Are US Road Deaths Going Down? State-by-State Changes 2020–2024

Quick answer: Yes, but only back to where they started. US road deaths peaked at 43,230 in 2021 and fell for three years in a row to 39,254 in 2024, a drop of 9.2%, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). That still leaves 2024 slightly above 2020 (39,007). The fall was widespread: 39 of 51 jurisdictions (50 states plus Washington, DC) recorded fewer deaths in 2024 than in 2021, led by Louisiana (down 22.6%) and Georgia (down 22.4%). A handful moved the other way, including Nevada and Washington (both up 8.3%).

US road deaths year by year (FARS)

• 2020: 39,007 deaths in 35,935 fatal crashes
• 2021: 43,230 deaths in 39,785 fatal crashes (the peak)
• 2022: 42,721 deaths
• 2023: 41,025 deaths
• 2024: 39,254 deaths in 36,297 fatal crashes

The longer national picture, back to the 1970s, is on the US road deaths by year page.

The states where deaths fell most

Among states with at least 300 deaths in 2021, the biggest falls to 2024 were:

• Louisiana: 971 to 752 (down 22.6%)
• Georgia: 1,809 to 1,403 (down 22.4%)
• Kansas: 423 to 339 (down 19.9%)
• Utah: 332 to 277 (down 16.6%)
• Florida: 3,741 to 3,138 (down 16.1%)
• Oklahoma: 762 to 645 (down 15.4%)
• New Mexico: 483 to 409 (down 15.3%)
• Ohio: 1,354 to 1,157 (down 14.5%)

In absolute numbers the largest fall was in California, down 637 deaths (4,513 to 3,876), followed by Florida (603 fewer). Each state has its own page with the latest figures and live reports, for example Georgia, Louisiana and Florida.

The states that did not improve

A few states ended 2024 above their 2021 level:

• Nevada: 385 to 417 (up 8.3%)
• Washington: 674 to 730 (up 8.3%), after peaking at 809 in 2023
• Arizona: 1,192 to 1,229 (up 3.1%), after peaking at 1,320 in 2022
• Maryland: 563 to 578 (up 2.7%)
• Connecticut: 303 to 310 (up 2.3%)

Iowa was flat at 356. The national peak also came at different times: 22 jurisdictions recorded their highest total in 2021, 18 in 2022 and 8 in 2023, while Nebraska and Washington, DC reached theirs in 2024. See Washington for the state's full figures.

Where the most people still die

Big states dominate the totals. In 2024 the most road deaths were recorded in Texas (4,160), California (3,876) and Florida (3,138), followed by North Carolina (1,619), Georgia (1,403) and Arizona (1,229). Totals mostly reflect population and miles driven; for rates per person and per mile, see which US state has the most car accidents and the state rankings.

Walkers, cyclists and motorcyclists have not recovered as much

Deaths among people outside cars fell less than the total:

• Pedestrians: 6,565 in 2020, a peak of 7,593 in 2022, and 7,080 in 2024, still 7.8% above 2020
• Cyclists: 942 in 2020, a peak of 1,163 in 2023, and 1,075 in 2024
• Motorcyclists: 5,617 in 2020, a peak of 6,367 in 2023, and 6,225 in 2024

California recorded the most pedestrian deaths in 2024 (1,090), followed by Texas (763), Florida (668), New York (289) and Georgia (286). Interstates are a big part of that story: see which US interstate has the most fatal crashes.

Why the numbers moved

The 2021 spike is widely linked to riskier driving on emptier pandemic roads: more speeding, less seat belt use and more impaired driving, as NHTSA and safety groups reported at the time. As traffic returned to normal, deaths eased. FARS itself records what happened, not why, so state-level changes can also reflect population growth, new enforcement or road design changes, and single-year moves in small states can be random.

How these numbers were counted

The figures are NHTSA's FARS annual files for 2020 to 2024, a census of every crash on a US public road in which someone died within 30 days. They are counts, not rates, so they do not adjust for population or traffic. The most recent year can still be revised when NHTSA publishes its final file. To compare states side by side, use the accident trends tool, and download the tables from the data page.