Fatal crashes in the United States in 2002
In 2002, 43,005 people died in 38,491 fatal crashes on US roads, 1.9% more than in 2001. That is about 118 deaths a day. In 2003, deaths fell to 42,884, 0.3% fewer than in 2002.
2001 · 2003 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 2002 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 2002
California, Texas and Florida together had 26% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 31 states and fell in 19 on the year before; the largest change was in District of Columbia, 31% down.
| State | Deaths, 2002 | Fatal crashes | Change on 2001 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,088 | 3,654 | +3.3% |
| 2 | Texas | 3,823 | 3,348 | +2.3% |
| 3 | Florida | 3,136 | 2,810 | +4.1% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 1,614 | 1,462 | +5.4% |
| 5 | North Carolina | 1,576 | 1,427 | +3.0% |
| 6 | New York | 1,530 | 1,411 | -2.2% |
| 7 | Georgia | 1,524 | 1,362 | -7.5% |
| 8 | Illinois | 1,420 | 1,273 | +0.4% |
| 9 | Ohio | 1,418 | 1,285 | +2.9% |
| 10 | Michigan | 1,277 | 1,173 | -3.8% |
| 11 | Missouri | 1,208 | 1,082 | +10.0% |
| 12 | Tennessee | 1,177 | 1,058 | -5.9% |
| 13 | Arizona | 1,132 | 984 | +7.7% |
| 14 | South Carolina | 1,053 | 949 | -0.7% |
| 15 | Alabama | 1,038 | 931 | +4.7% |
| 16 | Kentucky | 915 | 810 | +8.3% |
| 17 | Virginia | 914 | 830 | -2.2% |
| 18 | Louisiana | 907 | 816 | -4.7% |
| 19 | Mississippi | 885 | 769 | +12.9% |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 803 | 721 | +5.2% |
| 21 | Indiana | 792 | 714 | -12.9% |
| 22 | New Jersey | 771 | 698 | +3.5% |
| 23 | Colorado | 743 | 677 | +0.3% |
| 24 | Oklahoma | 739 | 639 | +8.4% |
| 25 | Maryland | 661 | 604 | +0.3% |
| 26 | Washington | 658 | 586 | +1.4% |
| 27 | Minnesota | 657 | 590 | +15.7% |
| 28 | Arkansas | 640 | 556 | +4.7% |
| 29 | Kansas | 507 | 445 | +2.6% |
| 30 | Massachusetts | 459 | 433 | -3.8% |
| 31 | New Mexico | 449 | 398 | -3.2% |
| 32 | West Virginia | 439 | 400 | +16.8% |
| 33 | Oregon | 436 | 388 | -10.7% |
| 34 | Iowa | 405 | 372 | -9.2% |
| 35 | Nevada | 381 | 330 | +21.3% |
| 36 | Utah | 328 | 274 | +12.7% |
| 37 | Connecticut | 325 | 301 | +2.2% |
| 38 | Nebraska | 307 | 272 | +24.8% |
| 39 | Montana | 269 | 232 | +17.0% |
| 40 | Idaho | 264 | 230 | +1.9% |
| 41 | Maine | 216 | 186 | +12.5% |
| 42 | South Dakota | 180 | 159 | +5.3% |
| 43 | Wyoming | 176 | 151 | -5.4% |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 127 | 117 | -10.6% |
| 45 | Delaware | 124 | 114 | -8.8% |
| 46 | Hawaii | 119 | 115 | -15.0% |
| 47 | North Dakota | 97 | 84 | -7.6% |
| 48 | Alaska | 89 | 78 | +0.0% |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 84 | 81 | +3.7% |
| 50 | Vermont | 78 | 69 | -15.2% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 47 | 43 | -30.9% |
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/2002/, 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 2002
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 2002?
- 43,005 people died in 38,491 fatal crashes on US public roads in 2002, 1.9% more than in 2001. That is about 118 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 2002?
- California, with 4,088 deaths in 3,654 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,823 and Florida third with 3,136.
- Is 2002 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 2002 figures are final.
Where the 2002 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 2002, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 2002 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.