In 2017, there were 37,133 fatal car accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA used the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, which contains data on all crashes that involved a vehicle and resulted in a death.
While the U.S. population grew 7% from 2016 to 2017, the number of traffic fatalities decreased 2% that same period. In 2016, there were 37,461 fatal car accidents.
The cause of accidents included alcohol, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt.
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27 states had a decrease in traffic fatalities.
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7 states had a decrease in traffic fatalities of 10% or more.
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22 states had an increase in traffic fatalities.
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8 states had an increase in traffic fatalities of 10% or more.
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California had the highest number of speeding-related car accident fatalities.
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47% of passenger deaths were a result of being unrestrained.
States with the highest number of fatal car crashes
States with the least number of fatal car crashes
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List of car crash fatalities by state
Texas, California and Florida round out the top three states with the most car accident-related deaths. These states are the largest in terms of population and licensed drivers. Despite topping the list, all three states had a decrease in the number of fatal car crashes in 2017 compared to 2016.
The list includes all 50 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
| State Rank | State | Traffic Fatalities |
| 1 | Texas | 3,722 |
| 2 | California | 3,602 |
| 3 | Florida | 3,112 |
| 4 | Georgia | 1,540 |
| 5 | North Carolina | 1,412 |
| 6 | Ohio | 1,179 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 1,137 |
| 8 | Illinois | 1,097 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 1,040 |
| 10 | Michigan | 1,030 |
| 11 | Arizona | 1,000 |
| 12 | New York | 999 |
| 13 | South Carolina | 988 |
| 14 | Alabama | 948 |
| 15 | Missouri | 930 |
| 16 | Indiana | 914 |
| 17 | Virginia | 839 |
| 18 | Kentucky | 782 |
| 19 | Louisiana | 760 |
| 20 | Mississippi | 690 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | 655 |
| 22 | Colorado | 648 |
| 23 | New Jersey | 624 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 613 |
| 25 | Washington | 565 |
| 26 | Maryland | 550 |
| 27 | Arkansas | 493 |
| 28 | Kansas | 461 |
| 29 | Oregon | 437 |
| 30 | New Mexico | 379 |
| 31 | Minnesota | 357 |
| 32 | Massachusetts | 350 |
| 33 | Iowa | 330 |
| 34 | Nevada | 309 |
| 35 | West Virginia | 303 |
| 36 | Puerto Rico | 290 |
| 37 | Connecticut | 278 |
| 38 | Utah | 273 |
| 39 | Idaho | 244 |
| 40 | Nebraska | 228 |
| 41 | Montana | 186 |
| 42 | Maine | 172 |
| 43 | South Dakota | 129 |
| 44 | Wyoming | 123 |
| 45 | Delaware | 119 |
| 46 | North Dakota | 115 |
| 47 | Hawaii | 107 |
| 48 | New Hampshire | 102 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 83 |
| 50 | Alaska | 79 |
| 51 | Vermont | 69 |
| 52 | District of Columbia | 31 |
| U.S. Total | 37,133 |
Why you should be fully insured
How much auto insurance you need is determined by the state you live in. Even if you are not required to purchase coverage like comprehensive and collision, you could benefit from getting this additional coverage. A single car accidents or theft could result in a huge financial expense. With full coverage, your car insurance company may pay a large chunk, if not all, of the expenses related to the claim - minus your deductible.
Compare auto insurance quotes to get the coverage you need at the lowest rate.