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Car Accident Statistics

Below are some updated 2024 car accident statistics for Maryland and the United States. While some statistics are current for 2024, others are from 2022, the most recent year with complete data available.  Elsewhere, we provide the settlement value of car and truck accident claims in Maryland, drunk driving statistics, and texting accident statistics.

The following car accident statistics are offered to give a context of the scope of the problem and to highlight some of the points we have been making:

  • Smaller, more efficient vehicles offer less protection to occupants in a collision.
  • Distracted driving has become one of the biggest dangers on the road today, thanks to smartphones and in-car technology.

With that in mind, we offer the following car crash statistics:

National Accident Statistics

Total Car Accidents

  • There were a total of 6,756,000 police-reported car accidents in the United States and an additional 10 million estimated auto accidents that were not reported, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • There were 1,916,000 medically consulted injuries resulting from auto accidents  – causing a total estimated loss of $413 billion (which includes lost earnings, medical expenses, property damage, and employer costs).

Car Accident Fatalities

  • Car accident deaths are down in the first quarter of 2023, and in the second quarter
  • 33,244 people were killed in car accidents based on NHTSA data (which sometimes differs from other estimates).
  • This represents a slight decrease in car accident fatalities (33,919).
  • The total number of accident fatalities is not a very insightful statistic for evaluating car accident safety trends. Deaths per car on the road and deaths per mile driven are much more accurate highway safety measures. Both of these analytical tools show that motor vehicles are comparatively safer now than ever before:
    • In 1913, there were 33 fatalities for every 10,000 registered vehicles. In 2019, there were only 1.5 deaths for every 10,000 registered vehicles. This represents a decrease of 95%.
    • Deaths per total vehicle miles driven have decreased by a factor of 16 since 1920.
  • The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) was 1.5 in 2021. This is up from 1.11 in 2019 and 1.14 in 2018. In 1980, the VMT was 3.3.
  • According to a 2024 study in Pediatrics, around 20% of fatalities among child passengers in the U.S. in car crashes were linked to an alcohol-impaired driver, often the driver responsible for the child. Studies indicate that the higher the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the child’s driver, the lower the likelihood of the child being secured adequately during the accident. Despite the introduction of laws aimed at preventing children from being in vehicles with drivers under the influence, these measures have not proven effective in safeguarding children. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has noted an increase in traffic-related deaths during the pandemic, with approximately 20% of child passenger fatalities involving a driver impaired by alcohol.

Maryland Accident Statistics

Below are the most currently available car accidents statistics for Maryland as of 2023. Some of these numbers are from the current year (2023), while others are from 2021, the most recent year for which complete data is available.

Total Car Accidents in Maryland

  • According to the Maryland Department of Transportation, there were 108,656 police-reported car accidents in the state of Maryland in 2021. This is down slightly from the two prior years.
  • About 29% of the police-reported car accidents resulted in physical injuries to drivers or passengers.
  • Just over 40,000 people were injured in Maryland car accidents in 2021. About 2,900 of these were classified as “serious” physical injuries.

Car Accident Fatalities in Maryland

  • Fatal accidents accounted for only .5% of all police-reported accidents.
  • 524 people died in Maryland traffic crashes in 2021. This number is down slightly compared to 2020, when 546 people died on Maryland’s roads.
  • The 5-year fatality rate per vehicle miles driven in Maryland is .894. This is less than the 5-year national VMT fatality rate of 1.2, suggesting that driving in Maryland is somewhat safer compared to other parts of the country.

Accident Causes:

  • Vehicle speed is the most significant predictor of the extent of the driver’s injury, followed by the type of crash, the age of the victim, the use of a seatbelt, the mass of the vehicle, and the sex of the driver.
  • Distracted driving is now the number one killer of American teens. Five seconds is the average time a driver’s eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55 mph, that equates to the distance of one football field.
  • Pedestrians jaywalking or crossing mid-block is the leading cause of pedestrian accidents. These accidents are 39 percent of the deaths in Maryland suburbs, 21 percent in the District, and 18 percent in Northern Virginia.
  • Teenage drivers in Maryland were involved in 78 fatal auto accidents and about 8,500 crashes with injuries, according to the Maryland Highway Safety Office.

Maryland Historical Traffic Fatalities:

maryland_historical_traffic_fatalities Tips on Each Insurance Company

What to Do If You Need a Lawyer

Experienced counsel can help you to get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Our firm has the experience and the resources to dig through these complicated issues and stand up to the insurance companies to fight for equitable compensation.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a motor vehicle collision, select here for a free consultation or call 1-800-553-8082 to speak with an attorney who can help you figure out the best path for you.

Dealing with the Insurance Company

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They quite literally worked as hard as if not harder than the doctors to save our lives. Terry Waldron
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Ron helped me find a clear path that ended with my foot healing and a settlement that was much more than I hope for. Aaron Johnson
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Hopefully I won't need it again but if I do, I have definitely found my lawyer for life and I would definitely recommend this office to anyone! Bridget Stevens
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The last case I referred to them settled for $1.2 million. John Selinger
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I am so grateful that I was lucky to pick Miller & Zois. Maggie Lauer
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The entire team from the intake Samantha to the lawyer himself (Ron Miller) has been really approachable. Suzette Allen
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The case settled and I got a lot more money than I expected. Ron even fought to reduce how much I owed in medical bills so I could get an even larger settlement. Nchedo Idahosa
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