Fatal crashes in the United States in 1982
In 1982, 43,945 people died in 39,092 fatal crashes on US roads, 10.9% fewer than in 1981. That is about 120 deaths a day. In 1983, deaths fell to 42,589, 3.1% fewer than in 1982.
1981 · 1983 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 1982 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 1982
California, Texas and Florida together had 26% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 10 states and fell in 41 on the year before; the largest change was in Nebraska, 31% down.
| State | Deaths, 1982 | Fatal crashes | Change on 1981 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,615 | 4,119 | -10.7% |
| 2 | Texas | 4,213 | 3,699 | -8.9% |
| 3 | Florida | 2,653 | 2,396 | -13.8% |
| 4 | New York | 2,162 | 1,965 | -13.1% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 1,819 | 1,611 | -10.3% |
| 6 | Illinois | 1,651 | 1,475 | -9.3% |
| 7 | Ohio | 1,607 | 1,447 | -9.5% |
| 8 | Michigan | 1,392 | 1,257 | -11.0% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 1,303 | 1,168 | -11.7% |
| 10 | Georgia | 1,229 | 1,097 | -13.3% |
| 11 | Louisiana | 1,091 | 962 | -11.5% |
| 12 | New Jersey | 1,061 | 965 | -8.7% |
| 13 | Tennessee | 1,055 | 944 | -4.4% |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 1,054 | 916 | +6.5% |
| 15 | Indiana | 961 | 846 | -16.1% |
| 16 | Missouri | 890 | 785 | -13.9% |
| 17 | Virginia | 881 | 782 | -12.9% |
| 18 | Alabama | 839 | 744 | -10.1% |
| 19 | Kentucky | 822 | 726 | +1.2% |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 770 | 669 | -15.9% |
| 21 | Washington | 748 | 671 | -13.2% |
| 22 | Mississippi | 730 | 617 | -1.9% |
| 23 | South Carolina | 730 | 667 | -13.7% |
| 24 | Arizona | 724 | 636 | -21.0% |
| 25 | Colorado | 668 | 598 | -11.6% |
| 26 | Massachusetts | 659 | 615 | -11.7% |
| 27 | Maryland | 640 | 575 | -18.1% |
| 28 | New Mexico | 577 | 489 | +6.1% |
| 29 | Minnesota | 571 | 508 | -24.2% |
| 30 | Arkansas | 550 | 478 | +2.6% |
| 31 | Oregon | 518 | 464 | -19.7% |
| 32 | Connecticut | 515 | 464 | -0.6% |
| 33 | Kansas | 498 | 436 | -14.1% |
| 34 | Iowa | 480 | 431 | -21.7% |
| 35 | West Virginia | 450 | 392 | +9.8% |
| 36 | Utah | 295 | 263 | -19.0% |
| 37 | Nevada | 280 | 248 | -4.8% |
| 38 | Nebraska | 261 | 226 | -31.0% |
| 39 | Idaho | 256 | 212 | -12.6% |
| 40 | Montana | 254 | 215 | -24.9% |
| 41 | Wyoming | 201 | 173 | -23.9% |
| 42 | New Hampshire | 173 | 154 | +16.9% |
| 43 | Maine | 166 | 151 | -24.2% |
| 44 | Hawaii | 163 | 145 | +8.7% |
| 45 | North Dakota | 148 | 128 | -11.4% |
| 46 | South Dakota | 148 | 129 | -16.4% |
| 47 | Delaware | 122 | 115 | +9.9% |
| 48 | Vermont | 107 | 92 | -6.1% |
| 49 | Alaska | 105 | 96 | +5.0% |
| 50 | Rhode Island | 105 | 97 | +2.9% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 35 | 34 | -28.6% |
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/1982/, 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 1982
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 1982?
- 43,945 people died in 39,092 fatal crashes on US public roads in 1982, 10.9% fewer than in 1981. That is about 120 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 1982?
- California, with 4,615 deaths in 4,119 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 4,213 and Florida third with 2,653.
- Is 1982 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 1982 figures are final.
Where the 1982 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 1982, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 1982 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.