Fatal crashes in the United States in 1990
In 1990, 44,599 people died in 39,836 fatal crashes on US roads, 2.2% fewer than in 1989. That is about 122 deaths a day. In 1991, deaths fell to 41,508, 6.9% fewer than in 1990.
1989 · 1991 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 1990 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 1990
California, Texas and Florida together had 25% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 21 states and fell in 30 on the year before; the largest change was in North Dakota, 38% up.
| State | Deaths, 1990 | Fatal crashes | Change on 1989 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 5,192 | 4,685 | -4.1% |
| 2 | Texas | 3,250 | 2,889 | -3.6% |
| 3 | Florida | 2,891 | 2,586 | -3.1% |
| 4 | New York | 2,217 | 2,036 | -1.9% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 1,646 | 1,514 | -12.3% |
| 6 | Ohio | 1,638 | 1,479 | -7.6% |
| 7 | Illinois | 1,589 | 1,430 | -9.1% |
| 8 | Michigan | 1,571 | 1,404 | -4.1% |
| 9 | Georgia | 1,562 | 1,410 | -4.3% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 1,385 | 1,250 | -5.8% |
| 11 | Tennessee | 1,177 | 1,045 | +8.2% |
| 12 | Alabama | 1,121 | 983 | +8.9% |
| 13 | Missouri | 1,097 | 943 | +4.3% |
| 14 | Virginia | 1,079 | 953 | +7.5% |
| 15 | Indiana | 1,049 | 928 | +8.0% |
| 16 | South Carolina | 979 | 884 | -1.7% |
| 17 | Louisiana | 959 | 834 | +9.2% |
| 18 | New Jersey | 886 | 817 | -0.6% |
| 19 | Arizona | 869 | 784 | -1.1% |
| 20 | Kentucky | 849 | 753 | +10.0% |
| 21 | Washington | 825 | 726 | +5.6% |
| 22 | Wisconsin | 769 | 678 | -5.9% |
| 23 | Mississippi | 750 | 629 | +3.2% |
| 24 | Maryland | 707 | 661 | -2.6% |
| 25 | Oklahoma | 641 | 558 | -1.1% |
| 26 | Massachusetts | 605 | 546 | -13.1% |
| 27 | Arkansas | 604 | 521 | -6.6% |
| 28 | Oregon | 579 | 500 | -7.5% |
| 29 | Minnesota | 566 | 501 | -6.3% |
| 30 | Colorado | 544 | 492 | +3.2% |
| 31 | New Mexico | 499 | 440 | -7.2% |
| 32 | West Virginia | 481 | 407 | +2.8% |
| 33 | Iowa | 465 | 404 | -9.5% |
| 34 | Kansas | 444 | 391 | +3.7% |
| 35 | Connecticut | 385 | 358 | -5.2% |
| 36 | Nevada | 343 | 300 | +11.4% |
| 37 | Utah | 272 | 236 | -10.2% |
| 38 | Nebraska | 262 | 220 | -11.5% |
| 39 | Idaho | 244 | 210 | +2.5% |
| 40 | Maine | 213 | 196 | +9.8% |
| 41 | Montana | 212 | 190 | +17.1% |
| 42 | Hawaii | 177 | 155 | +18.8% |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 158 | 140 | -15.5% |
| 44 | South Dakota | 153 | 139 | +0.7% |
| 45 | Delaware | 138 | 121 | +19.0% |
| 46 | Wyoming | 125 | 105 | -1.6% |
| 47 | North Dakota | 112 | 104 | +38.3% |
| 48 | Alaska | 98 | 92 | +16.7% |
| 49 | Vermont | 90 | 84 | -22.4% |
| 50 | Rhode Island | 84 | 79 | -16.0% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 48 | 46 | -33.3% |
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/1990/, 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 1990
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 1990?
- 44,599 people died in 39,836 fatal crashes on US public roads in 1990, 2.2% fewer than in 1989. That is about 122 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 1990?
- California, with 5,192 deaths in 4,685 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,250 and Florida third with 2,891.
- Is 1990 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 1990 figures are final.
Where the 1990 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 1990, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 1990 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.