,055 | 28 | 43,510 | 100 |
2006 | 30,628 | 72 | 12,080 | 28 | 42,708 | 100 |
2007 | 29,155 | 71 | 12,104 | 29 | 41,259 | 100 |
2008 | 25,547 | 68 | 11,876 | 32 | 37,423 | 100 |
2009 | 23,507 | 69 | 10,376 | 31 | 33,883 | 100 |
2010 | 22,351 | 68 | 10,648 | 32 | 32,999 | 100 |
2011 | 21,413 | 66 | 11,066 | 34 | 32,479 | 100 |
2012 | 21,906 | 65 | 11,876 | 35 | 33,782 | 100 |
2013 | 21,361 | 65 | 11,533 | 35 | 32,894 | 100 |
2014 | 21,131 | 65 | 11,613 | 35 | 32,744 | 100 |
2015 | 22,741 | 64 | 12,744 | 36 | 35,485 | 100 |
2016 | 23,957 | 63 | 13,849 | 37 | 37,806 | 100 |
2017 | 23,866 | 64 | 13,607 | 36 | 37,473 | 100 |
2018 | 23,046 | 63 | 13,789 | 37 | 36,835 | 100 |
2019 | 22,557 | 62 | 13,798 | 38 | 36,355 | 100 |
2020 | 24,019 | 62 | 14,805 | 38 | 38,824 | 100 |
A total of 24,019 passenger vehicle occupants died in 2020, 22 percent fewer than in 1975. As pickups and SUVs have become more popular, the distribution of vehicle types in fatal crashes has changed. The number of car occupant deaths declined 47 percent since 1975, while pickup occupant deaths rose 19 percent and SUV occupant deaths increased more than 10 times over the same time period.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths by vehicle type, 1975-2020
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths by vehicle type, 1975-2020 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Car occupants | Pickup occupants | SUV occupants | All passenger vehicle occupants | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
1975 | 25,715 | 84 | 3,674 | 12 | 455 | 1 | 30,601 | 100 |
1976 | 26,163 | 82 | 4,225 | 13 | 577 | 2 | 31,724 | 100 |
1977 | 26,698 | 81 | 4,512 | 14 | 729 | 2 | 32,823 | 100 |
1978 | 27,898 | 80 | 5,103 | 15 | 852 | 2 | 34,923 | 100 |
1979 | 27,518 | 79 | 5,423 | 15 | 945 | 3 | 35,026 | 100 |
1980 | 27,282 | 78 | 5,489 | 16 | 1,124 | 3 | 34,996 | 100 |
1981 | 26,406 | 78 | 5,236 | 16 | 1,021 | 3 | 33,711 | 100 |
1982 | 23,144 | 78 | 4,779 | 16 | 862 | 3 | 29,656 | 100 |
1983 | 22,801 | 78 | 4,660 | 16 | 920 | 3 | 29,154 | 100 |
1984 | 23,484 | 78 | 4,884 | 16 | 886 | 3 | 30,094 | 100 |
1985 | 23,084 | 77 | 4,892 | 16 | 1,024 | 3 | 29,848 | 100 |
1986 | 24,898 | 77 | 5,334 | 17 | 1,131 | 4 | 32,224 | 100 |
1987 | 25,160 | 76 | 5,795 | 17 | 1,269 | 4 | 33,145 | 100 |
1988 | 25,876 | 76 | 6,089 | 18 | 1,320 | 4 | 34,105 | 100 |
1989 | 25,334 | 75 | 6,016 | 18 | 1,373 | 4 | 33,599 | 100 |
1990 | 24,463 | 75 | 6,032 | 18 | 1,480 | 5 | 32,711 | 100 |
1991 | 22,794 | 74 | 5,858 | 19 | 1,521 | 5 | 30,810 | 100 |
1992 | 21,889 | 74 | 5,476 | 19 | 1,390 | 5 | 29,457 | 100 |
1993 | 22,166 | 74 | 5,611 | 19 | 1,552 | 5 | 29,994 | 100 |
1994 | 22,708 | 74 | 5,604 | 18 | 1,809 | 6 | 30,820 | 100 |
1995 | 23,219 | 73 | 5,973 | 19 | 2,006 | 6 | 31,914 | 100 |
1996 | 23,526 | 73 | 5,928 | 18 | 2,210 | 7 | 32,353 | 100 |
1997 | 23,243 | 72 | 5,922 | 18 | 2,416 | 7 | 32,343 | 100 |
1998 | 22,475 | 71 | 5,904 | 19 | 2,711 | 9 | 31,781 | 100 |
1999 | 22,209 | 69 | 6,095 | 19 | 3,019 | 9 | 32,008 | 100 |
2000 | 22,091 | 69 | 5,996 | 19 | 3,337 | 10 | 32,109 | 100 |
2001 | 21,688 | 68 | 6,121 | 19 | 3,521 | 11 | 31,938 | 100 |
2002 | 22,114 | 68 | 6,058 | 19 | 4,022 | 12 | 32,724 | 100 |
2003 | 21,125 | 66 | 5,833 | 18 | 4,463 | 14 | 32,166 | 100 |
2004 | 20,623 | 65 | 5,716 | 18 | 4,772 | 15 | 31,750 | 100 |
2005 | 19,956 | 63 | 6,040 | 19 | 4,847 | 15 | 31,455 | 100 |
2006 | 19,087 | 62 | 5,877 | 19 | 4,973 | 16 | 30,628 | 100 |
2007 | 17,805 | 61 | 5,758 | 20 | 4,975 | 17 | 29,155 | 100 |
2008 | 15,725 | 62 | 5,021 | 20 | 4,350 | 17 | 25,547 | 100 |
2009 | 14,124 | 60 | 4,719 | 20 | 4,254 | 18 | 23,507 | 100 |
2010 | 13,433 | 60 | 4,443 | 20 | 4,130 | 18 | 22,351 | 100 |
2011 | 12,738 | 59 | 4,245 | 20 | 4,095 | 19 | 21,413 | 100 |
2012 | 13,112 | 60 | 4,339 | 20 | 4,171 | 19 | 21,906 | 100 |
2013 | 12,731 | 60 | 4,215 | 20 | 4,098 | 19 | 21,361 | 100 |
2014 | 12,543 | 59 | 4,223 | 20 | 4,103 | 19 | 21,131 | 100 |
2015 | 13,320 | 59 | 4,490 | 20 | 4,577 | 20 | 22,741 | 100 |
2016 | 14,057 | 59 | 4,625 | 19 | 4,908 | 20 | 23,957 | 100 |
2017 | 13,902 | 58 | 4,434 | 19 | 5,186 | 22 | 23,866 | 100 |
2018 | 13,260 | 58 | 4,380 | 19 | 5,059 | 22 | 23,046 | 100 |
2019 | 12,535 | 56 | 4,284 | 19 | 5,365 | 24 | 22,557 | 100 |
2020 | 13,578 | 57 | 4,390 | 18 | 5,757 | 24 | 24,019 | 100 |
A total of 18,261 passenger vehicle drivers died in 2020, 8 percent more than in 2019 but 6 percent fewer than in 1975. Fifty-six percent of passenger vehicle driver deaths in 2020 were car drivers, 20 percent were pickup drivers, and 23 percent were SUV drivers.
Passenger vehicle driver deaths by vehicle type, 1975-2020 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Car drivers | Pickup drivers | SUV drivers | All passenger vehicle drivers | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
1975 | 16,141 | 83 | 2,481 | 13 | 270 | 1 | 19,349 | 100 |
1976 | 16,385 | 82 | 2,890 | 14 | 347 | 2 | 20,091 | 100 |
1977 | 16,903 | 81 | 3,076 | 15 | 434 | 2 | 20,941 | 100 |
1978 | 18,047 | 79 | 3,535 | 16 | 519 | 2 | 22,758 | 100 |
1979 | 18,064 | 78 | 3,734 | 16 | 596 | 3 | 23,109 | 100 |
1980 | 17,848 | 78 | 3,776 | 16 | 684 | 3 | 22,991 | 100 |
1981 | 17,553 | 78 | 3,687 | 16 | 623 | 3 | 22,506 | 100 |
1982 | 15,235 | 77 | 3,345 | 17 | 549 | 3 | 19,664 | 100 |
1983 | 15,058 | 78 | 3,219 | 17 | 575 | 3 | 19,338 | 100 |
1984 | 15,787 | 78 | 3,422 | 17 | 557 | 3 | 20,300 | 100 |
1985 | 15,437 | 77 | 3,446 | 17 | 645 | 3 | 20,058 | 100 |
1986 | 16,519 | 77 | 3,764 | 18 | 690 | 3 | 21,503 | 100 |
1987 | 16,751 | 76 | 4,082 | 18 | 765 | 3 | 22,157 | 100 |
1988 | 17,209 | 75 | 4,332 | 19 | 850 | 4 | 22,884 | 100 |
1989 | 16,811 | 75 | 4,365 | 19 | 877 | 4 | 22,554 | 100 |
1990 | 16,237 | 74 | 4,307 | 20 | 951 | 4 | 21,953 | 100 |
1991 | 14,974 | 73 | 4,256 | 21 | 943 | 5 | 20,551 | 100 |
1992 | 14,372 | 73 | 3,958 | 20 | 863 | 4 | 19,573 | 100 |
1993 | 14,577 | 73 | 4,105 | 20 | 977 | 5 | 20,036 | 100 |
1994 | 14,975 | 73 | 4,130 | 20 | 1,140 | 6 | 20,647 | 100 |
1995 | 15,386 | 72 | 4,431 | 21 | 1,248 | 6 | 21,457 | 100 |
1996 | 15,453 | 71 | 4,402 | 20 | 1,399 | 6 | 21,631 | 100 |
1997 | 15,375 | 71 | 4,376 | 20 | 1,537 | 7 | 21,711 | 100 |
1998 | 15,106 | 70 | 4,452 | 21 | 1,686 | 8 | 21,627 | 100 |
1999 | 14,874 | 68 | 4,658 | 21 | 1,986 | 9 | 21,899 | 100 |
2000 | 14,791 | 68 | 4,535 | 21 | 2,086 | 10 | 21,819 | 100 |
2001 | 14,611 | 67 | 4,641 | 21 | 2,265 | 10 | 21,862 | 100 |
2002 | 14,969 | 66 | 4,658 | 21 | 2,599 | 12 | 22,537 | 100 |
2003 | 14,426 | 65 | 4,522 | 20 | 2,829 | 13 | 22,200 | 100 |
2004 | 14,092 | 64 | 4,344 | 20 | 3,139 | 14 | 21,952 | 100 |
2005 | 13,775 | 63 | 4,642 | 21 | 3,171 | 14 | 21,953 | 100 |
2006 | 13,277 | 61 | 4,528 | 21 | 3,347 | 16 | 21,592 | 100 |
2007 | 12,455 | 61 | 4,451 | 22 | 3,269 | 16 | 20,542 | 100 |
2008 | 11,081 | 61 | 3,929 | 22 | 2,975 | 16 | 18,266 | 100 |
2009 | 10,040 | 60 | 3,670 | 22 | 2,872 | 17 | 16,834 | 100 |
2010 | 9,542 | 60 | 3,484 | 22 | 2,801 | 17 | 16,029 | 100 |
2011 | 9,216 | 59 | 3,335 | 21 | 2,802 | 18 | 15,561 | 100 |
2012 | 9,425 | 59 | 3,395 | 21 | 2,903 | 18 | 15,915 | 100 |
2013 | 9,261 | 59 | 3,291 | 21 | 2,828 | 18 | 15,577 | 100 |
2014 | 9,049 | 58 | 3,338 | 22 | 2,941 | 19 | 15,495 | 100 |
2015 | 9,652 | 58 | 3,544 | 21 | 3,216 | 19 | 16,629 | 100 |
2016 | 10,292 | 58 | 3,684 | 21 | 3,432 | 19 | 17,641 | 100 |
2017 | 10,227 | 58 | 3,613 | 20 | 3,688 | 21 | 17,751 | 100 |
2018 | 9,864 | 57 | 3,546 | 21 | 3,629 | 21 | 17,263 | 100 |
2019 | 9,287 | 55 | 3,500 | 21 | 3,852 | 23 | 16,878 | 100 |
2020 | 10,206 | 56 | 3,563 | 20 | 4,290 | 23 | 18,261 | 100 |
Crash types
Frontal impacts accounted for 58 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2020. Side impacts accounted for another 23 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in all crashes by impact point and vehicle type, 2020 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Point of initial impact | Car occupants | Pickup occupants | SUV occupants | All occupants | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Frontal | 7,752 | 57 | 2,583 | 59 | 3,324 | 58 | 13,845 | 58 |
Side | 3,524 | 26 | 797 | 18 | 1,103 | 19 | 5,475 | 23 |
Rear | 835 | 6 | 157 | 4 | 302 | 5 | 1,304 | 5 |
Other (mostly rollover) | 1,467 | 11 | 853 | 19 | 1,028 | 18 | 3,395 | 14 |
All* | 13,578 | 100 | 4,390 | 100 | 5,757 | 100 | 24,019 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in single-vehicle crashes by impact point and vehicle type, 2020 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Point of initial impact | Car occupants | Pickup occupants | SUV occupants | All occupants | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Frontal | 3,242 | 58 | 1,399 | 55 | 1,580 | 54 | 6,279 | 56 |
Side | 971 | 17 | 314 | 12 | 367 | 12 | 1,668 | 15 |
Rear | 122 | 2 | 25 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 181 | 2 |
Other (mostly rollover) | 1,302 | 23 | 813 | 32 | 968 | 33 | 3,122 | 28 |
All* | 5,637 | 100 | 2,551 | 100 | 2,949 | 100 | 11,250 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in multiple-vehicle crashes by impact point and vehicle type, 2020 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Point of initial impact | Car occupants | Pickup occupants | SUV occupants | All occupants | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Frontal | 4,510 | 57 | 1,184 | 64 | 1,744 | 62 | 7,566 | 59 |
Side | 2,553 | 32 | 483 | 26 | 736 | 26 | 3,807 | 30 |
Rear | 713 | 9 | 132 | 7 | 268 | 10 | 1,123 | 9 |
Other (mostly rollover) | 165 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 60 | 2 | 273 | 2 |
All* | 7,941 | 100 | 1,839 | 100 | 2,808 | 100 | 12,769 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Just 42 percent of car occupant deaths in 2020 occurred in single-vehicle crashes (and 58 percent occurred in multiple-vehicle crashes). In contrast, single-vehicle crashes accounted for 58 percent of pickup occupant deaths and 51 percent of SUV occupant deaths.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths by vehicle and crash type, 2020 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vehicle type | Deaths in single-vehicle crashes | Deaths in multiple-vehicle crashes | Deaths in all crashes* | |||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Cars | 5,637 | 42 | 7,941 | 58 | 13,578 | 100 |
Pickups | 2,551 | 58 | 1,839 | 42 | 4,390 | 100 |
SUVs | 2,949 | 51 | 2,808 | 49 | 5,757 | 100 |
Other | 113 | 38 | 181 | 62 | 294 | 100 |
All passenger vehicles | 11,250 | 47 | 12,769 | 53 | 24,019 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Age and sex differences
Twenty-four percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2020 were younger than 25.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths by age, 2020 | ||
---|---|---|
Age | All occupants | |
Number | % | |
<25 | 5,741 | 24 |
25-29 | 2,668 | 11 |
30-34 | 2,162 | 9 |
35-39 | 1,848 | 8 |
40-44 | 1,564 | 7 |
45-49 | 1,333 | 6 |
50-54 | 1,408 | 6 |
55-59 | 1,488 | 6 |
60-64 | 1,352 | 6 |
65-69 | 1,151 | 5 |
70+ | 3,240 | 13 |
All * | 24,019 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
The majority (76 percent) of passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2020 were drivers; 72 percent of these drivers were male.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths by age, type, and sex, 2020 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Drivers | All occupants | ||||||||||
Male | Female | Total* | Male | Female | Total* | |||||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
<16 | 27 | 66 | 14 | 34 | 41 | 100 | 495 | 55 | 396 | 44 | 894 | 100 |
16-19 | 858 | 76 | 274 | 24 | 1,132 | 100 | 1,265 | 67 | 608 | 32 | 1,876 | 100 |
20-24 | 1,579 | 74 | 561 | 26 | 2,140 | 100 | 2,038 | 69 | 932 | 31 | 2,971 | 100 |
25-29 | 1,515 | 72 | 587 | 28 | 2,104 | 100 | 1,848 | 69 | 818 | 31 | 2,668 | 100 |
30-34 | 1,290 | 73 | 484 | 27 | 1,775 | 100 | 1,507 | 70 | 654 | 30 | 2,162 | 100 |
35-39 | 1,096 | 71 | 436 | 28 | 1,536 | 100 | 1,250 | 68 | 593 | 32 | 1,848 | 100 |
40-44 | 959 | 74 | 332 | 26 | 1,291 | 100 | 1,085 | 69 | 479 | 31 | 1,564 | 100 |
45-49 | 793 | 72 | 316 | 28 | 1,109 | 100 | 891 | 67 | 442 | 33 | 1,333 | 100 |
50-54 | 809 | 70 | 350 | 30 | 1,160 | 100 | 935 | 66 | 472 | 34 | 1,408 | 100 |
55-59 | 900 | 72 | 350 | 28 | 1,251 | 100 | 1,015 | 68 | 472 | 32 | 1,488 | 100 |
60-64 | 830 | 72 | 326 | 28 | 1,157 | 100 | 921 | 68 | 430 | 32 | 1,352 | 100 |
65-69 | 705 | 72 | 269 | 28 | 974 | 100 | 773 | 67 | 378 | 33 | 1,151 | 100 |
≥70 | 1,766 | 69 | 788 | 31 | 2,558 | 100 | 1,968 | 61 | 1,267 | 39 | 3,240 | 100 |
All* | 13,153 | 72 | 5,091 | 28 | 18,261 | 100 | 16,036 | 67 | 7,956 | 33 | 24,019 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Just 7 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths were in the second or third row; 27 percent of these were younger than 13.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths by seating position and age, 2020 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seating position | <13 years | 13-19 years | ≥20 years | All* | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Driver | 3 | 0 | 1,170 | 6 | 17,055 | 93 | 18,261 | 100 |
Front-row passenger | 95 | 3 | 515 | 14 | 3,095 | 83 | 3,720 | 100 |
Second-row passenger | 435 | 27 | 378 | 23 | 805 | 49 | 1,631 | 100 |
Third-row passenger | 23 | 42 | 12 | 22 | 20 | 36 | 55 | 100 |
All* | 611 | 3 | 2,159 | 9 | 21,185 | 88 | 24,019 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Driver death rates
Computing driver death rates per million registered passenger vehicles allows for comparisons of fatal crash risk across vehicle groups. The computed rates reflect the influence of vehicle designs plus their patterns of use and the demographics of their drivers. Driver death rates for each year are based on vehicles that were 1-3 years old at the time of the crash so as to minimize the effects of vehicle aging. Death rates calculated from vehicles with fewer than 120,000 registrations are considered unreliable and are not included.
Since 1978, the overall rates of driver and occupant deaths per million registered vehicles have declined across all passenger vehicle types. Declines in death rates have been largest for SUV occupants.
Passenger vehicle occupant death rates by vehicle type, 1978-2020
Occupant deaths per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old, 1978-2020 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Drivers | All occupants | ||||||
Cars | Pickups | SUVs | All passenger vehicles | Cars | Pickups | SUVs | All passenger vehicles | |
1978 | 155 | 237 | 273 | 169 | 235 | 346 | 438 | 256 |
1979 | 165 | 246 | 271 | 180 | 244 | 350 | 425 | 265 |
1980 | 167 | 221 | 287 | 177 | 248 | 316 | 494 | 263 |
1981 | 177 | 216 | 237 | 182 | 259 | 296 | 389 | 265 |
1982 | 155 | 188 | 229 | 159 | 231 | 263 | 392 | 236 |
1983 | 148 | 188 | 225 | 153 | 220 | 263 | 337 | 225 |
1984 | 147 | 190 | 143 | 151 | 218 | 259 | 218 | 222 |
1985 | 139 | 182 | 141 | 144 | 207 | 257 | 227 | 213 |
1986 | 128 | 172 | 134 | 133 | 196 | 239 | 224 | 202 |
1987 | 129 | 178 | 136 | 136 | 196 | 248 | 232 | 205 |
1988 | 133 | 186 | 121 | 140 | 205 | 251 | 198 | 211 |
1989 | 130 | 185 | 116 | 138 | 199 | 255 | 185 | 208 |
1990 | 122 | 179 | 126 | 131 | 187 | 245 | 201 | 197 |
1991 | 108 | 169 | 109 | 117 | 169 | 229 | 175 | 178 |
1992 | 101 | 151 | 88 | 108 | 160 | 200 | 151 | 165 |
1993 | 97 | 137 | 93 | 102 | 152 | 187 | 141 | 156 |
1994 | 100 | 134 | 87 | 104 | 159 | 178 | 148 | 161 |
1995 | 103 | 134 | 102 | 107 | 160 | 180 | 157 | 162 |
1996 | 107 | 127 | 98 | 109 | 167 | 178 | 150 | 167 |
1997 | 96 | 118 | 93 | 99 | 152 | 161 | 146 | 153 |
1998 | 90 | 119 | 86 | 94 | 141 | 158 | 141 | 144 |
1999 | 91 | 120 | 93 | 96 | 138 | 162 | 139 | 143 |
2000 | 83 | 117 | 81 | 89 | 127 | 155 | 135 | 134 |
2001 | 83 | 130 | 74 | 89 | 124 | 170 | 116 | 131 |
2002 | 84 | 123 | 76 | 88 | 126 | 162 | 122 | 131 |
2003 | 81 | 115 | 72 | 85 | 122 | 151 | 115 | 126 |
2004 | 76 | 107 | 66 | 79 | 114 | 145 | 103 | 117 |
2005 | 79 | 110 | 56 | 78 | 117 | 145 | 88 | 114 |
2006 | 77 | 101 | 49 | 73 | 112 | 137 | 74 | 106 |
2007 | 70 | 95 | 44 | 67 | 103 | 128 | 69 | 99 |
2008 | 65 | 87 | 35 | 61 | 92 | 114 | 52 | 85 |
2009 | 56 | 63 | 25 | 49 | 82 | 83 | 36 | 69 |
2010 | 49 | 64 | 20 | 43 | 71 | 80 | 29 | 61 |
2011 | 43 | 49 | 17 | 37 | 62 | 66 | 24 | 52 |
2012 | 42 | 44 | 16 | 35 | 61 | 56 | 23 | 49 |
2013 | 41 | 39 | 19 | 34 | 58 | 52 | 26 | 48 |
2014 | 37 | 38 | 18 | 32 | 53 | 47 | 24 | 44 |
2015 | 42 | 40 | 20 | 35 | 62 | 52 | 29 | 51 |
2016 | 44 | 39 | 21 | 36 | 63 | 48 | 32 | 51 |
2017 | 46 | 37 | 22 | 36 | 66 | 46 | 33 | 51 |
2018 | 48 | 34 | 23 | 36 | 70 | 42 | 32 | 51 |
2019 | 48 | 32 | 24 | 35 | 68 | 39 | 35 | 49 |
2020 | 53 | 35 | 25 | 37 | 72 | 46 | 34 | 50 |
Historically, rates of driver deaths per million registered vehicles have been higher for smaller and lighter vehicles. This remains true for cars and SUVs in 2020, but pickup driver deaths don’t follow this pattern. Nonetheless, the differences between large and small vehicles are less extreme today than they used to be.
Driver deaths per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old, 2020
Driver deaths per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old, 2020 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Registered vehicles | Deaths | Rate | ||
Cars | Mini | 748,118 | 92 | 123 |
Small | 6,445,516 | 370 | 57 | |
Midsize | 7,849,366 | 338 | 43 | |
Large | 1,847,053 | 140 | 76 | |
Very large | 1,596,440 | 35 | 22 | |
All cars | 18,486,493 | 977 | 53 | |
Pickups | Small | 1,614,198 | 44 | 27 |
Large | 5,133,336 | 186 | 36 | |
Very large | 1,731,353 | 57 | 33 | |
All pickups | 8,478,887 | 297 | 35 | |
SUVs | Small | 9,882,699 | 325 | 33 |
Midsize | 10,259,947 | 188 | 18 | |
Large | 1,839,793 | 33 | 18 | |
Very large | 450,315 | 6 | 13 | |
All SUVs | 22,432,754 | 552 | 25 | |
All passenger vehicles | All | 50,446,652 | 1,856 | 37 |
Overall in 2020, there were 15 driver deaths per million registered passenger vehicles in single-vehicle crashes and 22 driver deaths per million registered passenger vehicles in multiple-vehicle crashes. Cars had the highest number of deaths per registered vehicle both in single-vehicle crashes (20 per million) and in multiple-vehicle crashes (33 per million). SUVs had the lowest number of deaths per registered vehicle in single-vehicle crashes (9 per million) and were tied with pickups for fatality rate in multiple-vehicle crashes (16 per million).
Driver deaths per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old by crash type, 2020 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Multiple-vehicle | Single-vehicle | Single-vehicle rollover | All crashes | ||||||
Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | ||
Cars | Mini | 71 | 95 | 21 | 28 | 11 | 15 | 92 | 123 |
Small | 241 | 37 | 129 | 20 | 34 | 5 | 370 | 57 | |
Midsize | 209 | 27 | 129 | 16 | 44 | 6 | 338 | 43 | |
Large | 60 | 32 | 80 | 43 | 33 | 18 | 140 | 76 | |
Very large | 26 | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 22 | |
All cars | 608 | 33 | 369 | 20 | 124 | 7 | 977 | 53 | |
Pickups | Small | 24 | 15 | 20 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 44 | 27 |
Large | 85 | 17 | 101 | 20 | 30 | 6 | 186 | 36 | |
Very large | 18 | 10 | 39 | 23 | 16 | 9 | 57 | 33 | |
All pickups | 132 | 16 | 165 | 19 | 52 | 6 | 297 | 35 | |
SUVs | Small | 216 | 22 | 109 | 11 | 42 | 4 | 325 | 33 |
Midsize | 112 | 11 | 76 | 7 | 32 | 3 | 188 | 18 | |
Large | 22 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 33 | 18 | |
Very large | 4 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 13 | |
All SUVs | 354 | 16 | 198 | 9 | 80 | 4 | 552 | 25 | |
All passenger vehicles | All | 1,113 | 22 | 743 | 15 | 260 | 5 | 1,856 | 37 |
Driver deaths per million 1-3 year old registered pickups and SUVs by crash type and 2WD/4WD, 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Multiple-vehicle | Single-vehicle | Single-vehicle rollover | All crashes | ||||||||||||||
2WD | 4WD | 2WD | 4WD | 2WD | 4WD | 2WD | 4WD | ||||||||||
Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | ||
Pickups | Small | 11 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 33 | 24 | 24 |
Large | 27 | 21 | 58 | 15 | 34 | 27 | 67 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 6 | 61 | 48 | 125 | 32 | |
Very large | 1 | — | 17 | 10 | 2 | — | 37 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 33 | |
All pickups | 39 | 20 | 88 | 14 | 45 | 23 | 115 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 43 | 7 | 84 | 42 | 203 | 31 | |
SUVs | Small | 118 | 28 | 98 | 17 | 55 | 13 | 53 | 9 | 19 | 5 | 23 | 4 | 173 | 42 | 151 | 27 |
Midsize | 55 | 16 | 56 | 8 | 30 | 9 | 45 | 7 | 13 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 85 | 24 | 101 | 15 | |
Large | 8 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 20 | 23 | 17 | |
Very large | 3 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 7 | 21 | |
All SUVs | 184 | 22 | 169 | 12 | 87 | 10 | 109 | 8 | 33 | 4 | 46 | 3 | 271 | 33 | 278 | 20 |
In multiple-vehicle crashes, frontal impacts accounted for 15 driver deaths per million registered passenger vehicles in 2020. By comparison, multiple-vehicle side impacts accounted for 5 deaths per million and multiple-vehicle rear impacts accounted for 2 deaths per million.
Driver deaths in multiple-vehicle crashes per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old, 2020 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frontal impacts | Side impacts | Rear impacts | Other | Total | ||||||
Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | |
Cars | 404 | 22 | 153 | 8 | 39 | 2 | 4 | <1 | 608 | 33 |
Pickups | 97 | 11 | 25 | 3 | 8 | <1 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 16 |
SUVs | 229 | 10 | 84 | 4 | 39 | 2 | 1 | <1 | 354 | 16 |
All passenger vehicles | 743 | 15 | 265 | 5 | 89 | 2 | 5 | <1 | 1,113 | 22 |
Driver deaths in multiple-vehicle crashes per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old by passenger vehicle size, 2020 | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frontal impacts | Side impacts | Rear impacts | Other | Total | |||||||
Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | ||
Cars | Mini | 40 | 53 | 22 | 29 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 71 | 95 |
Small | 164 | 25 | 54 | 8 | 21 | 3 | 1 | <1 | 241 | 37 | |
Midsize | 141 | 18 | 55 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 1 | <1 | 209 | 27 | |
Large | 40 | 22 | 17 | 9 | 0 | <1 | 1 | <1 | 60 | 32 | |
Very large | 18 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | <1 | 26 | 16 | |
All cars | 404 | 22 | 153 | 8 | 39 | 2 | 4 | <1 | 608 | 33 | |
Pickups | Small | 15 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | <1 | 24 | 15 |
Large | 65 | 13 | 14 | 3 | 5 | <1 | 0 | <1 | 85 | 17 | |
Very large | 14 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | <1 | 0 | <1 | 18 | 10 | |
All pickups | 97 | 11 | 25 | 3 | 8 | <1 | 0 | <1 | 132 | 16 | |
SUVs | Small | 138 | 14 | 52 | 5 | 25 | 3 | 0 | <1 | 216 | 22 |
Midsize | 74 | 7 | 24 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 1 | <1 | 112 | 11 | |
Large | 16 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 12 | |
Very large | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 0 | <1 | 0 | <1 | 4 | 9 | |
All SUVs | 229 | 10 | 84 | 4 | 39 | 2 | 1 | <1 | 354 | 16 | |
All passenger vehicles | All | 743 | 15 | 265 | 5 | 89 | 2 | 5 | <1 | 1,113 | 22 |
In single-vehicle crashes, frontal impacts accounted for 10 driver deaths per million registered passenger vehicles in 2020. By comparison, single-vehicle side impacts accounted for just 2 deaths per million and single-vehicle rear impacts for less than 1 death per million.
Driver deaths in single-vehicle crashes per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old, 2020 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frontal impacts | Side impacts | Rear impacts | Other | Total | ||||||
Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | |
Cars | 251 | 14 | 42 | 2 | 5 | <1 | 25 | 1 | 369 | 20 |
Pickups | 125 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 165 | 19 |
SUVs | 140 | 6 | 18 | <1 | 4 | <1 | 20 | <1 | 198 | 9 |
All passenger vehicles | 520 | 10 | 84 | 2 | 9 | <1 | 60 | 1 | 743 | 15 |
Driver deaths in single-vehicle crashes per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old by passenger vehicle size, 2020 | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frontal impacts | Side impacts | Rear impacts | Other | Total | |||||||
Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | ||
Cars | Mini | 13 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | <1 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 28 |
Small | 86 | 13 | 16 | 2 | 3 | <1 | 7 | 1 | 129 | 20 | |
Midsize | 93 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 1 | <1 | 11 | 1 | 129 | 16 | |
Large | 49 | 27 | 14 | 8 | 1 | <1 | 5 | 3 | 80 | 43 | |
Very large | 9 | 6 | 0 | <1 | 0 | <1 | 0 | <1 | 9 | 6 | |
All cars | 251 | 14 | 42 | 2 | 5 | <1 | 25 | 1 | 369 | 20 | |
Pickups | Small | 13 | 8 | 1 | <1 | 0 | <1 | 4 | 2 | 20 | 12 |
Large | 79 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 0 | <1 | 6 | 1 | 101 | 20 | |
Very large | 31 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | <1 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 23 | |
All pickups | 125 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 0 | <1 | 13 | 2 | 165 | 19 | |
SUVs | Small | 76 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 2 | <1 | 11 | 1 | 109 | 11 |
Midsize | 54 | 5 | 6 | <1 | 2 | <1 | 9 | <1 | 76 | 7 | |
Large | 9 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | |
Very large | 1 | 2 | 0 | <1 | 0 | <1 | 0 | <1 | 2 | 4 | |
All SUVs | 140 | 6 | 18 | <1 | 4 | <1 | 20 | <1 | 198 | 9 | |
All passenger vehicles | All | 520 | 10 | 84 | 2 | 9 | <1 | 60 | 1 | 743 | 15 |
Rollover
A crash is classified as a rollover if the vehicle tips onto its side or roof at any time during the crash. The rollover may result from an impact with another vehicle or with a fixed object. Many rollovers occur after a vehicle leaves the roadway and may lead to occupants being ejected from the vehicle, increasing the likelihood of a fatality.
A total of 7,182 passenger vehicle occupants died in rollover crashes in 2020. Although most rollovers (76 percent) were associated with a pre-rollover impact, a substantial proportion (24 percent) rolled over without having impacted anything beforehand.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in rollover crashes by impact point and vehicle type, 2020 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Point of initial impact | Car occupants | Pickup occupants | SUV occupants | All occupants | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Frontal | 1,487 | 50 | 768 | 43 | 990 | 43 | 3,288 | 46 |
Side | 496 | 17 | 260 | 15 | 359 | 16 | 1,128 | 16 |
Rear | 117 | 4 | 71 | 4 | 108 | 5 | 304 | 4 |
None | 538 | 18 | 539 | 30 | 648 | 28 | 1,741 | 24 |
Other | 350 | 12 | 152 | 8 | 207 | 9 | 721 | 10 |
All* | 2,988 | 100 | 1,790 | 100 | 2,312 | 100 | 7,182 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Crashes in which a vehicle rolled over accounted for 30 percent of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2020. The proportion of occupant deaths involving a rollover was much higher in single-vehicle crashes (50 percent) than it was for multiple-vehicle crashes (13 percent).
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths by crash type, 1978-2020 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Deaths in single-vehicle crashes | Deaths in multiple-vehicle crashes | Deaths in all crashes* | |||||||||
Rollover | No rollover | Rollover | No rollover | Rollover | No rollover | |||||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
1978 | 7,858 | 48 | 8,460 | 52 | 1,477 | 8 | 17,093 | 92 | 9,350 | 27 | 25,573 | 73 |
1979 | 8,010 | 48 | 8,542 | 52 | 1,666 | 9 | 16,779 | 91 | 9,691 | 28 | 25,335 | 72 |
1980 | 8,673 | 49 | 9,001 | 51 | 1,588 | 9 | 15,679 | 91 | 10,282 | 29 | 24,714 | 71 |
1981 | 8,211 | 50 | 8,188 | 50 | 1,588 | 9 | 15,692 | 91 | 9,812 | 29 | 23,899 | 71 |
1982 | 6,974 | 49 | 7,205 | 51 | 1,305 | 8 | 14,158 | 92 | 8,282 | 28 | 21,374 | 72 |
1983 | 6,951 | 50 | 7,079 | 50 | 1,256 | 8 | 13,868 | 92 | 8,207 | 28 | 20,947 | 72 |
1984 | 7,116 | 50 | 7,092 | 50 | 1,358 | 9 | 14,528 | 91 | 8,474 | 28 | 21,620 | 72 |
1985 | 6,900 | 50 | 6,779 | 50 | 1,361 | 8 | 14,805 | 92 | 8,262 | 28 | 21,586 | 72 |
1986 | 7,954 | 52 | 7,428 | 48 | 1,501 | 9 | 15,341 | 91 | 9,455 | 29 | 22,769 | 71 |
1987 | 8,162 | 53 | 7,363 | 47 | 1,629 | 9 | 15,991 | 91 | 9,791 | 30 | 23,354 | 70 |
1988 | 8,562 | 53 | 7,494 | 47 | 1,582 | 9 | 16,467 | 91 | 10,144 | 30 | 23,961 | 70 |
1989 | 8,060 | 52 | 7,558 | 48 | 1,620 | 9 | 16,361 | 91 | 9,680 | 29 | 23,919 | 71 |
1990 | 8,068 | 52 | 7,382 | 48 | 1,556 | 9 | 15,705 | 91 | 9,624 | 29 | 23,087 | 71 |
1991 | 7,749 | 52 | 7,131 | 48 | 1,523 | 10 | 14,407 | 90 | 9,272 | 30 | 21,538 | 70 |
1992 | 7,135 | 52 | 6,693 | 48 | 1,492 | 10 | 14,137 | 90 | 8,627 | 29 | 20,830 | 71 |
1993 | 7,002 | 51 | 6,821 | 49 | 1,524 | 9 | 14,647 | 91 | 8,526 | 28 | 21,468 | 72 |
1994 | 7,268 | 52 | 6,637 | 48 | 1,669 | 10 | 15,246 | 90 | 8,937 | 29 | 21,883 | 71 |
1995 | 7,802 | 53 | 6,940 | 47 | 1,708 | 10 | 15,464 | 90 | 9,510 | 30 | 22,404 | 70 |
1996 | 7,903 | 53 | 6,891 | 47 | 1,691 | 10 | 15,869 | 90 | 9,594 | 30 | 22,760 | 70 |
1997 | 7,712 | 53 | 6,743 | 47 | 1,774 | 10 | 16,114 | 90 | 9,486 | 29 | 22,857 | 71 |
1998 | 7,848 | 54 | 6,594 | 46 | 1,872 | 11 | 15,467 | 89 | 9,720 | 31 | 22,061 | 69 |
1999 | 8,255 | 56 | 6,502 | 44 | 1,839 | 11 | 15,412 | 89 | 10,094 | 32 | 21,914 | 68 |
2000 | 8,112 | 54 | 6,841 | 46 | 1,800 | 10 | 15,356 | 90 | 9,912 | 31 | 22,197 | 69 |
2001 | 8,375 | 55 | 6,786 | 45 | 1,747 | 10 | 15,030 | 90 | 10,122 | 32 | 21,816 | 68 |
2002 | 8,724 | 55 | 7,114 | 45 | 1,952 | 12 | 14,934 | 88 | 10,676 | 33 | 22,048 | 67 |
2003 | 8,462 | 55 | 6,936 | 45 | 1,940 | 12 | 14,828 | 88 | 10,402 | 32 | 21,764 | 68 |
2004 | 8,525 | 56 | 6,764 | 44 | 2,022 | 12 | 14,439 | 88 | 10,547 | 33 | 21,203 | 67 |
2005 | 8,730 | 57 | 6,713 | 43 | 2,095 | 13 | 13,902 | 87 | 10,825 | 34 | 20,630 | 66 |
2006 | 8,790 | 57 | 6,666 | 43 | 1,919 | 13 | 13,229 | 87 | 10,712 | 35 | 19,916 | 65 |
2007 | 8,429 | 56 | 6,528 | 44 | 1,844 | 13 | 12,330 | 87 | 10,274 | 35 | 18,881 | 65 |
2008 | 7,541 | 56 | 6,002 | 44 | 1,529 | 13 | 10,459 | 87 | 9,073 | 36 | 16,474 | 64 |
2009 | 6,868 | 55 | 5,538 | 45 | 1,451 | 13 | 9,630 | 87 | 8,322 | 35 | 15,185 | 65 |
2010 | 6,375 | 55 | 5,245 | 45 | 1,365 | 13 | 9,366 | 87 | 7,740 | 35 | 14,611 | 65 |
2011 | 6,148 | 55 | 5,076 | 45 | 1,293 | 13 | 8,896 | 87 | 7,441 | 35 | 13,972 | 65 |
2012 | 6,273 | 55 | 5,201 | 45 | 1,312 | 13 | 9,120 | 87 | 7,585 | 35 | 14,321 | 65 |
2013 | 5,825 | 53 | 5,168 | 47 | 1,257 | 12 | 9,111 | 88 | 7,082 | 33 | 14,279 | 67 |
2014 | 5,570 | 52 | 5,059 | 48 | 1,304 | 12 | 9,198 | 88 | 6,874 | 33 | 14,257 | 67 |
2015 | 5,802 | 53 | 5,138 | 47 | 1,458 | 12 | 10,343 | 88 | 7,260 | 32 | 15,481 | 68 |
2016 | 5,919 | 52 | 5,511 | 48 | 1,616 | 13 | 10,911 | 87 | 7,535 | 31 | 16,422 | 69 |
2017 | 5,617 | 51 | 5,455 | 49 | 1,651 | 13 | 11,143 | 87 | 7,268 | 30 | 16,598 | 70 |
2018 | 5,125 | 49 | 5,247 | 51 | 1,511 | 12 | 11,163 | 88 | 6,636 | 29 | 16,410 | 71 |
2019 | 4,877 | 49 | 5,159 | 51 | 1,500 | 12 | 11,021 | 88 | 6,377 | 28 | 16,180 | 72 |
2020 | 5,572 | 50 | 5,678 | 50 | 1,610 | 13 | 11,159 | 87 | 7,182 | 30 | 16,837 | 70 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
In 2020, rollover crashes accounted for 22 percent of occupant deaths in cars, 41 percent of occupant deaths in pickups, and 40 percent of occupant deaths in SUVs.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in rollover vs. no rollover crashes, 1978-2020 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Car occupants | Pickup occupants | SUV occupants | |||||||||
Rollover | No rollover | Rollover | No rollover | Rollover | No rollover | |||||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
1978 | 6,422 | 23 | 21,476 | 77 | 1,989 | 39 | 3,114 | 61 | 520 | 61 | 332 | 39 |
1979 | 6,416 | 23 | 21,102 | 77 | 2,222 | 41 | 3,201 | 59 | 630 | 67 | 315 | 33 |
1980 | 6,862 | 25 | 20,420 | 75 | 2,263 | 41 | 3,226 | 59 | 735 | 65 | 389 | 35 |
1981 | 6,541 | 25 | 19,865 | 75 | 2,177 | 42 | 3,059 | 58 | 663 | 65 | 358 | 35 |
1982 | 5,477 | 24 | 17,667 | 76 | 1,935 | 40 | 2,844 | 60 | 571 | 66 | 291 | 34 |
1983 | 5,381 | 24 | 17,420 | 76 | 1,939 | 42 | 2,721 | 58 | 609 | 66 | 311 | 34 |
1984 | 5,525 | 24 | 17,959 | 76 | 2,048 | 42 | 2,836 | 58 | 587 | 66 | 299 | 34 |
1985 | 5,220 | 23 | 17,864 | 77 | 2,044 | 42 | 2,848 | 58 | 671 | 66 | 353 | 34 |
1986 | 6,000 | 24 | 18,898 | 76 | 2,371 | 44 | 2,963 | 56 | 737 | 65 | 394 | 35 |
1987 | 6,015 | 24 | 19,145 | 76 | 2,598 | 45 | 3,197 | 55 | 824 | 65 | 445 | 35 |
1988 | 6,246 | 24 | 19,630 | 76 | 2,762 | 45 | 3,327 | 55 | 815 | 62 | 505 | 38 |
1989 | 5,801 | 23 | 19,533 | 77 | 2,680 | 45 | 3,336 | 55 | 847 | 62 | 526 | 38 |
1990 | 5,714 | 23 | 18,749 | 77 | 2,713 | 45 | 3,319 | 55 | 910 | 61 | 570 | 39 |
1991 | 5,470 | 24 | 17,324 | 76 | 2,593 | 44 | 3,265 | 56 | 934 | 61 | 587 | 39 |
1992 | 4,968 | 23 | 16,921 | 77 | 2,479 | 45 | 2,997 | 55 | 879 | 63 | 511 | 37 |
1993 | 4,877 | 22 | 17,289 | 78 | 2,415 | 43 | 3,196 | 57 | 971 | 63 | 581 | 37 |
1994 | 5,149 | 23 | 17,559 | 77 | 2,393 | 43 | 3,211 | 57 | 1,102 | 61 | 707 | 39 |
1995 | 5,381 | 23 | 17,838 | 77 | 2,581 | 43 | 3,392 | 57 | 1,257 | 63 | 749 | 37 |
1996 | 5,357 | 23 | 18,170 | 77 | 2,539 | 43 | 3,389 | 57 | 1,429 | 65 | 781 | 35 |
1997 | 5,174 | 22 | 18,069 | 78 | 2,479 | 42 | 3,443 | 58 | 1,516 | 63 | 900 | 37 |
1998 | 5,177 | 23 | 17,298 | 77 | 2,537 | 43 | 3,367 | 57 | 1,703 | 63 | 1,008 | 37 |
1999 | 5,212 | 23 | 16,997 | 77 | 2,699 | 44 | 3,396 | 56 | 1,901 | 63 | 1,118 | 37 |
2000 | 5,030 | 23 | 17,061 | 77 | 2,529 | 42 | 3,467 | 58 | 2,067 | 62 | 1,270 | 38 |
2001 | 5,056 | 23 | 16,632 | 77 | 2,636 | 43 | 3,485 | 57 | 2,159 | 61 | 1,362 | 39 |
2002 | 5,279 | 24 | 16,835 | 76 | 2,715 | 45 | 3,343 | 55 | 2,474 | 62 | 1,548 | 38 |
2003 | 4,943 | 23 | 16,182 | 77 | 2,509 | 43 | 3,324 | 57 | 2,658 | 60 | 1,805 | 40 |
2004 | 4,801 | 23 | 15,822 | 77 | 2,519 | 44 | 3,197 | 56 | 2,949 | 62 | 1,823 | 38 |
2005 | 4,860 | 24 | 15,096 | 76 | 2,773 | 46 | 3,267 | 54 | 2,909 | 60 | 1,938 | 40 |
2006 | 4,754 | 25 | 14,333 | 75 | 2,781 | 47 | 3,096 | 53 | 2,919 | 59 | 2,054 | 41 |
2007 | 4,414 | 25 | 13,391 | 75 | 2,660 | 46 | 3,098 | 54 | 2,929 | 59 | 2,046 | 41 |
2008 | 3,994 | 25 | 11,731 | 75 | 2,368 | 47 | 2,653 | 53 | 2,510 | 58 | 1,840 | 42 |
2009 | 3,515 | 25 | 10,609 | 75 | 2,246 | 48 | 2,473 | 52 | 2,388 | 56 | 1,866 | 44 |
2010 | 3,202 | 24 | 10,231 | 76 | 2,057 | 46 | 2,386 | 54 | 2,340 | 57 | 1,790 | 43 |
2011 | 3,063 | 24 | 9,675 | 76 | 1,973 | 46 | 2,272 | 54 | 2,259 | 55 | 1,836 | 45 |
2012 | 3,208 | 24 | 9,904 | 76 | 1,987 | 46 | 2,352 | 54 | 2,287 | 55 | 1,884 | 45 |
2013 | 2,991 | 23 | 9,740 | 77 | 1,916 | 45 | 2,299 | 55 | 2,057 | 50 | 2,041 | 50 |
2014 | 2,818 | 22 | 9,725 | 78 | 1,871 | 44 | 2,352 | 56 | 2,070 | 50 | 2,033 | 50 |
2015 | 3,004 | 23 | 10,316 | 77 | 1,916 | 43 | 2,574 | 57 | 2,211 | 48 | 2,366 | 52 |
2016 | 3,124 | 22 | 10,933 | 78 | 1,973 | 43 | 2,652 | 57 | 2,305 | 47 | 2,603 | 53 |
2017 | 3,007 | 22 | 10,895 | 78 | 1,837 | 41 | 2,597 | 59 | 2,322 | 45 | 2,864 | 55 |
2018 | 2,677 | 20 | 10,583 | 80 | 1,741 | 40 | 2,639 | 60 | 2,113 | 42 | 2,946 | 58 |
2019 | 2,527 | 20 | 10,008 | 80 | 1,630 | 38 | 2,654 | 62 | 2,100 | 39 | 3,265 | 61 |
2020 | 2,988 | 22 | 10,590 | 78 | 1,790 | 41 | 2,600 | 59 | 2,312 | 40 | 3,445 | 60 |
A total of 5,572 passenger vehicle occupants died in single-vehicle rollover crashes in 2020, which accounts for more than three-fourths of all rollover deaths (7,182 in all). The number of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in single-vehicle rollovers was 14 percent higher than it was in 2019 but 29 percent lower than it was in 1978.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in single-vehicle rollover crashes, 1978-2020 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Car drivers | Pickup drivers | SUV drivers | All passenger vehicle drivers | All passenger vehicle occupants |
1978 | 3,710 | 1,140 | 271 | 5,323 | 7,858 |
1979 | 3,610 | 1,263 | 329 | 5,396 | 8,010 |
1980 | 3,995 | 1,309 | 406 | 5,895 | 8,673 |
1981 | 3,826 | 1,291 | 364 | 5,687 | 8,211 |
1982 | 3,222 | 1,162 | 312 | 4,828 | 6,974 |
1983 | 3,169 | 1,120 | 319 | 4,732 | 6,951 |
1984 | 3,252 | 1,226 | 331 | 4,964 | 7,116 |
1985 | 3,076 | 1,202 | 360 | 4,773 | 6,900 |
1986 | 3,477 | 1,401 | 375 | 5,400 | 7,954 |
1987 | 3,436 | 1,535 | 403 | 5,528 | 8,162 |
1988 | 3,679 | 1,656 | 447 | 5,925 | 8,562 |
1989 | 3,314 | 1,629 | 463 | 5,551 | 8,060 |
1990 | 3,301 | 1,563 | 486 | 5,477 | 8,068 |
1991 | 3,105 | 1,595 | 470 | 5,282 | 7,749 |
1992 | 2,806 | 1,492 | 442 | 4,848 | 7,135 |
1993 | 2,670 | 1,462 | 494 | 4,729 | 7,002 |
1994 | 2,838 | 1,403 | 522 | 4,879 | 7,268 |
1995 | 3,024 | 1,556 | 602 | 5,284 | 7,802 |
1996 | 2,953 | 1,514 | 720 | 5,294 | 7,903 |
1997 | 2,836 | 1,469 | 754 | 5,178 | 7,712 |
1998 | 2,878 | 1,545 | 808 | 5,328 | 7,848 |
1999 | 2,882 | 1,667 | 999 | 5,644 | 8,255 |
2000 | 2,813 | 1,526 | 1,035 | 5,466 | 8,112 |
2001 | 2,852 | 1,651 | 1,063 | 5,654 | 8,375 |
2002 | 2,998 | 1,668 | 1,224 | 5,967 | 8,724 |
2003 | 2,762 | 1,595 | 1,331 | 5,789 | 8,462 |
2004 | 2,715 | 1,540 | 1,490 | 5,853 | 8,525 |
2005 | 2,779 | 1,711 | 1,478 | 6,074 | 8,730 |
2006 | 2,776 | 1,754 | 1,555 | 6,198 | 8,790 |
2007 | 2,640 | 1,683 | 1,516 | 5,934 | 8,429 |
2008 | 2,362 | 1,537 | 1,398 | 5,380 | 7,541 |
2009 | 2,103 | 1,478 | 1,273 | 4,913 | 6,868 |
2010 | 1,954 | 1,324 | 1,226 | 4,548 | 6,375 |
2011 | 1,851 | 1,297 | 1,218 | 4,430 | 6,148 |
2012 | 1,955 | 1,288 | 1,287 | 4,567 | 6,273 |
2013 | 1,808 | 1,219 | 1,112 | 4,181 | 5,825 |
2014 | 1,674 | 1,195 | 1,185 | 4,100 | 5,570 |
2015 | 1,798 | 1,206 | 1,210 | 4,269 | 5,802 |
2016 | 1,894 | 1,221 | 1,208 | 4,377 | 5,919 |
2017 | 1,809 | 1,155 | 1,245 | 4,244 | 5,617 |
2018 | 1,605 | 1,110 | 1,128 | 3,880 | 5,125 |
2019 | 1,482 | 1,042 | 1,120 | 3,691 | 4,877 |
2020 | 1,835 | 1,163 | 1,281 | 4,315 | 5,572 |
In 2020, single-vehicle rollover crashes accounted for 18 percent of occupant deaths in cars, 32 percent of occupant deaths in pickups, and 30 percent of occupant deaths in SUVs.
Deaths in single-vehicle rollover crashes as a percent of all occupant deaths, 2020 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drivers | All occupants | ||||||||
Single-vehicle rollover | All crashes | Single-vehicle rollover | All crashes | ||||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | ||
Cars | Mini | 81 | 16 | 500 | 100 | 103 | 17 | 612 | 100 |
Small | 513 | 16 | 3,218 | 100 | 659 | 16 | 4,222 | 100 | |
Midsize | 795 | 20 | 4,029 | 100 | 1,026 | 19 | 5,407 | 100 | |
Large | 353 | 20 | 1,757 | 100 | 458 | 20 | 2,335 | 100 | |
Very large | 81 | 13 | 615 | 100 | 127 | 14 | 893 | 100 | |
All cars | 1,835 | 18 | 10,206 | 100 | 2,388 | 18 | 13,578 | 100 | |
Pickups | Small | 274 | 29 | 956 | 100 | 319 | 28 | 1,127 | 100 |
Large | 620 | 31 | 1,981 | 100 | 760 | 31 | 2,456 | 100 | |
Very large | 244 | 45 | 541 | 100 | 310 | 44 | 700 | 100 | |
All pickups | 1,163 | 33 | 3,563 | 100 | 1,423 | 32 | 4,390 | 100 | |
SUVs | Small | 315 | 23 | 1,396 | 100 | 388 | 21 | 1,849 | 100 |
Midsize | 650 | 32 | 2,015 | 100 | 872 | 33 | 2,672 | 100 | |
Large | 212 | 35 | 608 | 100 | 314 | 37 | 860 | 100 | |
Very large | 100 | 40 | 249 | 100 | 134 | 39 | 348 | 100 | |
All SUVs | 1,281 | 30 | 4,290 | 100 | 1,713 | 30 | 5,757 | 100 | |
All passenger vehicles | All | 4,315 | 24 | 18,261 | 100 | 5,572 | 23 | 24,019 | 100 |
Deaths in single-vehicle rollover crashes as a percent of all driver deaths for pickups and SUVs by 2WD/4WD, 2020 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2WD | 4WD | ||||||||
Single-vehicle rollover | All crashes | Single-vehicle rollover | All crashes | ||||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | ||
Pickups | Small | 163 | 24 | 669 | 100 | 111 | 39 | 287 | 100 |
Large | 274 | 28 | 992 | 100 | 346 | 35 | 989 | 100 | |
Very large | 40 | 37 | 107 | 100 | 204 | 47 | 434 | 100 | |
All pickups | 477 | 27 | 1,768 | 100 | 661 | 39 | 1,710 | 100 | |
SUVs | Small | 114 | 18 | 628 | 100 | 201 | 26 | 766 | 100 |
Midsize | 273 | 31 | 884 | 100 | 376 | 33 | 1,129 | 100 | |
Large | 96 | 35 | 273 | 100 | 116 | 35 | 335 | 100 | |
Very large | 30 | 29 | 105 | 100 | 70 | 49 | 144 | 100 | |
All SUVs | 513 | 27 | 1,890 | 100 | 763 | 32 | 2,374 | 100 |
Deaths in single-vehicle rollover crashes as a percent of all occupant deaths for pickups and SUVs by 2WD/4WD, 2020 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2WD | 4WD | ||||||||
Single-vehicle rollover | All crashes | Single-vehicle rollover | All crashes | ||||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | ||
Pickups | Small | 187 | 24 | 777 | 100 | 132 | 38 | 350 | 100 |
Large | 339 | 28 | 1,224 | 100 | 421 | 34 | 1,232 | 100 | |
Very large | 50 | 36 | 139 | 100 | 260 | 46 | 561 | 100 | |
All pickups | 576 | 27 | 2,140 | 100 | 813 | 38 | 2,143 | 100 | |
SUVs | Small | 150 | 18 | 852 | 100 | 238 | 24 | 993 | 100 |
Midsize | 365 | 31 | 1,181 | 100 | 506 | 34 | 1,488 | 100 | |
Large | 153 | 38 | 401 | 100 | 161 | 35 | 459 | 100 | |
Very large | 43 | 30 | 143 | 100 | 91 | 44 | 205 | 100 | |
All SUVs | 711 | 28 | 2,577 | 100 | 996 | 32 | 3,145 | 100 |
Since 1978, driver death rates for single-vehicle rollover crashes have declined across all passenger vehicle types, particularly among SUVs.
Driver deaths in single-vehicle rollover crashes per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old, 1978-2020
Driver deaths in single-vehicle rollover crashes per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old, 1978-2020 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Car drivers | Pickup drivers | SUV drivers | All passenger vehicles |
1978 | 32 | 78 | 141 | 41 |
1979 | 31 | 90 | 155 | 43 |
1980 | 37 | 83 | 168 | 47 |
1981 | 35 | 76 | 137 | 44 |
1982 | 31 | 65 | 129 | 38 |
1983 | 29 | 62 | 126 | 35 |
1984 | 27 | 72 | 69 | 34 |
1985 | 25 | 61 | 73 | 32 |
1986 | 24 | 70 | 62 | 32 |
1987 | 24 | 68 | 67 | 33 |
1988 | 26 | 70 | 55 | 34 |
1989 | 24 | 68 | 60 | 33 |
1990 | 25 | 68 | 60 | 34 |
1991 | 23 | 66 | 54 | 31 |
1992 | 20 | 56 | 40 | 27 |
1993 | 19 | 50 | 51 | 26 |
1994 | 19 | 42 | 37 | 25 |
1995 | 20 | 49 | 45 | 27 |
1996 | 24 | 47 | 55 | 31 |
1997 | 21 | 44 | 43 | 27 |
1998 | 21 | 43 | 43 | 28 |
1999 | 20 | 49 | 47 | 29 |
2000 | 18 | 46 | 42 | 27 |
2001 | 18 | 53 | 36 | 27 |
2002 | 18 | 52 | 36 | 28 |
2003 | 16 | 47 | 34 | 25 |
2004 | 15 | 44 | 30 | 23 |
2005 | 16 | 46 | 24 | 23 |
2006 | 15 | 44 | 19 | 21 |
2007 | 14 | 38 | 16 | 19 |
2008 | 13 | 32 | 12 | 16 |
2009 | 13 | 28 | 6 | 13 |
2010 | 11 | 25 | 4 | 11 |
2011 | 8 | 17 | 4 | 8 |
2012 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 6 |
2013 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 5 |
2014 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 6 |
2015 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
2016 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
2017 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 5 |
2018 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
2019 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
2020 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 5 |