Fatal crashes in the United States in 2006
In 2006, 42,708 people died in 38,648 fatal crashes on US roads, 1.8% fewer than in 2005. That is about 117 deaths a day. In 2007, deaths fell to 41,259, 3.4% fewer than in 2006.
2005 · 2007 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 2006 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 2006
California, Texas and Florida together had 26% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 23 states and fell in 28 on the year before; the largest change was in New Hampshire, 23% down.
| State | Deaths, 2006 | Fatal crashes | Change on 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,240 | 3,839 | -2.1% |
| 2 | Texas | 3,531 | 3,122 | -0.1% |
| 3 | Florida | 3,357 | 3,080 | -4.6% |
| 4 | Georgia | 1,693 | 1,557 | -2.1% |
| 5 | North Carolina | 1,554 | 1,424 | +0.5% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 1,525 | 1,409 | -5.6% |
| 7 | New York | 1,454 | 1,349 | +1.4% |
| 8 | Arizona | 1,293 | 1,118 | +9.7% |
| 9 | Tennessee | 1,284 | 1,161 | +1.1% |
| 10 | Illinois | 1,254 | 1,136 | -8.0% |
| 11 | Ohio | 1,238 | 1,141 | -6.3% |
| 12 | Alabama | 1,207 | 1,073 | +5.1% |
| 13 | Missouri | 1,096 | 971 | -12.8% |
| 14 | Michigan | 1,086 | 1,004 | -3.8% |
| 15 | South Carolina | 1,045 | 973 | -4.5% |
| 16 | Louisiana | 987 | 890 | +2.5% |
| 17 | Virginia | 962 | 866 | +1.6% |
| 18 | Kentucky | 913 | 837 | -7.3% |
| 19 | Mississippi | 911 | 812 | -2.1% |
| 20 | Indiana | 902 | 820 | -3.8% |
| 21 | New Jersey | 771 | 709 | +3.2% |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 765 | 669 | -4.7% |
| 23 | Wisconsin | 724 | 670 | -11.2% |
| 24 | Arkansas | 665 | 596 | +1.7% |
| 25 | Maryland | 652 | 594 | +6.2% |
| 26 | Washington | 633 | 578 | -2.5% |
| 27 | Colorado | 535 | 485 | -11.7% |
| 28 | Minnesota | 494 | 456 | -11.6% |
| 29 | New Mexico | 484 | 424 | -0.8% |
| 30 | Oregon | 478 | 418 | -1.8% |
| 31 | Kansas | 468 | 427 | +9.3% |
| 32 | Iowa | 439 | 386 | -2.4% |
| 33 | Nevada | 431 | 386 | +0.9% |
| 34 | Massachusetts | 429 | 403 | -2.7% |
| 35 | West Virginia | 410 | 372 | +9.6% |
| 36 | Connecticut | 311 | 293 | +11.9% |
| 37 | Utah | 287 | 249 | +1.8% |
| 38 | Nebraska | 269 | 226 | -2.5% |
| 39 | Idaho | 267 | 239 | -2.9% |
| 40 | Montana | 264 | 227 | +5.2% |
| 41 | Wyoming | 195 | 169 | +14.7% |
| 42 | South Dakota | 191 | 172 | +2.7% |
| 43 | Maine | 188 | 171 | +11.2% |
| 44 | Hawaii | 161 | 144 | +15.0% |
| 45 | Delaware | 148 | 133 | +11.3% |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 127 | 116 | -23.5% |
| 47 | North Dakota | 111 | 101 | -9.8% |
| 48 | Vermont | 87 | 77 | +19.2% |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 81 | 72 | -6.9% |
| 50 | Alaska | 74 | 71 | +1.4% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 37 | 33 | -22.9% |
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/2006/, 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 2006
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 2006?
- 42,708 people died in 38,648 fatal crashes on US public roads in 2006, 1.8% fewer than in 2005. That is about 117 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 2006?
- California, with 4,240 deaths in 3,839 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,531 and Florida third with 3,357.
- Is 2006 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 2006 figures are final.
Where the 2006 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 2006, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 2006 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.