Fatal crashes in the United States in 2008
In 2008, 37,423 people died in 34,172 fatal crashes on US roads, 9.3% fewer than in 2007. That is about 102 deaths a day. In 2009, deaths fell to 33,883, 9.5% fewer than in 2008.
2007 · 2009 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 2008 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 2008
Texas, California and Florida together had 26% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 6 states and fell in 45 on the year before; the largest change was in Alaska, 24% down.
| State | Deaths, 2008 | Fatal crashes | Change on 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 3,476 | 3,116 | +0.3% |
| 2 | California | 3,434 | 3,145 | -14.0% |
| 3 | Florida | 2,980 | 2,763 | -7.3% |
| 4 | Georgia | 1,495 | 1,370 | -8.9% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 1,468 | 1,358 | -1.5% |
| 6 | North Carolina | 1,428 | 1,319 | -14.8% |
| 7 | New York | 1,238 | 1,174 | -7.1% |
| 8 | Ohio | 1,191 | 1,099 | -5.1% |
| 9 | Illinois | 1,043 | 950 | -16.4% |
| 10 | Tennessee | 1,043 | 958 | -13.9% |
| 11 | Michigan | 980 | 915 | -9.8% |
| 12 | Alabama | 969 | 891 | -12.7% |
| 13 | Missouri | 960 | 845 | -3.2% |
| 14 | Arizona | 938 | 843 | -12.4% |
| 15 | South Carolina | 921 | 841 | -14.5% |
| 16 | Louisiana | 916 | 821 | -7.8% |
| 17 | Kentucky | 825 | 751 | -4.5% |
| 18 | Virginia | 825 | 764 | -19.7% |
| 19 | Indiana | 820 | 727 | -8.7% |
| 20 | Mississippi | 783 | 711 | -11.4% |
| 21 | Oklahoma | 750 | 672 | -2.1% |
| 22 | Wisconsin | 605 | 561 | -20.0% |
| 23 | Arkansas | 600 | 552 | -7.6% |
| 24 | Maryland | 591 | 538 | -3.7% |
| 25 | New Jersey | 590 | 555 | -18.5% |
| 26 | Colorado | 548 | 473 | -1.1% |
| 27 | Washington | 521 | 482 | -8.8% |
| 28 | Minnesota | 455 | 420 | -10.8% |
| 29 | Oregon | 416 | 369 | -8.6% |
| 30 | Iowa | 412 | 368 | -7.6% |
| 31 | Kansas | 384 | 347 | -7.7% |
| 32 | West Virginia | 378 | 337 | -12.5% |
| 33 | New Mexico | 366 | 324 | -11.4% |
| 34 | Massachusetts | 364 | 338 | -16.1% |
| 35 | Nevada | 324 | 304 | -13.1% |
| 36 | Connecticut | 302 | 279 | +2.0% |
| 37 | Utah | 276 | 245 | -7.7% |
| 38 | Idaho | 232 | 212 | -7.9% |
| 39 | Montana | 229 | 208 | -17.3% |
| 40 | Nebraska | 208 | 188 | -18.8% |
| 41 | Wyoming | 159 | 139 | +6.0% |
| 42 | Maine | 155 | 144 | -15.3% |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 138 | 127 | +7.0% |
| 44 | Delaware | 121 | 105 | +3.4% |
| 45 | South Dakota | 121 | 109 | -17.1% |
| 46 | Hawaii | 107 | 102 | -22.5% |
| 47 | North Dakota | 104 | 97 | -6.3% |
| 48 | Vermont | 73 | 66 | +10.6% |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 65 | 63 | -5.8% |
| 50 | Alaska | 62 | 55 | -24.4% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 34 | 32 | -22.7% |
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/2008/, 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 2008
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 2008?
- 37,423 people died in 34,172 fatal crashes on US public roads in 2008, 9.3% fewer than in 2007. That is about 102 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 2008?
- Texas, with 3,476 deaths in 3,116 fatal crashes. California was second with 3,434 and Florida third with 2,980.
- Is 2008 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 2008 figures are final.
Where the 2008 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 2008, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 2008 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.