Fatal crashes in the United States in 1996
In 1996, 42,065 people died in 37,494 fatal crashes on US roads, 0.6% more than in 1995. That is about 115 deaths a day. In 1997, deaths fell to 42,013, 0.1% fewer than in 1996.
1995 · 1997 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 1996 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 1996
California, Texas and Florida together had 25% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 21 states and fell in 28 on the year before; the largest change was in Texas, 18% up.
| State | Deaths, 1996 | Fatal crashes | Change on 1995 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 3,989 | 3,576 | -4.8% |
| 2 | Texas | 3,742 | 3,249 | +17.6% |
| 3 | Florida | 2,753 | 2,496 | -1.9% |
| 4 | New York | 1,593 | 1,450 | -5.1% |
| 5 | Georgia | 1,573 | 1,402 | +5.7% |
| 6 | Michigan | 1,505 | 1,339 | -1.6% |
| 7 | North Carolina | 1,494 | 1,329 | +3.2% |
| 8 | Illinois | 1,477 | 1,312 | -6.9% |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 1,469 | 1,353 | -0.7% |
| 10 | Ohio | 1,391 | 1,244 | +2.3% |
| 11 | Tennessee | 1,239 | 1,120 | -1.6% |
| 12 | Missouri | 1,148 | 1,006 | +3.5% |
| 13 | Alabama | 1,146 | 1,024 | +2.9% |
| 14 | Arizona | 994 | 857 | -4.0% |
| 15 | Indiana | 984 | 872 | +2.5% |
| 16 | South Carolina | 930 | 821 | +5.6% |
| 17 | Louisiana | 902 | 807 | +0.9% |
| 18 | Virginia | 877 | 809 | -2.6% |
| 19 | Kentucky | 842 | 734 | -0.8% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 814 | 754 | +5.2% |
| 21 | Mississippi | 811 | 695 | -6.6% |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 772 | 670 | +15.4% |
| 23 | Wisconsin | 761 | 658 | +2.1% |
| 24 | Washington | 712 | 643 | +9.0% |
| 25 | Colorado | 617 | 555 | -4.3% |
| 26 | Arkansas | 615 | 539 | -2.5% |
| 27 | Maryland | 608 | 558 | -9.4% |
| 28 | Minnesota | 576 | 503 | -3.5% |
| 29 | Oregon | 526 | 462 | -8.4% |
| 30 | Kansas | 490 | 442 | +10.9% |
| 31 | New Mexico | 485 | 416 | +0.0% |
| 32 | Iowa | 465 | 411 | -11.8% |
| 33 | Massachusetts | 417 | 392 | -6.1% |
| 34 | Nevada | 348 | 315 | +11.2% |
| 35 | West Virginia | 348 | 321 | -7.4% |
| 36 | Utah | 321 | 284 | -1.2% |
| 37 | Connecticut | 310 | 296 | -2.2% |
| 38 | Nebraska | 293 | 240 | +15.4% |
| 39 | Idaho | 258 | 228 | -1.5% |
| 40 | Montana | 200 | 179 | -7.0% |
| 41 | South Dakota | 175 | 142 | +10.8% |
| 42 | Maine | 169 | 157 | -9.6% |
| 43 | Hawaii | 148 | 134 | +13.8% |
| 44 | Wyoming | 143 | 121 | -15.9% |
| 45 | New Hampshire | 134 | 125 | +13.6% |
| 46 | Delaware | 116 | 105 | -4.1% |
| 47 | Vermont | 88 | 74 | -17.0% |
| 48 | North Dakota | 85 | 80 | +14.9% |
| 49 | Alaska | 81 | 72 | -6.9% |
| 50 | Rhode Island | 69 | 65 | +0.0% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 62 | 58 | +6.9% |
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/1996/, 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 1996
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 1996?
- 42,065 people died in 37,494 fatal crashes on US public roads in 1996, 0.6% more than in 1995. That is about 115 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 1996?
- California, with 3,989 deaths in 3,576 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,742 and Florida third with 2,753.
- Is 1996 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 1996 figures are final.
Where the 1996 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 1996, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 1996 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.