Special Report

Cities Where the Most People Die in Car Crashes

Getty Images

There were 40,100 traffic fatalities and another 4.57 million crash-related injuries serious enough to require medical attention in the United States last year, according to the National Safety Council. While that rate was down very slightly from the previous year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that motor-vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death nationwide.

24/7 Wall St. has compiled statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealing which American cities record the most traffic deaths each year.

Among the factors that contribute to car accidents, fatal and otherwise, are speeding, alcohol or drug use, fatigue, uncorrected poor eyesight, and distracted driving (which these days often involves texting or other cell phone use, a factor police officers say is underreported in accident records).

Other potential causes, not under the driver’s control, include bad weather, poor road conditions (badly maintained surfaces, obstructed visibility), vehicle issues (bad brakes, faulty turn signals), and even demographics: Young males or groups of young people riding in the same car are particularly susceptible to mishap.

Click here for the U.S. cities with the most traffic deaths per year.

Sex and economic status impact the statistics, as well. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute, many more men than women die in auto accidents each year: 71% of motor vehicle fatalities in 2016 were male. The Institute ascribes this imbalance to the fact that men drive many more miles annually than women and are more likely to engage in risky behavior, including speeding, not wearing seatbelts, and driving while alcohol-impaired. And according to the World Health Organization’s “Global Status Report on Road Safety,” low- and middle-income countries worldwide have approximately twice as many annual road traffic fatalities per capita as high-income countries.

While cities on this list span the nation, it seems major urban areas on the East Coast might actually be the safest places to drive. Only one city in the region was among the 10 most dangerous locales, and only six appear on our list of 52 in all. The part of the country with the most fatalities? The South, including Texas, has the dubious claim of representing almost half of the cities our list.

To identify the cities that have the most traffic accidents per year, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the number of fatal car accidents in each city from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for 2016. Population was obtained from the American Community Survey 2012-2016 5-year averages.

lisafx / Getty Images

52. St. Petersburg, Florida
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 33
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 8

[in-text-ad]

modds / Getty Images

51. Long Beach, California
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 33
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 5

ACarnography / Getty Images

50. Mobile, Alabama
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 33
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 3

NASAPhotog / Getty Images

49. Orlando, Florida
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 34
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 6

[in-text-ad-2]

floridastock / Getty Images

48. Baltimore, Maryland
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 35
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 6

KSwinicki / Getty Images

47. Wichita, Kansas
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 35
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 6

[in-text-ad]

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

46. Birmingham, Alabama
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 36
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 6

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

45. Stockton, California
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 38
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 14

SquatchPhotography / Getty Images

44. Portland, Oregon
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 42
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 11

[in-text-ad-2]

SimeonDonov / Getty Images

43. Bakersfield, California
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 42
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 15

LOUOATES / Getty Images

42. Mesa, Arizona
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 43
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 8

[in-text-ad]

RudyBalasko / Getty Images

41. Cleveland, Ohio
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 44
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 22

Meinzahn / Getty Images

40. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 44
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 11

janniswerner / Getty Images

39. Miami, Florida
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 45
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 3

[in-text-ad-2]

tracilawson / Flickr

38. Bronx, New York, New York
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 47
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 5

meaganjean / Flickr

37. Tulsa, Oklahoma
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 48
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 21

[in-text-ad]

xavierarnau / Getty Images

36. Manhattan, New York, New York
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 48
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 3

Joel Carillet / Getty Images

35. Lexington, Kentucky
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 48
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 11

jmoor17 / Getty Images

34. Sacramento, California
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 48
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 13
> Population: 484,530

[in-text-ad-2]

BanksPhotos / Getty Images

33. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 49
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 11

Pgiam / Getty Images

32. Tampa, Florida
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 49
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 11

[in-text-ad]

milehightraveler / Getty Images

31. Denver, Colorado
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 49
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 16

FilippoBacci / Getty Images

30. Brooklyn, New York, New York
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 51
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 5

peeterv / Getty Images

29. New Orleans, Louisiana
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 51
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 18
> Population: 382,922

[in-text-ad-2]

peeterv / Getty Images

28. Tucson, Arizona
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 52
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 10

Grubish / Getty Images

27. Columbus, Ohio
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 53
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 25

[in-text-ad]

hanker81 / Getty Images

26. Las Vegas, Nevada
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 53
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 14

snipes213 / Getty Images

25. Kansas City, Missouri
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 53
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 20

Thinkstock / Getty Images

24. San Jose, California
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 55
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 19
> Population: 1,009,363

[in-text-ad-2]

B&M Noskowski / Getty Images

23. Queens, New York, New York
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 57
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 8

DWalker44 / Getty Images

22. St. Louis, Missouri
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 57
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 19

[in-text-ad]

Bill Chizek / Getty Images

21. El Paso, Texas
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 62
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 18

ferrantraite / Getty Images

20. Atlanta, Georgia
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 62
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 10

FangXiaNuo / Getty Images

19. Nashville, Tennessee
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 63
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 17
> Population: 643,771

[in-text-ad-2]

peeterv / Getty Images

18. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 73
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 17

RoschetzkyIstockPhoto / Getty Images

17. Austin, Texas
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 79
> Number of crashes involving drunk driving: 11

[in-text-ad]

AndreyKrav / Getty Images

16. Fort Worth, Texas
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 82
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 18

catnap72 / Getty Images

15. Louisville, Kentucky
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 83
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 19

digidreamgrafix / Getty Images

14. Charlotte, North Carolina
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 86
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 31
> Population: 808,834

[in-text-ad-2]

Art Wager / Getty Images

13. San Diego, California
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 88
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 26

KateLeigh / Getty Images

12. Albuquerque, New Mexico
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 90
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 31

[in-text-ad]

RudyBalasko / Getty Images

11. Indianapolis, Indiana
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 90
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 18

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

10. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 93
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 11

Peeter Viisimaa / Getty Images

9. Detroit, Michigan
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 108
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 30
> Population: 683,443

[in-text-ad-2]

LawrenceSawyer / Getty Images

8. Memphis, Tennessee
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 117
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 16

Gargolas / Getty Images

7. Chicago, Illinois
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 117
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 24

[in-text-ad]

Peeter Viisimaa / Getty Images

6. Jacksonville, Florida
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 140
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 42

typhoonski / Getty Images

5. Dallas, Texas
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 174
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 52

dszc / Getty Images

4. San Antonio, Texas
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 180
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 38

[in-text-ad-2]

photoquest7 / Getty Images

3. Phoenix, Arizona
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 215
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 50

Thomas Northcut / Getty Images

2. Houston, Texas
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 239
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 97

[in-text-ad]

egdigital / Getty Images

1. Los Angeles, California
> Number of fatal crashes in 2016: 305
> Number of fatal crashes involving drunk driving: 46

Want to Retire Early? Start Here (Sponsor)

Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?

Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.

Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.

 

Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!

By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.

By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.