Fatal crashes in the United States in 2017
In 2017, 37,473 people died in 34,560 fatal crashes on US roads, 0.9% fewer than in 2016. That is about 103 deaths a day, and 11.5 deaths per 100,000 residents. In 2018, deaths fell to 36,835, 1.7% fewer than in 2017.
2016 · 2018 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 2017 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 2017
California, Texas and Florida together had 29% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 22 states and fell in 28 on the year before; the largest change was in Rhode Island, 65% up.
| State | Deaths, 2017 | Fatal crashes | Change on 2016 | Per 100,000100K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 3,884 | 3,569 | +1.2% | 9.9 |
| 2 | Texas | 3,732 | 3,352 | -1.7% | 13.2 |
| 3 | Florida | 3,116 | 2,925 | -1.9% | 14.9 |
| 4 | Georgia | 1,540 | 1,440 | -1.0% | 14.8 |
| 5 | North Carolina | 1,412 | 1,306 | -2.6% | 13.8 |
| 6 | Ohio | 1,179 | 1,094 | +4.2% | 10.1 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 1,137 | 1,083 | -4.3% | 8.9 |
| 8 | Illinois | 1,090 | 998 | +1.1% | 8.5 |
| 9 | Michigan | 1,031 | 940 | -3.2% | 10.3 |
| 10 | Tennessee | 1,024 | 942 | -1.3% | 15.3 |
| 11 | New York | 1,006 | 939 | -3.4% | 5.1 |
| 12 | Arizona | 998 | 917 | +4.8% | 14.2 |
| 13 | South Carolina | 989 | 925 | -3.0% | 19.7 |
| 14 | Alabama | 948 | 864 | -12.5% | 19.4 |
| 15 | Missouri | 932 | 865 | -1.6% | 15.3 |
| 16 | Indiana | 916 | 838 | +10.5% | 13.8 |
| 17 | Virginia | 839 | 783 | +10.4% | 9.9 |
| 18 | Kentucky | 782 | 721 | -6.2% | 17.6 |
| 19 | Louisiana | 770 | 705 | +1.7% | 16.5 |
| 20 | Mississippi | 685 | 609 | -0.3% | 22.9 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | 657 | 613 | -4.4% | 16.7 |
| 22 | Colorado | 648 | 600 | +6.6% | 11.5 |
| 23 | New Jersey | 624 | 591 | +3.7% | 7.0 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 613 | 557 | +1.0% | 10.6 |
| 25 | Washington | 563 | 534 | +5.0% | 7.6 |
| 26 | Maryland | 558 | 518 | +6.9% | 9.3 |
| 27 | Arkansas | 525 | 486 | -6.4% | 17.5 |
| 28 | Kansas | 461 | 407 | +7.5% | 15.8 |
| 29 | Oregon | 439 | 403 | -11.8% | 10.6 |
| 30 | New Mexico | 380 | 341 | -6.2% | 18.2 |
| 31 | Minnesota | 358 | 341 | -8.7% | 6.4 |
| 32 | Massachusetts | 347 | 333 | -10.3% | 5.1 |
| 33 | Iowa | 330 | 301 | -17.9% | 10.5 |
| 34 | Nevada | 311 | 292 | -5.5% | 10.5 |
| 35 | West Virginia | 304 | 280 | +13.0% | 16.7 |
| 36 | Connecticut | 281 | 263 | -7.6% | 7.9 |
| 37 | Utah | 273 | 247 | -2.8% | 8.8 |
| 38 | Idaho | 245 | 224 | -3.2% | 14.3 |
| 39 | Nebraska | 228 | 210 | +4.6% | 11.9 |
| 40 | Montana | 186 | 169 | -2.1% | 17.7 |
| 41 | Maine | 173 | 163 | +8.1% | 13.0 |
| 42 | South Dakota | 129 | 111 | +11.2% | 14.8 |
| 43 | Wyoming | 123 | 105 | +9.8% | 21.2 |
| 44 | Delaware | 119 | 112 | +0.0% | 12.4 |
| 45 | North Dakota | 116 | 106 | +2.7% | 15.4 |
| 46 | Hawaii | 107 | 96 | -10.8% | 7.5 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | 102 | 98 | -25.0% | 7.6 |
| 48 | Rhode Island | 84 | 77 | +64.7% | 8.0 |
| 49 | Alaska | 79 | 75 | -6.0% | 10.7 |
| 50 | Vermont | 69 | 63 | +11.3% | 11.1 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 31 | 29 | +14.8% | 4.5 |
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/2017/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
Who died and how in 2017
Vehicle occupants were 67% of the 37,473 people killed on US roads in 2017; pedestrians 16% (6,075), motorcyclists 14% (5,226), cyclists 2.2% (806).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 25,130 | 67% |
| Pedestrians | 6,075 | 16% |
| Motorcyclists | 5,226 | 14% |
| Cyclists | 806 | 2.2% |
| Others | 236 | 0.6% |
27% of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver, 26% speeding, 5.7% a hit-and-run; 47% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted; 46% of fatal crashes were on rural roads and 28% in the dark on unlit roads.
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happened in 2017
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 1,329 fatal crashes in 2017. The worst hour is 6 pm to 7 pm; the worst month is July.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.5 percent, 1,216 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 599 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 481 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 894 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 1,160 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 1,011 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.4 percent, 496 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 605 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 627 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 863 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 998 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 795 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.1 percent, 388 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 638 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 607 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 913 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 967 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 838 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.2 percent, 406 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 615 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 571 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 801 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 1,064 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 860 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.4 percent, 477 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 627 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 657 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 876 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 1,032 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 960 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.8 percent, 614 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 643 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 632 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 978 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 1,215 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 1,293 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.4 percent, 1,154 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 625 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 589 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 973 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 1,212 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 1,329 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.6%
- Feb6.7%
- Mar7.8%
- Apr8.0%
- May8.4%
- Jun8.8%
- Jul9.4%
- Aug8.7%
- Sep9.0%
- Oct9.0%
- Nov8.4%
- Dec8.3%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Days of the year: Halloween 2017 · Thanksgiving 2017 · Christmas 2017 · New Year's Eve 2017 · Holiday season 2017 · Fourth of July 2017 · Memorial Day 2017 · Labor Day 2017 · Super Bowl Sunday 2017
Questions about US road deaths in 2017
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 2017?
- 37,473 people died in 34,560 fatal crashes on US public roads in 2017, 0.9% fewer than in 2016. That is about 103 deaths a day. 11.5 deaths per 100,000 residents. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 2017?
- California, with 3,884 deaths in 3,569 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,732 and Florida third with 3,116.
- How many fatal crashes involved a drinking driver in 2017?
- 9,296 of 34,560 fatal crashes in 2017, 27%, involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking. 8,955 (26%) involved speeding.
- Is 2017 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 2017 figures are final.
Where the 2017 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 2017, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 2017 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.