Fatal crashes in the United States in 1981
In 1981, 49,301 people died in 44,000 fatal crashes on US roads, 3.5% fewer than in 1980. That is about 135 deaths a day. In 1982, deaths fell to 43,945, 10.9% fewer than in 1981.
1980 · 1982 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 1981 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 1981
California, Texas and Florida together had 26% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 14 states and fell in 37 on the year before; the largest change was in Delaware, 27% down.
| State | Deaths, 1981 | Fatal crashes | Change on 1980 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 5,170 | 4,670 | -5.9% |
| 2 | Texas | 4,623 | 4,072 | +5.9% |
| 3 | Florida | 3,076 | 2,772 | +8.9% |
| 4 | New York | 2,489 | 2,280 | -4.6% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 2,029 | 1,820 | -2.9% |
| 6 | Illinois | 1,821 | 1,642 | -7.8% |
| 7 | Ohio | 1,776 | 1,566 | -12.6% |
| 8 | Michigan | 1,564 | 1,430 | -10.6% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 1,475 | 1,319 | -1.9% |
| 10 | Georgia | 1,418 | 1,256 | -6.0% |
| 11 | Louisiana | 1,233 | 1,105 | +1.1% |
| 12 | New Jersey | 1,162 | 1,043 | +3.8% |
| 13 | Indiana | 1,146 | 1,000 | -1.7% |
| 14 | Tennessee | 1,104 | 983 | -4.2% |
| 15 | Missouri | 1,034 | 909 | -12.0% |
| 16 | Virginia | 1,011 | 907 | -3.3% |
| 17 | Oklahoma | 990 | 859 | +3.2% |
| 18 | Alabama | 933 | 825 | -0.7% |
| 19 | Arizona | 917 | 832 | -3.2% |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 916 | 802 | -5.8% |
| 21 | Washington | 862 | 784 | -11.2% |
| 22 | South Carolina | 846 | 768 | -0.7% |
| 23 | Kentucky | 812 | 720 | -1.0% |
| 24 | Maryland | 781 | 691 | +3.3% |
| 25 | Colorado | 756 | 675 | +6.6% |
| 26 | Minnesota | 753 | 663 | -11.2% |
| 27 | Massachusetts | 746 | 682 | -15.3% |
| 28 | Mississippi | 744 | 632 | +7.1% |
| 29 | Oregon | 645 | 566 | -0.2% |
| 30 | Iowa | 613 | 530 | -2.1% |
| 31 | Kansas | 580 | 510 | -2.5% |
| 32 | New Mexico | 544 | 480 | -10.2% |
| 33 | Arkansas | 536 | 478 | -8.8% |
| 34 | Connecticut | 518 | 480 | -9.9% |
| 35 | West Virginia | 410 | 354 | -21.6% |
| 36 | Nebraska | 378 | 321 | -4.5% |
| 37 | Utah | 364 | 321 | +9.0% |
| 38 | Montana | 338 | 289 | +4.0% |
| 39 | Nevada | 294 | 258 | -15.0% |
| 40 | Idaho | 293 | 256 | -11.5% |
| 41 | Wyoming | 264 | 232 | +7.8% |
| 42 | Maine | 219 | 191 | -17.4% |
| 43 | South Dakota | 177 | 162 | -22.4% |
| 44 | North Dakota | 167 | 154 | +10.6% |
| 45 | Hawaii | 150 | 136 | -19.4% |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 148 | 131 | -23.7% |
| 47 | Vermont | 114 | 105 | -16.8% |
| 48 | Delaware | 111 | 103 | -27.5% |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 102 | 100 | -20.9% |
| 50 | Alaska | 100 | 90 | +13.6% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 49 | 46 | +19.5% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every state in every year as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/1981/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
Rates per 100,000 residents are given for 2015 onward, the years the site holds population estimates for.
Questions about US road deaths in 1981
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 1981?
- 49,301 people died in 44,000 fatal crashes on US public roads in 1981, 3.5% fewer than in 1980. That is about 135 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 1981?
- California, with 5,170 deaths in 4,670 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 4,623 and Florida third with 3,076.
- Is 1981 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 1981 figures are final.
Where the 1981 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 1981, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 1981 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.