How many people died in US traffic crashes in 2023?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) recorded 40,901 motor-vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States in 2023. This national total covers the 50 states and the District of Columbia and excludes Puerto Rico. A traffic fatality is a death resulting from a crash involving a motor vehicle on a public road. Source: NHTSA FARS 2023 (DOT HS 813 743), U.S. Government public domain.

Which US state has the fewest traffic fatalities?

District of Columbia recorded the fewest traffic fatalities among the 51 jurisdictions in 2023 (44). As with the highest-count jurisdictions, this reflects population size and travel volume rather than how safe the roads are per journey. Source: NHTSA FARS 2023, U.S. Government public domain.

Are these figures traffic-death counts or rates?

These are absolute counts — the actual number of people killed in motor-vehicle traffic crashes in each jurisdiction. They are not population-adjusted rates (deaths per 100,000 people) or exposure-adjusted rates (deaths per mile driven). To compare how dangerous roads are between states, a rate is needed; these counts show the absolute burden. Source: NHTSA FARS 2023.

FARS is the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a nationwide census run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It records every fatal motor-vehicle traffic crash on a public road in the United States. The figures here come from the FARS 2023 Annual Report File, published as Traffic Safety Facts "State Traffic Data 2023" (DOT HS 813 743). U.S. Government public domain.

US traffic crash statistics — motor-vehicle fatalities by state

2023 · NHTSA FARS · 51 jurisdictions · U.S. Government public domain

How many people die in motor-vehicle traffic crashes in the United States each year?

In 2023, 40,901 people were killed in motor-vehicle traffic crashes across the United States — the 50 states and the District of Columbia — according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). The most traffic fatalities were recorded in Texas (4,291); these are absolute counts, not population-adjusted rates. Source: NHTSA FARS 2023, U.S. Government public domain.

Source:NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2023 Annual Report File (ARF), via Traffic Safety Facts "State Traffic Data 2023" (DOT HS 813 743)·as of 2023updated annually (last: 27 June 2026)

Headline figures, 2023

US traffic fatalities: 40,901
Jurisdictions: 51
Most (Texas): 4,291
Fewest (District of Columbia): 44

These are neutral official statistics from NHTSA FARS. Figures are absolute fatality counts, not risk rates: state totals are strongly influenced by population and the number of miles driven, so larger, busier states appear higher. They are not a direct measure of how dangerous a state's roads are per journey, nor an insurance premium predictor. Year-to-year changes can reflect random variation as well as underlying trend.

Look up traffic fatalities for a state

Select any of the 51 states and DC to see its 2023 fatality count, national rank, and share of the US total.

Choose a state or the District of Columbia

Traffic fatalities

4,291

2023

National rank

of 51

Share of US total

10.49%

of 40,901

vs jurisdiction avg

+435%

avg 802

Texas: 4,291 motor-vehicle traffic fatalities in 2023 (rank #1 of 51, 10.49% of the U.S. total of 40,901). Source: NHTSA FARS 2023. These are absolute counts, not population-adjusted rates: larger, more populous states naturally record more fatalities, so this does not measure how dangerous a state's roads are per mile driven.

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States with the most traffic fatalities (2023)

Ranked by total motor-vehicle traffic fatalities. These are counts, not risk rates — larger, busier states naturally rank higher.

Top 15 US states by motor-vehicle traffic fatalities (NHTSA FARS 2023)
Rank	State	Traffic fatalities	Share of US total
#1	Texas	4,291	10.49%
#2	California	4,061	9.93%
#3	Florida	3,396	8.30%
#4	Georgia	1,615	3.95%
#5	North Carolina	1,561	3.82%
#6	Tennessee	1,323	3.23%
#7	Arizona	1,304	3.19%
#8	Ohio	1,242	3.04%
#9	Illinois	1,241	3.03%
#10	Pennsylvania	1,211	2.96%
#11	New York	1,114	2.72%
#12	Michigan	1,094	2.67%
#13	South Carolina	1,047	2.56%
#14	Missouri	991	2.42%
#15	Alabama	974	2.38%

Browse all 51 jurisdictions

Alabama 974 Alaska 60 Arizona 1,304 Arkansas 596 California 4,061 Colorado 720 Connecticut 308 Delaware 135 District of Columbia 44 Florida 3,396 Georgia 1,615 Hawaii 93 Idaho 275 Illinois 1,241 Indiana 898 Iowa 377 Kansas 387 Kentucky 814 Louisiana 811 Maine 135 Maryland 621 Massachusetts 343 Michigan 1,094 Minnesota 409 Mississippi 732 Missouri 991 Montana 208 Nebraska 227 Nevada 389 New Hampshire 130 New Jersey 606 New Mexico 437 New York 1,114 North Carolina 1,561 North Dakota 106 Ohio 1,242 Oklahoma 718 Oregon 587 Pennsylvania 1,211 Rhode Island 71 South Carolina 1,047 South Dakota 140 Tennessee 1,323 Texas 4,291 Utah 280 Vermont 69 Virginia 913 Washington 810 West Virginia 260 Wisconsin 583 Wyoming 144

US traffic crash statistics — frequently asked questions

How many people died in US traffic crashes in 2023?: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) recorded 40,901 motor-vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States in 2023. This national total covers the 50 states and the District of Columbia and excludes Puerto Rico. A traffic fatality is a death resulting from a crash involving a motor vehicle on a public road. Source: NHTSA FARS 2023 (DOT HS 813 743), U.S. Government public domain.
Which US state has the most traffic fatalities?: Among the 51 US jurisdictions, Texas recorded the most traffic fatalities in 2023 (4,291, 10.49% of the national total). Absolute fatality counts are strongly influenced by population and the number of miles driven, so the most populous states naturally appear near the top — these are counts, not per-capita or per-mile risk rates. Source: NHTSA FARS 2023.
Which US state has the fewest traffic fatalities?: District of Columbia recorded the fewest traffic fatalities among the 51 jurisdictions in 2023 (44). As with the highest-count jurisdictions, this reflects population size and travel volume rather than how safe the roads are per journey. Source: NHTSA FARS 2023, U.S. Government public domain.
Are these figures traffic-death counts or rates?: These are absolute counts — the actual number of people killed in motor-vehicle traffic crashes in each jurisdiction. They are not population-adjusted rates (deaths per 100,000 people) or exposure-adjusted rates (deaths per mile driven). To compare how dangerous roads are between states, a rate is needed; these counts show the absolute burden. Source: NHTSA FARS 2023.
What is NHTSA FARS?: FARS is the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a nationwide census run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It records every fatal motor-vehicle traffic crash on a public road in the United States. The figures here come from the FARS 2023 Annual Report File, published as Traffic Safety Facts "State Traffic Data 2023" (DOT HS 813 743). U.S. Government public domain.

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Contains public sector information published by NHTSA (U.S. Department of Transportation) and licensed under the U.S. Government public domain. Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2023 Annual Report File (ARF), via Traffic Safety Facts "State Traffic Data 2023" (DOT HS 813 743) (2023).