Fatal crashes in California
In 2024, 3,876 people died in 3,583 fatal crashes on California roads, 7.0% fewer than in 2023. That is about 11 deaths a day, and 9.9% of all road deaths in the United States.
California ranks 2nd of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 34th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in California since 1975
Road deaths in California peaked in 1979 at 5,542; 2024's 3,876 is 30% below that. The lowest year was 2010 with 2,720. 2024 is 3% above 2000 and 5% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3,876 | 3,583 | -7.0% |
| 2023 | 4,169 | 3,826 | -8.2% |
| 2022 | 4,539 | 4,218 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 4,513 | 4,196 | +13.4% |
| 2020 | 3,980 | 3,673 | +7.0% |
| 2019 | 3,719 | 3,427 | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 3,798 | 3,485 | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 3,884 | 3,569 | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 3,837 | 3,540 | +13.3% |
| 2015 | 3,387 | 3,123 | +9.2% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 3,102 | 2,859 | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 3,107 | 2,860 | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 2,966 | 2,733 | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 2,816 | 2,617 | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 2,720 | 2,504 | -12.0% |
| 2009 | 3,090 | 2,825 | -10.0% |
| 2008 | 3,434 | 3,145 | -14.0% |
| 2007 | 3,995 | 3,591 | -5.8% |
| 2006 | 4,240 | 3,839 | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 4,333 | 3,849 | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 4,120 | 3,727 | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 4,224 | 3,731 | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 4,088 | 3,654 | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 3,956 | 3,543 | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 3,753 | 3,348 | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 3,559 | 3,148 | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 3,494 | 3,112 | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 3,688 | 3,279 | -7.5% |
| 1996 | 3,989 | 3,576 | -4.8% |
| 1995 | 4,192 | 3,669 | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 4,232 | 3,787 | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 4,164 | 3,687 | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 4,192 | 3,722 | -10.6% |
| 1991 | 4,688 | 4,194 | -9.7% |
| 1990 | 5,192 | 4,685 | -4.1% |
| 1989 | 5,412 | 4,877 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 5,392 | 4,875 | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 5,504 | 4,935 | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 5,253 | 4,683 | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 4,960 | 4,447 | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 5,020 | 4,517 | +9.8% |
| 1983 | 4,573 | 4,089 | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 4,615 | 4,119 | -10.7% |
| 1981 | 5,170 | 4,670 | -5.9% |
| 1980 | 5,496 | 4,930 | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 5,542 | 4,975 | +4.4% |
| 1978 | 5,310 | 4,724 | +9.7% |
| 1977 | 4,839 | 4,351 | +10.1% |
| 1976 | 4,395 | 3,895 | +7.4% |
| 1975 | 4,092 | 3,667 | No data |
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads and most dangerous highways in California
I-5 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in California from 2015 to 2024: 1,214, with 1,396 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 20% of all fatal crashes in California from 2015 to 2024; 8 are interstates, 2 US routes, 10 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (890 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in California, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-5 | 1,214 | 1,396 | 371 | San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange |
| 2 | US 101 | 956 | 1,029 | 298 | Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara |
| 3 | State Highway 99 | 694 | 781 | 227 | Kern, Sacramento, Stanislaus |
| 4 | I-15 | 586 | 663 | 187 | San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside |
| 5 | I-10 | 556 | 622 | 198 | Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino |
| 6 | State Highway 1 | 491 | 541 | 172 | Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange |
| 7 | I-80 | 404 | 454 | 112 | Solano, Contra Costa, Placer |
| 8 | State Highway 91 | 235 | 247 | 88 | Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange |
| 9 | State Highway 60 | 225 | 240 | 74 | Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino |
| 10 | State Highway 4 | 212 | 239 | 65 | Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Calaveras |
| 11 | State Highway 74 | 208 | 220 | 51 | Riverside, Orange |
| 12 | I-405 | 204 | 222 | 68 | Los Angeles, Orange |
| 13 | I-8 | 192 | 209 | 50 | San Diego, Imperial |
| 14 | State Highway 138 | 176 | 201 | 63 | Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern |
| 15 | State Highway 20 | 170 | 191 | 50 | Lake, Nevada, Colusa |
| 16 | I-215 | 168 | 178 | 57 | Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego |
| 17 | US 395 | 167 | 220 | 49 | San Bernardino, Lassen, Inyo |
| 18 | State Highway 41 | 162 | 186 | 44 | Fresno, Madera, Kings |
| 19 | State Highway 49 | 154 | 166 | 50 | Nevada, Placer, Calaveras |
| 20 | I-580 | 147 | 156 | 58 | Alameda, San Joaquin, Contra Costa |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every numbered road in California as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/california/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in California
Los Angeles County had the most fatal crashes in California from 2015 to 2024: 7,312, with 7,783 deaths. Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties together held 36% of fatal crashes in California from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 84%. 58 counties in California recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, Trinity County has the highest rate in California: 52.5 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 10.1 for the state as a whole. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents are hatched rather than shaded: a few crashes on a highway through a small county make a rate that says more about its population than its roads.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | Deaths per 100,000100K, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles County | 726 | 7,312 | 7,783 | 8.0 |
| 2 | San Bernardino County | 310 | 3,191 | 3,509 | 15.8 |
| 3 | Riverside County | 275 | 2,860 | 3,065 | 11.4 |
| 4 | San Diego County | 282 | 2,565 | 2,735 | 9.2 |
| 5 | Orange County | 194 | 1,982 | 2,088 | 6.3 |
| 6 | Sacramento County | 154 | 1,633 | 1,757 | 9.7 |
| 7 | Kern County | 173 | 1,630 | 1,808 | 21.0 |
| 8 | Fresno County | 150 | 1,394 | 1,575 | 16.5 |
| 9 | Santa Clara County | 96 | 1,138 | 1,195 | 5.2 |
| 10 | San Joaquin County | 123 | 1,128 | 1,237 | 17.0 |
| 11 | Alameda County | 93 | 909 | 965 | 6.1 |
| 12 | Contra Costa County | 64 | 753 | 811 | 5.6 |
| 13 | Stanislaus County | 76 | 751 | 830 | 15.8 |
| 14 | Tulare County | 67 | 718 | 793 | 14.9 |
| 15 | Ventura County | 55 | 527 | 576 | 6.9 |
| 16 | Merced County | 42 | 526 | 594 | 15.5 |
| 17 | Monterey County | 43 | 444 | 481 | 10.3 |
| 18 | Solano County | 40 | 435 | 465 | 9.0 |
| 19 | Sonoma County | 27 | 372 | 389 | 6.0 |
| 20 | Butte County | 33 | 352 | 382 | 16.3 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/california/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in California
The heaviest slot is Friday, 8 pm to midnight, with 1,532 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 8 pm to 9 pm; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.2 percent, 1,515 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 714 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 530 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 772 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 1,197 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 1,267 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.1 percent, 746 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 698 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 493 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 658 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 970 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 1,033 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.4 percent, 509 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 717 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 472 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 697 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 1,007 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 994 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.5 percent, 552 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 690 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 479 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 713 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 1,001 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 1,025 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.7 percent, 613 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 734 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 505 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 674 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 1,036 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 1,207 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.1 percent, 741 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 717 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 520 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 723 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 1,331 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 1,532 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.6 percent, 1,296 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 721 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 578 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 850 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 1,206 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 1,515 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.9%
- Feb7.3%
- Mar7.7%
- Apr7.8%
- May8.0%
- Jun8.2%
- Jul8.6%
- Aug8.8%
- Sep8.8%
- Oct9.2%
- Nov9.0%
- Dec8.9%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in California: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
30% of fatal crashes in California from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, below the US share of 43%; 27% happened at or near an intersection, above the US share of 25%; 25% in the dark on unlit roads, below the US share of 28%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| California | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 30% | 43% | below the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 27% | 25% | above the US share |
| In daylight | 38% | 46% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 32% | 21% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 25% | 28% | below the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on California roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 53% of the 3,876 people killed on California roads in 2024; pedestrians 28% (1,090), motorcyclists 14% (522), cyclists 4.2% (163).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 2,041 | 53% |
| Pedestrians | 1,090 | 28% |
| Motorcyclists | 522 | 14% |
| Cyclists | 163 | 4.2% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 60 | 1.5% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in California: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 28% of fatal crashes in California from 2015 to 2024, above the US share of 26%; speeding in 30%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 11%, above the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 4.1%, below the US share of 8.7%; 38% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, below the US share of 49%.
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (19,019 in California).
| California | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 28% | 26% | above the US share |
| Speeding | 30% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 4.1% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 38% | 49% | below the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 11% | 6.5% | above the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 16% | about the same as the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 34%; a pedestrian in 26%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 24%, a rollover in 6.2%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 12,377 | 34% |
| Pedestrian | 9,503 | 26% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 8,708 | 24% |
| Rollover | 2,289 | 6.2% |
| Other | 1,544 | 4.2% |
| Cyclist | 1,486 | 4.1% |
| Parked vehicle | 728 | 2.0% |
| Not reported | 5 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in California
Cars were 47% of the 53,183 vehicles in fatal crashes in California from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 17%, pickups 14%, motorcycles 11%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 24,887 | 47% |
| SUVs | 9,037 | 17% |
| Pickups | 7,524 | 14% |
| Motorcycles | 5,773 | 11% |
| Truck-tractors | 2,240 | 4.2% |
| Vans | 1,904 | 3.6% |
| Other trucks | 1,640 | 3.1% |
| Buses | 178 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in California per resident and per mile driven
| California | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 9.8 | 11.5 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 10.1 | 11.8 | below the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.19 | 1.19 | about the US rate |
Population 39,431,263 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 325,959 million vehicle-miles (FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-2). The only figures on this page not counted from FARS.
Questions about fatal crashes in California
- How many people died in car accidents in California in 2024?
- 3,876 people died in 3,583 fatal crashes on California roads in 2024, 7.0% fewer than in 2023. That is 9.8 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in California?
- I-5 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in California from 2015 to 2024: 1,214, with 1,396 deaths. US 101 was second with 956.
- Which county in California has the most fatal crashes?
- Los Angeles County, with 7,312 fatal crashes and 7,783 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 726 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in California happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Friday, 8 pm to midnight, with 1,532 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in California involved a drinking driver?
- 10,214 of 36,640 fatal crashes in California from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 28%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for California
Every county in California with 30 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, roads, hour and weekday, and deaths per 100,000 residents.
- Los Angeles County 7,312
- San Bernardino County 3,191
- Riverside County 2,860
- San Diego County 2,565
- Orange County 1,982
- Sacramento County 1,633
- Kern County 1,630
- Fresno County 1,394
- Santa Clara County 1,138
- San Joaquin County 1,128
- Alameda County 909
- Contra Costa County 753
- Stanislaus County 751
- Tulare County 718
- Ventura County 527
- Merced County 526
- Monterey County 444
- Solano County 435
- Sonoma County 372
- Butte County 352
- San Mateo County 345
- Santa Barbara County 339
- San Francisco County 338
- Placer County 313
- Shasta County 306
- Madera County 298
- San Luis Obispo County 286
- Imperial County 274
- Yolo County 251
- Kings County 243
- El Dorado County 222
- Humboldt County 222
- Mendocino County 207
- Santa Cruz County 201
- Lake County 163
- Sutter County 161
- Tehama County 150
- Yuba County 148
- Napa County 144
- Nevada County 137
- Siskiyou County 125
- Calaveras County 121
- Marin County 117
- Tuolumne County 114
- San Benito County 107
- Amador County 98
- Lassen County 75
- Trinity County 71
- Colusa County 69
- Del Norte County 69
- Glenn County 68
- Inyo County 68
- Plumas County 44
- Mono County 38
Road pages for California
Every numbered road in California with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
- I-10
- I-105
- I-110
- I-15
- I-210
- I-215
- I-280
- I-40
- I-405
- I-5
- I-580
- I-605
- I-680
- I-710
- I-8
- I-80
- I-805
- I-880
- State Highway 1
- State Highway 108
- State Highway 111
- State Highway 118
- State Highway 12
- State Highway 120
- State Highway 126
- State Highway 132
- State Highway 138
- State Highway 14
- State Highway 152
- State Highway 160
- State Highway 168
- State Highway 17
- State Highway 178
- State Highway 18
- State Highway 180
- State Highway 198
- State Highway 2
- State Highway 20
- State Highway 210
- State Highway 22
- State Highway 247
- State Highway 29
- State Highway 299
- State Highway 33
- State Highway 39
- State Highway 4
- State Highway 41
- State Highway 43
- State Highway 46
- State Highway 49
- State Highway 57
- State Highway 58
- State Highway 60
- State Highway 62
- State Highway 65
- State Highway 67
- State Highway 70
- State Highway 74
- State Highway 76
- State Highway 78
- State Highway 79
- State Highway 86
- State Highway 88
- State Highway 91
- State Highway 94
- State Highway 99
- US 101
- US 395
- US 50
Where the California numbers come from
Every figure on this page except the rates is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I-35", "I 35" and "I-35/PURPLE HEART TRL" are the same road); frontage roads and ramps ("I35 FRONTAGE") are left out of road counts. Totals from the state highway department and news reports can differ by a few: they count from the state's own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked and revised once a year. Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". Rates per resident and per mile use Census Bureau population estimates and FHWA vehicle-miles, the only figures not counted from FARS. The full method.