Fatal crashes in the United States in 1992
In 1992, 39,250 people died in 34,942 fatal crashes on US roads, 5.4% fewer than in 1991. That is about 107 deaths a day. In 1993, deaths rose to 40,150, 2.3% more than in 1992.
1991 · 1993 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 1992 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 1992
California, Texas and Florida together had 25% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 9 states and fell in 42 on the year before; the largest change was in Delaware, 37% up.
| State | Deaths, 1992 | Fatal crashes | Change on 1991 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,192 | 3,722 | -10.6% |
| 2 | Texas | 3,059 | 2,691 | -0.6% |
| 3 | Florida | 2,427 | 2,170 | -1.5% |
| 4 | New York | 1,815 | 1,657 | -9.6% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 1,545 | 1,385 | -7.0% |
| 6 | Ohio | 1,439 | 1,302 | -12.0% |
| 7 | Illinois | 1,384 | 1,249 | -4.4% |
| 8 | Georgia | 1,315 | 1,184 | -5.3% |
| 9 | Michigan | 1,300 | 1,179 | -8.5% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 1,265 | 1,124 | -7.6% |
| 11 | Tennessee | 1,153 | 1,027 | +3.6% |
| 12 | Alabama | 1,031 | 921 | -7.6% |
| 13 | Missouri | 985 | 874 | -2.6% |
| 14 | Indiana | 901 | 797 | -11.8% |
| 15 | Louisiana | 886 | 792 | +2.8% |
| 16 | Virginia | 839 | 760 | -11.5% |
| 17 | Kentucky | 815 | 718 | -1.3% |
| 18 | Arizona | 809 | 701 | -0.9% |
| 19 | South Carolina | 807 | 718 | -9.3% |
| 20 | Mississippi | 766 | 649 | +7.3% |
| 21 | New Jersey | 763 | 694 | -2.6% |
| 22 | Maryland | 659 | 584 | -5.0% |
| 23 | Wisconsin | 652 | 586 | -18.2% |
| 24 | Washington | 651 | 592 | -4.5% |
| 25 | Oklahoma | 613 | 535 | -6.0% |
| 26 | Arkansas | 588 | 512 | -3.3% |
| 27 | Minnesota | 581 | 494 | +9.4% |
| 28 | Colorado | 522 | 477 | -3.9% |
| 29 | Massachusetts | 485 | 460 | -12.1% |
| 30 | Oregon | 471 | 416 | -2.3% |
| 31 | New Mexico | 460 | 398 | -1.9% |
| 32 | Iowa | 437 | 388 | -10.5% |
| 33 | West Virginia | 420 | 366 | +1.4% |
| 34 | Kansas | 387 | 337 | -5.4% |
| 35 | Connecticut | 296 | 266 | -4.5% |
| 36 | Nebraska | 269 | 222 | -2.2% |
| 37 | Utah | 269 | 235 | -0.7% |
| 38 | Nevada | 254 | 227 | -14.8% |
| 39 | Idaho | 243 | 207 | -8.0% |
| 40 | Maine | 214 | 189 | +4.4% |
| 41 | Montana | 192 | 172 | -4.0% |
| 42 | South Dakota | 161 | 141 | +12.6% |
| 43 | Delaware | 140 | 118 | +37.3% |
| 44 | Hawaii | 129 | 122 | -4.4% |
| 45 | New Hampshire | 122 | 110 | -15.3% |
| 46 | Wyoming | 118 | 99 | -3.3% |
| 47 | Alaska | 108 | 89 | +6.9% |
| 48 | Vermont | 96 | 87 | -12.7% |
| 49 | North Dakota | 88 | 79 | -6.4% |
| 50 | Rhode Island | 79 | 73 | -10.2% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 50 | 47 | -20.6% |
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/1992/, 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 1992
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 1992?
- 39,250 people died in 34,942 fatal crashes on US public roads in 1992, 5.4% fewer than in 1991. That is about 107 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 1992?
- California, with 4,192 deaths in 3,722 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,059 and Florida third with 2,427.
- Is 1992 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 1992 figures are final.
Where the 1992 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 1992, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 1992 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.