An estimated 36,640 people died in traffic crashes across the United States in 2025, and 39,254 died in 2024, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In Illinois, roughly 1,196 people died in traffic crashes in 2024, including 217 pedestrians, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s 2024 Crash Facts. Below is what the most current federal and state data actually shows, where each number comes from, and what it means if you or someone you love becomes one of these statistics.
How Many People Die in Car Accidents Each Year?
Nationally, traffic deaths have been falling since 2021’s post-pandemic spike. NHTSA’s own numbers:
- 2025 (preliminary): ~36,640 deaths, down 6.7% from 2024. That’s the second-lowest fatality rate ever recorded (1.10 deaths per 100 million miles driven).
- 2024 (final): 39,254 deaths, a fatality rate of 1.19 per 100 million miles driven
Of the 2024 total, passenger vehicle occupants made up 58% of deaths (22,713), pedestrians 18% (7,080), motorcyclists 16% (6,228), and bicyclists roughly 3% (1,075), per the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s 2024 Fatality Facts.
How Many Car Accident Deaths Happen in Illinois?
Illinois recorded roughly 303,913 total crashes in 2024, including 1,085 fatal crashes and 63,109 injury crashes, resulting in approximately 1,196 deaths, including 217 pedestrians, according to IDOT’s 2024 Crash Facts report. That’s a meaningful drop from 1,241 fatalities in 2023 and 1,268 in 2022, per NHTSA’s Illinois state data.
Cook County, which includes Chicago, consistently accounts for the largest share of the state’s traffic deaths simply because it has the most drivers, the most miles driven, and the densest mix of vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians sharing the same roads.
Who Is Most at Risk? Age and Gender Differences
Men account for roughly 2.6 times as many traffic deaths as women nationally (28,385 vs. 10,764 in 2024), driven by a combination of more miles driven and higher rates of speeding and impaired driving, according to IIHS data. Age plays a role too: drivers 16–19 have the highest speeding-related fatal crash rate of any age group. For the full breakdown, including alcohol and speeding involvement by gender, see who causes more car accidents, men or women.
Pedestrians and Cyclists Carry a Disproportionate Share of the Risk
7,080 pedestrians and 1,075 bicyclists were killed nationally in 2024. Together, that’s nearly a fifth of all traffic deaths, despite representing a small fraction of vehicle miles traveled. Illinois recorded 217 pedestrian deaths in 2024 alone. Unlike a car occupant, a pedestrian or cyclist has no structure around them at all, which is why even a relatively low-speed crash can cause catastrophic injury.
What These Numbers Actually Mean for a Case
Statistics don’t settle a claim, but they explain a lot about how insurance companies think. A few practical takeaways:
- Fault isn’t the same as blame culture. The gender and age data above shows real statistical patterns in risk, not a rule about who’s at fault in any specific crash. Illinois decides fault case by case, under its own modified comparative fault rule, not by demographic averages.
- Pedestrian and cyclist cases tend to involve more severe injuries, which is exactly why insurers scrutinize them more closely and why documentation matters more, not less.
- A falling national death rate doesn’t mean claims are getting simpler. Vehicles have gotten safer, but that doesn’t change how insurance companies fight injury claims. It just means fewer crashes end in a fatality and more end in a long recovery and a disputed settlement.
If you were hurt in a crash, whether you were driving, walking, cycling, or riding a motorcycle, a Chicago car accident lawyer can help you understand what your specific case is actually worth, rather than what a national average suggests. Phillips Law Offices has represented injured clients in Illinois since 1945. Call (312) 346-4262 for a free consultation, or reach out online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people die in car accidents every year in the U.S.?
An estimated 36,640 people died in traffic crashes in 2025, and 39,254 died in 2024, according to NHTSA. The rate has been declining since a post-pandemic peak in 2021.
How many car accident deaths are there in Illinois each year?
Illinois recorded approximately 1,196 traffic deaths in 2024, including 217 pedestrians, according to IDOT’s 2024 Crash Facts report. That’s down from 1,241 in 2023 and 1,268 in 2022.
Do men or women cause more car accidents?
Men account for roughly 2.6 times as many traffic deaths as women (28,385 vs. 10,764 in 2024), and have higher rates of speeding and driving while impaired, per IIHS data. That reflects statistical patterns in risk, not a determination of fault in any individual case.
What percentage of traffic deaths are pedestrians?
Pedestrians made up about 18% of all U.S. traffic deaths in 2024 (7,080 deaths), and cyclists made up roughly 3% (1,075 deaths), according to IIHS.
Related reading:
Motorcycle Accident Rate vs. Car: Statistics & Safety Comparison
What to Do After a Car Accident in Illinois
What Is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident in Illinois?
