What Are the Top 5 Causes of Fatal Car Crashes in the U.S.?

Fatal car accidents occur in the tens of thousands each year, with many of them being avoidable if drivers had been more attentive to the road and driving conditions. Even if you’re a habitually safe driver, understanding these causes might give you a leg up in knowing what to look out for and better keep you, your passengers and other drivers on the road safe from a deadly accident.

Keep reading to learn more about the frequent causes of fatal car crashes and safety tips for avoiding them.

On This Page

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  How Common are Motor Vehicle Deaths?

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  Leading Causes of Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes

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  How To Prevent a Fatal Car Accident

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  FAQs

How Common are Motor Vehicle Deaths?

In 2022, there were 42,514 deaths from motor vehicle crashes in the U.S., meaning that there was one motor vehicle-related fatality roughly every 12 minutes.^[1] The number of motor vehicle fatalities decreased in 2023 but only slightly at 40,990 deaths.^[2]

Some states experience higher rates of fatal motor vehicle crashes due to certain causes than others. For example, out of all 50 states, Texas, California and Florida top the list with the highest number of alcohol-impaired-driving motor vehicle fatalities per year, while Alaska, Rhode Island and Vermont had the fewest.^[3]

Leading Causes of Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes

Read below for a list of common unsafe driving behaviors that increases the likelihood of a fatal car accident happening. Remember: even if you are a safe driver, you cannot say the same for all drivers who share the road with you and you should do your best to be watchful for dangerous drivers and drive defensively.

1. Speeding

The consequences of speeding can be more severe than just receiving a ticket — in 2022, there were over 12,000 speeding-related deaths. Driving beyond the safe speed limit is regularly attributed to one-third of all annual motor vehicle deaths.^[4]

Speeding increases the chance of losing control of your vehicle, making it more likely that any immediate turns or course corrections due to merging cars could result in a collision. Additionally, it reduces the effectiveness of protective equipment like seatbelts and airbags while increasing the odds of injury and death due to the increased severity of an impact.

2. Distracted Driving

It can be easy to overlook the danger of responding to a text message while behind the wheel but distracted driving is incredibly risky. Many distractions, such as conversing with passengers or someone on the phone, reaching into the back seat to grab something and even trying to eat while driving, can divert your attention from the road in front of you. In 2022, 3,308 fatalities from motor vehicle crashes were the result of a distracted driver, accounting for nearly 8% of fatalities that year.^[5][1]

Taking your eyes off the road, especially when traveling at high speeds, offers plenty of opportunities for other cars, road debris from a storm or pedestrians crossing the road to take you by surprise. For example, even taking five seconds to respond to a text while driving 55 miles per hour is enough to traverse an entire football field — imagine doing that without even looking where you’re driving and the dangers are apparent.^[5]

3. Driving Under the Influence

Consuming alcohol can dangerously reduce your ability to maintain vehicle control or respond to sudden movements from other cars or pedestrians, resulting in 32% of fatal car accidents in 2022.^[6][1] Alcohol and other substances that affect your state of mind, reduce your responsiveness and coordination, as well as your ability to track objects can result in poor driving and potentially fatal accidents.

In addition, it’s estimated that in 2018, nearly 44% of all drivers in fatal vehicle crashes tested positive for illicit drugs.^[7] Marijuana and opioids in particular increase drowsiness and can lower cognitive function, making you a hazardous driver for yourself and others on the road.

4. Reckless Driving

Reckless driving is an umbrella term covering an intentional or irresponsible disregard for safety and consequences while driving. One example is drowsy driving, where fatigue behind the wheel can reduce your reaction time or cause you to fall asleep at the wheel. In 2022, 693 deaths resulted from drowsy driving crashes, accounting for roughly 2% of fatal crashes that year, although due to the difficulty in gathering evidence after the fact, it’s believed this number might be significantly higher.^[8]

Other forms of reckless driving include the refusal to obey traffic signs or signals, resulting in 2,450 deaths in 2021. The failure to yield to those with right of way is also a form of reckless driving, resulting in 4,239 deaths in the same year.^[9]

While driving, pay attention to cars that appear to be driving erratically or ignoring signals and traffic lights, as they may be a potential hazard, and you may want to keep your distance.

5. Weather Conditions

According to a study of weather-related crash statistics over 10 years, 5,376 deaths and 16% of all crash fatalities can be attributed to weather conditions. The most common causes of weather-related crash fatalities are wet pavement (12%) and rainfall (8%). Snow or sleet, icy pavement, snow or slushy pavement and fog can also create dangerous driving conditions that can lead to a fatal motor vehicle accident.^[10] Under these driving conditions, be especially careful since it can be easy to lose control of your vehicle due to hydroplaning.

How To Prevent a Fatal Car Accident

An easy way to help prevent a fatal crash is to remain aware of your surroundings while behind the wheel. Keep your distance between the vehicles before you and avoid getting boxed between cars on multi-lane highways.

If you feel drowsy, have recently consumed substances or know there will be rough weather ahead of you, it could be worth delaying your trip if possible, considering pulling off the road or finding other transportation options like public transit, a taxi or a sober friend to drive you. Certain times of the year, such as holidays like New Year's Eve, frequently lead to people driving under the influence and planning your transportation around these events to avoid potentially unsafe drivers may be worth your time.

You can also use various car safety equipment and technology, such as a collision detection system or automatic braking. While these systems won’t guarantee you won’t get in a fatal crash, they can help support your spatial awareness and reactions while driving. If you drive an older car model, it might be worth upgrading, as newer models often have improved safety features and systems that can help prevent a fatal crash.