Fatal crashes in the United States in 2009
In 2009, 33,883 people died in 30,862 fatal crashes on US roads, 9.5% fewer than in 2008. That is about 93 deaths a day. In 2010, deaths fell to 32,999, 2.6% fewer than in 2009.
2008 · 2010 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 2009 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 2009
Texas, California and Florida together had 26% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 9 states and fell in 42 on the year before; the largest change was in North Dakota, 35% up.
| State | Deaths, 2009 | Fatal crashes | Change on 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 3,104 | 2,804 | -10.7% |
| 2 | California | 3,090 | 2,825 | -10.0% |
| 3 | Florida | 2,560 | 2,369 | -14.1% |
| 4 | North Carolina | 1,313 | 1,207 | -8.1% |
| 5 | Georgia | 1,292 | 1,180 | -13.6% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 1,256 | 1,143 | -14.4% |
| 7 | New York | 1,158 | 1,069 | -6.5% |
| 8 | Ohio | 1,022 | 945 | -14.2% |
| 9 | Tennessee | 986 | 915 | -5.5% |
| 10 | Illinois | 911 | 832 | -12.7% |
| 11 | South Carolina | 894 | 817 | -2.9% |
| 12 | Missouri | 878 | 786 | -8.5% |
| 13 | Michigan | 872 | 807 | -11.0% |
| 14 | Alabama | 848 | 774 | -12.5% |
| 15 | Louisiana | 824 | 729 | -10.0% |
| 16 | Arizona | 806 | 709 | -14.1% |
| 17 | Kentucky | 791 | 730 | -4.1% |
| 18 | Virginia | 758 | 696 | -8.1% |
| 19 | Oklahoma | 737 | 646 | -1.7% |
| 20 | Mississippi | 700 | 631 | -10.6% |
| 21 | Indiana | 693 | 632 | -15.5% |
| 22 | Arkansas | 596 | 532 | -0.7% |
| 23 | New Jersey | 584 | 550 | -1.0% |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 561 | 505 | -7.3% |
| 25 | Maryland | 549 | 515 | -7.1% |
| 26 | Washington | 492 | 453 | -5.6% |
| 27 | Colorado | 465 | 437 | -15.1% |
| 28 | Minnesota | 421 | 371 | -7.5% |
| 29 | Kansas | 386 | 348 | +0.5% |
| 30 | Oregon | 377 | 331 | -9.4% |
| 31 | Iowa | 371 | 338 | -10.0% |
| 32 | New Mexico | 361 | 319 | -1.4% |
| 33 | West Virginia | 357 | 325 | -5.6% |
| 34 | Massachusetts | 340 | 313 | -6.6% |
| 35 | Utah | 244 | 217 | -11.6% |
| 36 | Nevada | 243 | 223 | -25.0% |
| 37 | Idaho | 226 | 199 | -2.6% |
| 38 | Connecticut | 224 | 211 | -25.8% |
| 39 | Nebraska | 223 | 205 | +7.2% |
| 40 | Montana | 221 | 198 | -3.5% |
| 41 | Maine | 159 | 153 | +2.6% |
| 42 | North Dakota | 140 | 116 | +34.6% |
| 43 | Wyoming | 134 | 116 | -15.7% |
| 44 | South Dakota | 131 | 112 | +8.3% |
| 45 | Delaware | 116 | 101 | -4.1% |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 110 | 97 | -20.3% |
| 47 | Hawaii | 109 | 99 | +1.9% |
| 48 | Rhode Island | 83 | 76 | +27.7% |
| 49 | Vermont | 74 | 69 | +1.4% |
| 50 | Alaska | 64 | 59 | +3.2% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 29 | 28 | -14.7% |
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/2009/, 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 2009
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 2009?
- 33,883 people died in 30,862 fatal crashes on US public roads in 2009, 9.5% fewer than in 2008. That is about 93 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 2009?
- Texas, with 3,104 deaths in 2,804 fatal crashes. California was second with 3,090 and Florida third with 2,560.
- Is 2009 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 2009 figures are final.
Where the 2009 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 2009, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 2009 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.