Fatality Facts 2021Urban/rural comparison
Overview
Urban and rural areas have fundamentally different characteristics with regard to density of road networks, land use and travel patterns. Consequently, the characteristics of fatal motor vehicle crashes differ between rural and urban areas. For example, pedestrian and bicyclist deaths and deaths at intersections are more prevalent in urban areas, whereas a larger proportion of large truck occupant deaths and deaths on high-speed roads occur in rural areas. Although 20 percent of people in the U.S. live in rural areas
The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). In FARS, rural and urban boundaries are determined by state highway departments and approved by the Federal Highway Administration. Reliable information on rural and urban areas has been available in FARS since 1977.
Posted May 2023.
Trends
A total of 42,939 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021. Since 2000, there has been a downward trend in the proportion of crash deaths in rural areas, from 61 percent in 2000 to 40 percent in 2021.
Percent distribution of motor vehicle crash deaths by land use, 1977-2021
Motor vehicle crash deaths by land use, 1977-2021 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Urban | Rural | Total* | ||||
Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
1977 | 19,296 | 40 | 28,463 | 60 | 47,878 | 100 |
1978 | 19,863 | 40 | 30,018 | 60 | 50,331 | 100 |
1979 | 21,507 | 42 | 29,135 | 58 | 51,093 | 100 |
1980 | 21,560 | 43 | 29,114 | 57 | 51,091 | 100 |
1981 | 20,782 | 43 | 27,692 | 57 | 49,301 | 100 |
1982 | 18,678 | 43 | 25,005 | 57 | 43,945 | 100 |
1983 | 18,027 | 42 | 24,486 | 58 | 42,589 | 100 |
1984 | 18,590 | 42 | 25,636 | 58 | 44,257 | 100 |
1985 | 18,613 | 42 | 25,185 | 58 | 43,825 | 100 |
1986 | 19,581 | 43 | 26,484 | 57 | 46,087 | 100 |
1987 | 19,217 | 41 | 27,131 | 59 | 46,390 | 100 |
1988 | 19,253 | 41 | 27,793 | 59 | 47,087 | 100 |
1989 | 19,160 | 42 | 26,392 | 58 | 45,582 | 100 |
1990 | 18,807 | 42 | 25,761 | 58 | 44,599 | 100 |
1991 | 17,126 | 41 | 24,328 | 59 | 41,508 | 100 |
1992 | 16,223 | 42 | 22,821 | 58 | 39,250 | 100 |
1993 | 16,429 | 41 | 23,459 | 59 | 40,150 | 100 |
1994 | 16,811 | 41 | 23,841 | 59 | 40,716 | 100 |
1995 | 17,163 | 41 | 24,449 | 59 | 41,817 | 100 |
1996 | 17,368 | 41 | 24,561 | 59 | 42,065 | 100 |
1997 | 16,829 | 40 | 25,135 | 60 | 42,013 | 100 |
1998 | 16,219 | 39 | 25,185 | 61 | 41,501 | 100 |
1999 | 16,059 | 39 | 25,547 | 61 | 41,717 | 100 |
2000 | 16,116 | 39 | 24,835 | 61 | 41,945 | 100 |
2001 | 16,990 | 40 | 25,148 | 60 | 42,196 | 100 |
2002 | 17,013 | 40 | 25,896 | 60 | 43,005 | 100 |
2003 | 17,783 | 42 | 24,957 | 58 | 42,884 | 100 |
2004 | 17,581 | 41 | 25,179 | 59 | 42,836 | 100 |
2005 | 18,627 | 43 | 24,587 | 57 | 43,510 | 100 |
2006 | 18,791 | 44 | 23,646 | 56 | 42,708 | 100 |
2007 | 17,908 | 44 | 23,254 | 56 | 41,259 | 100 |
2008 | 16,218 | 44 | 20,987 | 56 | 37,423 | 100 |
2009 | 14,501 | 43 | 19,323 | 57 | 33,883 | 100 |
2010 | 14,659 | 45 | 18,089 | 55 | 32,999 | 100 |
2011 | 14,575 | 45 | 17,769 | 55 | 32,479 | 100 |
2012 | 15,371 | 46 | 18,367 | 54 | 33,782 | 100 |
2013 | 15,119 | 46 | 17,740 | 54 | 32,894 | 100 |
2014 | 15,917 | 49 | 16,791 | 51 | 32,744 | 100 |
2015 | 16,830 | 49 | 17,572 | 51 | 35,485 | 100 |
2016 | 19,357 | 51 | 18,321 | 49 | 37,806 | 100 |
2017 | 19,976 | 53 | 17,405 | 47 | 37,473 | 100 |
2018 | 20,408 | 56 | 16,323 | 44 | 36,835 | 100 |
2019 | 19,946 | 55 | 16,288 | 45 | 36,355 | 100 |
2020 | 22,513 | 58 | 16,340 | 42 | 39,007 | 100 |
2021 | 25,598 | 60 | 17,103 | 40 | 42,939 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
In 2021, the rate of crash deaths per 100 million miles traveled was much higher in rural areas than in urban areas (1.72 in rural areas compared with 1.19 in urban areas). From 1977 to 2021, the rates decreased by 60 percent in rural areas (from 4.35 to 1.72) and 49 percent in urban areas (from 2.35 to 1.19).
Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100 million miles traveled by land use, 1977-2021
Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100 million miles traveled by land use, 1977-2021 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | Total* | |||||||
Deaths | Miles traveled (millions) | Rate | Deaths | Miles traveled (millions) | Rate | Deaths | Miles traveled (millions) | Rate | |
1977 | 28,463 | 654,596 | 4.35 | 19,296 | 821,971 | 2.35 | 47,878 | 1,476,567 | 3.24 |
1978 | 30,018 | 689,953 | 4.35 | 19,863 | 858,260 | 2.31 | 50,331 | 1,548,213 | 3.25 |
1979 | 29,135 | 670,079 | 4.35 | 21,507 | 859,054 | 2.50 | 51,093 | 1,529,133 | 3.34 |
1980 | 29,114 | 672,030 | 4.33 | 21,560 | 855,265 | 2.52 | 51,091 | 1,527,295 | 3.35 |
1981 | 27,692 | 688,308 | 4.02 | 20,782 | 867,000 | 2.40 | 49,301 | 1,555,308 | 3.17 |
1982 | 25,005 | 689,226 | 3.63 | 18,678 | 905,784 | 2.06 | 43,945 | 1,595,010 | 2.76 |
1983 | 24,486 | 700,517 | 3.50 | 18,027 | 952,271 | 1.89 | 42,589 | 1,652,788 | 2.58 |
1984 | 25,636 | 718,132 | 3.57 | 18,590 | 1,002,137 | 1.86 | 44,257 | 1,720,269 | 2.57 |
1985 | 25,185 | 730,728 | 3.45 | 18,613 | 1,044,098 | 1.78 | 43,825 | 1,774,826 | 2.47 |
1986 | 26,484 | 747,780 | 3.54 | 19,581 | 1,087,092 | 1.80 | 46,087 | 1,834,872 | 2.51 |
1987 | 27,131 | 780,450 | 3.48 | 19,217 | 1,140,754 | 1.68 | 46,390 | 1,921,204 | 2.41 |
1988 | 27,793 | 817,534 | 3.40 | 19,253 | 1,208,428 | 1.59 | 47,087 | 2,025,962 | 2.32 |
1989 | 26,392 | 847,225 | 3.12 | 19,160 | 1,249,262 | 1.53 | 45,582 | 2,096,487 | 2.17 |
1990 | 25,761 | 868,878 | 2.96 | 18,807 | 1,275,484 | 1.47 | 44,599 | 2,144,362 | 2.08 |
1991 | 24,328 | 883,553 | 2.75 | 17,126 | 1,288,497 | 1.33 | 41,508 | 2,172,050 | 1.91 |
1992 | 22,821 | 884,097 | 2.58 | 16,223 | 1,363,054 | 1.19 | 39,250 | 2,247,151 | 1.75 |
1993 | 23,459 | 886,706 | 2.65 | 16,429 | 1,409,672 | 1.17 | 40,150 | 2,296,378 | 1.75 |
1994 | 23,841 | 908,341 | 2.62 | 16,811 | 1,449,247 | 1.16 | 40,716 | 2,357,588 | 1.73 |
1995 | 24,449 | 933,285 | 2.62 | 17,163 | 1,489,490 | 1.15 | 41,817 | 2,422,775 | 1.73 |
1996 | 24,561 | 960,194 | 2.56 | 17,368 | 1,523,886 | 1.14 | 42,065 | 2,484,080 | 1.69 |
1997 | 25,135 | 999,920 | 2.51 | 16,829 | 1,560,452 | 1.08 | 42,013 | 2,560,372 | 1.64 |
1998 | 25,185 | 1,033,310 | 2.44 | 16,219 | 1,592,057 | 1.02 | 41,501 | 2,625,367 | 1.58 |
1999 | 25,547 | 1,062,623 | 2.40 | 16,059 | 1,627,618 | 0.99 | 41,717 | 2,690,241 | 1.55 |
2000 | 24,835 | 1,083,152 | 2.29 | 16,116 | 1,663,773 | 0.97 | 41,945 | 2,746,925 | 1.53 |
2001 | 25,148 | 1,110,697 | 2.26 | 16,990 | 1,686,642 | 1.01 | 42,196 | 2,797,339 | 1.51 |
2002 | 25,896 | 1,128,160 | 2.30 | 17,013 | 1,727,596 | 0.98 | 43,005 | 2,855,756 | 1.51 |
2003 | 24,957 | 1,085,385 | 2.30 | 17,783 | 1,805,508 | 0.98 | 42,884 | 2,890,893 | 1.48 |
2004 | 25,179 | 1,070,248 | 2.35 | 17,581 | 1,892,265 | 0.93 | 42,836 | 2,962,513 | 1.45 |
2005 | 24,587 | 1,037,937 | 2.37 | 18,627 | 1,951,870 | 0.95 | 43,510 | 2,989,807 | 1.46 |
2006 | 23,646 | 1,037,069 | 2.28 | 18,791 | 1,977,047 | 0.95 | 42,708 | 3,014,116 | 1.42 |
2007 | 23,254 | 1,035,303 | 2.25 | 17,908 | 1,994,519 | 0.90 | 41,259 | 3,029,822 | 1.36 |
2008 | 20,987 | 990,418 | 2.12 | 16,218 | 1,983,091 | 0.82 | 37,423 | 2,973,509 | 1.26 |
2009 | 19,323 | 982,180 | 1.97 | 14,501 | 1,974,583 | 0.73 | 33,883 | 2,956,763 | 1.15 |
2010 | 18,089 | 984,065 | 1.84 | 14,659 | 1,983,200 | 0.74 | 32,999 | 2,967,265 | 1.11 |
2011 | 17,769 | 974,038 | 1.82 | 14,575 | 1,972,094 | 0.74 | 32,479 | 2,946,132 | 1.10 |
2012 | 18,367 | 977,078 | 1.88 | 15,371 | 1,992,355 | 0.77 | 33,782 | 2,969,433 | 1.14 |
2013 | 17,740 | 941,912 | 1.88 | 15,119 | 2,046,369 | 0.74 | 32,894 | 2,988,281 | 1.10 |
2014 | 16,791 | 920,928 | 1.82 | 15,917 | 2,104,728 | 0.76 | 32,744 | 3,025,656 | 1.08 |
2015 | 17,572 | 928,905 | 1.89 | 16,830 | 2,166,468 | 0.78 | 35,485 | 3,095,373 | 1.15 |
2016 | 18,321 | 949,545 | 1.93 | 19,357 | 2,224,863 | 0.87 | 37,806 | 3,174,408 | 1.19 |
2017 | 17,405 | 963,206 | 1.81 | 19,976 | 2,249,142 | 0.89 | 37,473 | 3,212,348 | 1.17 |
2018 | 16,323 | 978,802 | 1.67 | 20,408 | 2,261,525 | 0.90 | 36,835 | 3,240,327 | 1.14 |
2019 | 16,288 | 983,853 | 1.66 | 19,946 | 2,277,919 | 0.88 | 36,355 | 3,261,772 | 1.11 |
2020 | 16,340 | 903,527 | 1.81 | 22,513 | 2,000,095 | 1.13 | 39,007 | 2,903,622 | 1.34 |
2021 | 17,103 | 991,986 | 1.72 | 25,598 | 2,148,102 | 1.19 | 42,939 | 3,140,088 | 1.37 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Vehicle types
In 2021, 66 percent of large truck occupant deaths and 64 percent of pickup occupant deaths occurred in rural areas, whereas more than 80 percent of pedestrian and bicyclist deaths occurred in urban areas. Motorcyclists were more likely to die in urban than in rural areas.
Motor vehicle crash deaths by vehicle type and land use, 2021 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | Total* | ||||
Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
Cars and minivans | 6,148 | 42 | 8,544 | 58 | 14,744 | 100 |
Pickups | 3,114 | 64 | 1,715 | 35 | 4,855 | 100 |
SUVs | 3,257 | 49 | 3,348 | 50 | 6,636 | 100 |
Large trucks | 501 | 66 | 254 | 34 | 756 | 100 |
Motorcycles | 1,966 | 32 | 4,093 | 67 | 6,084 | 100 |
Pedestrians | 1,140 | 15 | 6,191 | 84 | 7,388 | 100 |
Bicyclists | 140 | 15 | 816 | 85 | 961 | 100 |
Total* | 17,103 | 40 | 25,598 | 60 | 42,939 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Crash types
In 2021, single-vehicle crashes accounted for 52 percent of crash deaths occurring in both rural and urban areas.
Motor vehicle crash deaths by crash type and land use, 2021 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | Total* | ||||
Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
Single-vehicle crashes | 8,925 | 52 | 13,338 | 52 | 22,465 | 52 |
Multiple-vehicle crashes | 8,178 | 48 | 12,260 | 48 | 20,474 | 48 |
Total | 17,103 | 100 | 25,598 | 100 | 42,939 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Where crashes occur
Compared with urban areas, crash deaths in rural areas in 2021 were less likely to occur on interstates and freeways (14 percent compared with 21 percent) and on other arterial roads (23 percent compared with 58 percent) and more likely to occur on collector roads (44 percent compared with 11 percent) and local roads (19 percent compared with 11 percent).
Motor vehicle crash deaths by road functional class and land use, 2021 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | Total* | ||||
Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
Interstates and freeways | 2,334 | 14 | 5,277 | 21 | 7,611 | 18 |
Arterial | 3,984 | 23 | 14,735 | 58 | 18,719 | 44 |
Collector | 7,576 | 44 | 2,722 | 11 | 10,298 | 24 |
Local | 3,191 | 19 | 2,852 | 11 | 6,043 | 14 |
Total* | 17,103 | 100 | 25,598 | 100 | 42,939 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
In 2021, 15 percent of crash deaths in rural areas occurred at intersections, compared with 31 percent in urban areas.
Motor vehicle crash deaths by junction type and land use, 2021 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | Total* | ||||
Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
Intersection | 2,533 | 15 | 7,885 | 31 | 10,445 | 24 |
Nonintersection | 14,570 | 85 | 17,713 | 69 | 32,494 | 76 |
Total* | 17,103 | 100 | 25,598 | 100 | 42,939 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
In 2021, 74 percent of crash deaths in rural areas occurred on roads with speed limits of 55 mph or higher. By comparison, 30 percent of crash deaths in urban areas occurred on these roads.
Motor vehicle crash deaths by speed limit and land use, 2021 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | Total* | ||||
Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
≤35 mph | 1,247 | 7 | 7,502 | 29 | 8,831 | 21 |
40-50 mph | 2,695 | 16 | 9,075 | 35 | 11,807 | 27 |
55+ mph | 12,594 | 74 | 7,610 | 30 | 20,218 | 47 |
Total* | 17,103 | 100 | 25,598 | 100 | 42,939 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Speeding
Speeding has been involved in more than a quarter of motor vehicle crash deaths in both rural and urban areas over the past decade. In 2021, 28 percent of crash deaths in rural areas and 29 percent in urban areas involved speeding. Speeding is defined to include crashes in which a driver was issued a traffic citation for speeding or in which driver-related factors included driving too fast for conditions, racing or exceeding the posted speed limit.
Motor vehicle crash deaths involving speeding by land use, 2012-2021 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | |||||||||||
Speeding-related | Not speeding-related | Total | Speeding-related | Not speeding-related | Total | |||||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
2012 | 5,756 | 31 | 12,611 | 69 | 18,367 | 100 | 4,559 | 30 | 10,812 | 70 | 15,371 | 100 |
2013 | 5,376 | 30 | 12,364 | 70 | 17,740 | 100 | 4,311 | 29 | 10,808 | 71 | 15,119 | 100 |
2014 | 4,905 | 29 | 11,886 | 71 | 16,791 | 100 | 4,367 | 27 | 11,550 | 73 | 15,917 | 100 |
2015 | 4,826 | 27 | 12,746 | 73 | 17,572 | 100 | 4,504 | 27 | 12,326 | 73 | 16,830 | 100 |
2016 | 5,116 | 28 | 13,205 | 72 | 18,321 | 100 | 5,150 | 27 | 14,207 | 73 | 19,357 | 100 |
2017 | 4,740 | 27 | 12,665 | 73 | 17,405 | 100 | 5,183 | 26 | 14,793 | 74 | 19,976 | 100 |
2018 | 4,341 | 27 | 11,982 | 73 | 16,323 | 100 | 5,212 | 26 | 15,196 | 74 | 20,408 | 100 |
2019 | 4,358 | 27 | 11,930 | 73 | 16,288 | 100 | 5,209 | 26 | 14,737 | 74 | 19,946 | 100 |
2020 | 4,659 | 29 | 11,681 | 71 | 16,340 | 100 | 6,718 | 30 | 15,795 | 70 | 22,513 | 100 |
2021 | 4,833 | 28 | 12,270 | 72 | 17,103 | 100 | 7,437 | 29 | 18,161 | 71 | 25,598 | 100 |
In 2021, on roads with speed limits of 55 mph or higher, speeding was a factor in similar proportions of crash deaths in rural (26 percent) and urban areas (27 percent). On roads with lower speed limits, speeding was more likely to be a factor in rural crash deaths.
Motor vehicle crash deaths involving speeding by speed limit and land use, 2021 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | |||||||||||
Speeding-related | Not speeding-related | Total | Speeding-related | Not speeding-related | Total | |||||||
Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
≤35 mph | 515 | 41 | 732 | 59 | 1,247 | 100 | 2,533 | 34 | 4,969 | 66 | 7,502 | 100 |
40-50 mph | 956 | 35 | 1,739 | 65 | 2,695 | 100 | 2,527 | 28 | 6,548 | 72 | 9,075 | 100 |
55+ mph | 3,217 | 26 | 9,377 | 74 | 12,594 | 100 | 2,035 | 27 | 5,575 | 73 | 7,610 | 100 |
Total* | 4,833 | 28 | 12,270 | 72 | 17,103 | 100 | 7,437 | 29 | 18,161 | 71 | 25,598 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Alcohol
From 1982 to 1994, the percentage of fatally injured drivers with BACs at or above 0.08 percent declined steadily from 49 percent in both rural and urban areas to 34 percent in rural areas and to 32 percent in urban areas. This percentage has declined more gradually since 1994 and was 29 percent in rural areas and 30 percent in urban areas in 2021.
In urban areas, the percentage of fatally injured pedestrians ages 16 and older with BACs at or above 0.08 percent declined from 40 percent in 1982 to 30 percent in 2021, a 24 percent reduction. In rural areas, the percentage declined from 53 percent in 1982 to 31 percent in 2021, a reduction of 41 percent.
Percent distribution of fatally injured people with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by type and land use, 1982-2021
Estimated number and percent of fatally injured people with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by land use, 1982-2021 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | |||||||||||
Drivers | Pedestrians (age ≥16) | Drivers | Pedestrians (age ≥16) | |||||||||
Deaths | Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08 | Deaths | Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08 | Deaths | Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08 | Deaths | Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08 | |||||
Number | Number | % | Number | Number | % | Number | Number | % | Number | Number | % | |
1982 | 15,155 | 7,486 | 49 | 2,076 | 1,110 | 53 | 9,388 | 4,589 | 49 | 3,995 | 1,598 | 40 |
1983 | 14,958 | 7,122 | 48 | 1,922 | 1,016 | 53 | 9,137 | 4,404 | 48 | 3,760 | 1,507 | 40 |
1984 | 15,979 | 7,175 | 45 | 1,984 | 975 | 49 | 9,591 | 4,314 | 45 | 3,898 | 1,508 | 39 |
1985 | 15,610 | 6,611 | 42 | 1,815 | 882 | 49 | 9,711 | 4,072 | 42 | 3,845 | 1,447 | 38 |
1986 | 16,401 | 7,070 | 43 | 1,819 | 871 | 48 | 10,215 | 4,336 | 42 | 3,847 | 1,430 | 37 |
1987 | 16,776 | 6,996 | 42 | 1,774 | 813 | 46 | 10,035 | 4,055 | 40 | 3,894 | 1,391 | 36 |
1988 | 17,393 | 7,261 | 42 | 1,847 | 832 | 45 | 9,834 | 3,828 | 39 | 3,950 | 1,369 | 35 |
1989 | 16,606 | 6,701 | 40 | 1,632 | 758 | 46 | 9,767 | 3,929 | 40 | 4,000 | 1,459 | 36 |
1990 | 16,223 | 6,644 | 41 | 1,577 | 731 | 46 | 9,511 | 3,746 | 39 | 3,984 | 1,433 | 36 |
1991 | 15,285 | 6,182 | 40 | 1,460 | 667 | 46 | 8,615 | 3,290 | 38 | 3,476 | 1,255 | 36 |
1992 | 14,307 | 5,501 | 38 | 1,362 | 619 | 45 | 8,161 | 2,910 | 36 | 3,408 | 1,257 | 37 |
1993 | 14,795 | 5,368 | 36 | 1,404 | 609 | 43 | 8,189 | 2,910 | 36 | 3,398 | 1,279 | 38 |
1994 | 15,078 | 5,188 | 34 | 1,303 | 565 | 43 | 8,576 | 2,713 | 32 | 3,372 | 1,168 | 35 |
1995 | 15,469 | 5,436 | 35 | 1,403 | 600 | 43 | 8,795 | 2,830 | 32 | 3,408 | 1,204 | 35 |
1996 | 15,519 | 5,276 | 34 | 1,335 | 588 | 44 | 8,923 | 2,875 | 32 | 3,380 | 1,241 | 37 |
1997 | 16,008 | 5,127 | 32 | 1,385 | 541 | 39 | 8,635 | 2,710 | 31 | 3,276 | 1,110 | 34 |
1998 | 16,180 | 5,228 | 32 | 1,402 | 568 | 40 | 8,520 | 2,595 | 30 | 3,216 | 1,127 | 35 |
1999 | 16,721 | 5,321 | 32 | 1,316 | 534 | 41 | 8,462 | 2,573 | 30 | 3,033 | 1,126 | 37 |
2000 | 16,205 | 5,248 | 32 | 1,203 | 486 | 40 | 8,705 | 2,701 | 31 | 2,962 | 1,045 | 35 |
2001 | 16,646 | 5,356 | 32 | 1,297 | 513 | 40 | 9,186 | 2,885 | 31 | 3,107 | 1,067 | 34 |
2002 | 17,262 | 5,562 | 32 | 1,279 | 500 | 39 | 9,341 | 2,942 | 31 | 3,123 | 1,095 | 35 |
2003 | 16,795 | 5,232 | 31 | 1,141 | 453 | 40 | 9,892 | 3,101 | 31 | 3,180 | 1,117 | 35 |
2004 | 16,943 | 5,157 | 30 | 1,148 | 436 | 38 | 9,885 | 2,985 | 30 | 3,122 | 1,113 | 36 |
2005 | 16,693 | 5,225 | 31 | 1,121 | 434 | 39 | 10,599 | 3,218 | 30 | 3,360 | 1,139 | 34 |
2006 | 16,350 | 5,124 | 31 | 1,145 | 460 | 40 | 10,831 | 3,406 | 31 | 3,242 | 1,200 | 37 |
2007 | 16,098 | 5,182 | 32 | 1,142 | 473 | 41 | 10,412 | 3,414 | 33 | 3,189 | 1,129 | 35 |
2008 | 14,652 | 4,740 | 32 | 1,113 | 460 | 41 | 9,459 | 3,166 | 33 | 2,970 | 1,093 | 37 |
2009 | 13,472 | 4,405 | 33 | 1,052 | 403 | 38 | 8,331 | 2,794 | 34 | 2,763 | 1,001 | 36 |
2010 | 12,569 | 3,852 | 31 | 1,053 | 410 | 39 | 8,321 | 2,672 | 32 | 2,926 | 1,001 | 34 |
2011 | 12,498 | 3,873 | 31 | 1,083 | 436 | 40 | 8,229 | 2,628 | 32 | 3,100 | 1,116 | 36 |
2012 | 12,920 | 4,072 | 32 | 1,190 | 445 | 37 | 8,549 | 2,654 | 31 | 3,323 | 1,191 | 36 |
2013 | 12,405 | 3,830 | 31 | 1,199 | 463 | 39 | 8,523 | 2,712 | 32 | 3,305 | 1,137 | 34 |
2014 | 11,864 | 3,659 | 31 | 1,033 | 372 | 36 | 8,906 | 2,721 | 31 | 3,633 | 1,238 | 34 |
2015 | 12,322 | 3,385 | 27 | 1,137 | 393 | 35 | 9,388 | 2,729 | 29 | 3,871 | 1,318 | 34 |
2016 | 12,871 | 3,467 | 27 | 1,186 | 382 | 32 | 10,788 | 3,191 | 30 | 4,576 | 1,600 | 35 |
2017 | 12,487 | 3,416 | 27 | 1,097 | 344 | 31 | 11,231 | 3,232 | 29 | 4,701 | 1,546 | 33 |
2018 | 11,722 | 3,154 | 27 | 1,074 | 346 | 32 | 11,274 | 3,177 | 28 | 5,067 | 1,685 | 33 |
2019 | 11,686 | 3,213 | 27 | 1,023 | 301 | 29 | 11,000 | 3,161 | 29 | 5,005 | 1,622 | 32 |
2020 | 11,919 | 3,425 | 29 | 1,059 | 296 | 28 | 12,852 | 3,753 | 29 | 5,277 | 1,653 | 31 |
2021 | 12,554 | 3,642 | 29 | 1,093 | 343 | 31 | 14,722 | 4,393 | 30 | 6,051 | 1,843 | 30 |
Seat belt use
According to a national daytime observational survey of motorists in 2021, seat belt use among front seat occupants was 90 percent in rural areas and 91 percent in urban areas.
Seat belt use among fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants 13 and older by land use, 2012-2021 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rural | Urban | |||||||||||
Belt used | Unbelted | Unknown | Belt used | Unbelted | Unknown | |||||||
Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
2012 | 5,643 | 43 | 6,669 | 51 | 786 | 6 | 3,749 | 46 | 3,529 | 43 | 866 | 11 |
2013 | 5,714 | 45 | 6,184 | 49 | 846 | 7 | 3,778 | 47 | 3,273 | 41 | 911 | 11 |
2014 | 5,565 | 46 | 5,871 | 48 | 729 | 6 | 4,031 | 48 | 3,382 | 41 | 932 | 11 |
2015 | 5,929 | 47 | 5,987 | 47 | 813 | 6 | 4,205 | 48 | 3,537 | 40 | 1,024 | 12 |
2016 | 6,183 | 47 | 6,232 | 47 | 825 | 6 | 4,740 | 48 | 4,063 | 41 | 1,130 | 11 |
2017 | 5,956 | 47 | 5,814 | 46 | 853 | 7 | 5,172 | 49 | 4,153 | 39 | 1,196 | 11 |
2018 | 5,535 | 47 | 5,512 | 47 | 793 | 7 | 5,166 | 49 | 4,217 | 40 | 1,148 | 11 |
2019 | 5,629 | 48 | 5,339 | 46 | 760 | 6 | 4,949 | 49 | 4,053 | 40 | 1,166 | 11 |
2020 | 5,025 | 43 | 5,662 | 49 | 869 | 8 | 5,212 | 44 | 5,129 | 43 | 1,565 | 13 |
2021 | 5,466 | 44 | 5,946 | 48 | 934 | 8 | 5,969 | 44 | 5,730 | 43 | 1,717 | 13 |