Road deaths over the long term in United States
United States: Road deaths over the long term was 42,939 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
42,939
Change on year
up 10.1%
World rank
3rd
of 65 countries
All-time high
55,043
in 1969
All-time low
36
in 1900
Years of data
122
1900–2021
Road deaths over the long term in United States, 1900–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
United States recorded 42,939 for road deaths over the long term in 2021.
The figure is up 10.1% on the previous year and up 32.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, road deaths over the long term in United States peaked at 55,043 in 1969 and was at its lowest, 36, in 1900.
That places United States 3rd out of 65 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 122 years of available data.
Road deaths over the long term in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 36 | — |
| 1901 | 54 | +50.0% |
| 1902 | 79 | +46.3% |
| 1903 | 117 | +48.1% |
| 1904 | 172 | +47.0% |
| 1905 | 252 | +46.5% |
| 1906 | 338 | +34.1% |
| 1907 | 581 | +71.9% |
| 1908 | 751 | +29.3% |
| 1909 | 1,174 | +56.3% |
| 1910 | 1,599 | +36.2% |
| 1911 | 2,043 | +27.8% |
| 1912 | 2,968 | +45.3% |
| 1913 | 4,079 | +37.4% |
| 1914 | 4,468 | +9.5% |
| 1915 | 6,779 | +51.7% |
| 1916 | 7,766 | +14.6% |
| 1917 | 9,630 | +24.0% |
| 1918 | 10,390 | +7.9% |
| 1919 | 10,896 | +4.9% |
| 1920 | 12,155 | +11.6% |
| 1921 | 13,253 | +9.0% |
| 1922 | 14,859 | +12.1% |
| 1923 | 17,870 | +20.3% |
| 1924 | 18,400 | +3.0% |
| 1925 | 20,771 | +12.9% |
| 1926 | 22,194 | +6.9% |
| 1927 | 24,470 | +10.3% |
| 1928 | 26,557 | +8.5% |
| 1929 | 29,592 | +11.4% |
| 1930 | 31,204 | +5.4% |
| 1931 | 31,963 | +2.4% |
| 1932 | 27,979 | -12.5% |
| 1933 | 29,746 | +6.3% |
| 1934 | 34,240 | +15.1% |
| 1935 | 34,494 | +0.7% |
| 1936 | 36,126 | +4.7% |
| 1937 | 37,819 | +4.7% |
| 1938 | 31,083 | -17.8% |
| 1939 | 30,895 | -0.6% |
| 1940 | 32,914 | +6.5% |
| 1941 | 38,142 | +15.9% |
| 1942 | 27,007 | -29.2% |
| 1943 | 22,727 | -15.8% |
| 1944 | 23,165 | +1.9% |
| 1945 | 26,785 | +15.6% |
| 1946 | 31,874 | +19.0% |
| 1947 | 31,193 | -2.1% |
| 1948 | 30,775 | -1.3% |
| 1949 | 30,246 | -1.7% |
| 1950 | 33,186 | +9.7% |
| 1951 | 35,309 | +6.4% |
| 1952 | 36,088 | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 36,190 | +0.3% |
| 1954 | 33,890 | -6.4% |
| 1955 | 36,688 | +8.3% |
| 1956 | 37,965 | +3.5% |
| 1957 | 36,932 | -2.7% |
| 1958 | 35,331 | -4.3% |
| 1959 | 36,223 | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 36,399 | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 36,285 | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 38,980 | +7.4% |
| 1963 | 41,723 | +7.0% |
| 1964 | 45,645 | +9.4% |
| 1965 | 47,089 | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 50,894 | +8.1% |
| 1967 | 51,559 | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 53,763 | +4.3% |
| 1969 | 55,043 | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 52,627 | -4.4% |
| 1971 | 52,542 | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 54,589 | +3.9% |
| 1973 | 54,052 | -1.0% |
| 1974 | 45,196 | -16.4% |
| 1975 | 44,525 | -1.5% |
| 1976 | 45,523 | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 47,878 | +5.2% |
| 1978 | 50,331 | +5.1% |
| 1979 | 51,093 | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 51,091 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 49,301 | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 43,945 | -10.9% |
| 1983 | 42,589 | -3.1% |
| 1984 | 44,257 | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 43,825 | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 46,087 | +5.2% |
| 1987 | 46,390 | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 47,087 | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 45,582 | -3.2% |
| 1990 | 44,599 | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 41,508 | -6.9% |
| 1992 | 39,250 | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 40,150 | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 40,716 | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 41,817 | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 42,065 | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 42,013 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 41,501 | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 41,717 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 41,945 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 42,196 | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 43,005 | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 42,884 | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 42,836 | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 43,510 | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 42,708 | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 41,259 | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 37,423 | -9.3% |
| 2009 | 33,883 | -9.5% |
| 2010 | 32,999 | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 32,479 | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 33,782 | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 32,893 | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 32,744 | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 35,484 | +8.4% |
| 2016 | 37,806 | +6.5% |
| 2017 | 37,473 | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 36,835 | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 36,355 | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 39,007 | +7.3% |
| 2021 | 42,939 | +10.1% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 42,939 is above the median for high income countries, which is 528, 81.3× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Road deaths over the long term in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1907 | +71.9% | 338 | 581 |
| 1909 | +56.3% | 751 | 1,174 |
| 1915 | +51.7% | 4,468 | 6,779 |
| 1901 | +50.0% | 36 | 54 |
| 1903 | +48.1% | 79 | 117 |
| 1904 | +47.0% | 117 | 172 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 355.4 | 36 | 1,174 | 10 |
| 1910s | 6,062 | 1,599 | 10,896 | 10 |
| 1920s | 20,012 | 12,155 | 29,592 | 10 |
| 1930s | 32,555 | 27,979 | 37,819 | 10 |
| 1940s | 29,483 | 22,727 | 38,142 | 10 |
| 1950s | 35,780 | 33,186 | 37,965 | 10 |
| 1960s | 45,738 | 36,285 | 55,043 | 10 |
| 1970s | 49,836 | 44,525 | 54,589 | 10 |
| 1980s | 46,015 | 42,589 | 51,091 | 10 |
| 1990s | 41,534 | 39,250 | 44,599 | 10 |
| 2000s | 41,165 | 33,883 | 43,510 | 10 |
| 2010s | 34,885 | 32,479 | 37,806 | 10 |
| 2020s | 40,973 | 39,007 | 42,939 | 2 |
Countries ranked near United States
More health data for United States
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,015 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is road deaths over the long term in United States?
- Road deaths over the long term in United States was 42,939 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest road deaths over the long term recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 55,043 in 1969.
- What is the lowest road deaths over the long term recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 36 in 1900.
- How does United States rank for road deaths over the long term?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 65 countries with data for 2021.
- Is road deaths over the long term rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Road deaths over the long term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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