Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers | November 14, 2021 | Car Accidents

Child Traffic Fatalities Statistics By Year

It’s nothing less than a tragedy when personal injury affects a child – especially if the car accident was preventable or caused by the negligence of another person.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Deaths of children younger than 13 in motor vehicle crashes have declined since 1975, but crashes still cause 1 of every 4 unintentional injury deaths. Most crash deaths occur among children traveling as passenger vehicle occupants, and proper restraint use can reduce these fatalities. Restraining children in rear seats instead of front seats reduces fatal injury risk by about three-quarters for children up to age 3, and almost half for children ages 4 to 8.

The tables and graphs below are based on information from IIHS and data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

2019 Highlights & Takeaways

  • Seventy-three percent of child motor vehicle crash deaths in 2019 were passenger vehicle occupants, 16 percent were pedestrians, and 4 percent were bicyclists.
  • The rate of motor vehicle crash deaths per million children younger than 13 has decreased 80 percent overall since 1975.
  • Fourteen percent of the passenger vehicle child occupant deaths in 2019 occurred in front seats. It is recommended that children 12 and younger ride in the rear seats of vehicles.
  • Children younger than 13 represented 16 percent of the U.S. population in 2019 and 2 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths.
  • Since 1975, fatality rates dropped 77 percent for infants, 75 percent for children ages 1-3, 52 percent for children ages 4-8, and 49 percent for children ages 9-12.
  • In 2019, passenger vehicle occupants accounted for the majority of motor vehicle crash deaths for all age groups of children.
  • More children were killed in motor vehicle crashes on Saturdays in 2019 (20 percent) than on any other day of the week.
  • Twenty-two percent of the deaths of children in motor vehicle crashes in 2019 occurred between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., and 20 percent occurred between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
  • The proportion of children killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2019 was greater during the months of May and June (11 percent each month) compared with other months of the year.

Motor vehicle deaths among children younger than 13 by type, 1975-2019

YearPassenger Vehicle OccupantsPedestriansBicyclistsTotal
19751,3841,6324463,643
19761,3431,5223943,424
19771,4051,3903953,347
19781,3951,4193873,367
19791,3311,2913623,171
19801,3311,1833463,048
19811,1891,0643322,733
19821,1589862652,573
19831,1349442982,518
19841,0819352532,422
19851,1319252782,469
19861,1889132932,537
19871,3128982972,654
19881,3549052842,701
19891,4697862762,658
19901,2687681852,332
19911,2346952262,257
19921,2336352152,165
19931,2216442032,164
19941,3446592052,301
19951,3395971972,201
19961,3465701642,186
19971,3305131722,108
19981,3334641522,032
19991,3114491411,997
20001,2644031361,888
20011,179363981,751
20021,131317921,617
20031,114327931,643
20041,173293821,645
20051,077274791,529
20061,013267761,430
2007905243571,269
2008699215571,047
2009756201521,066
201065321236962
201165616939908
201264120839958
201364020835940
201460416739875
201566818731946
2016730198351,033
201768417331949
201864116526890
201961213830844

Passenger vehicle child occupant deaths by age, 1975-2019

YearLess than 11 – 3 years old4-8 years old9 – 12 years old
1976173393436341
1977188412459346
1978192406455342
1979171384473303
1980190396403342
1981172332401284
1982164352365277
1983157353372252
1984132301377271
1985130326385290
1986130360409289
1987160387467298
1988183385484302
1989183402526358
1990162343447316
1991143339442310
1992127349442315
1993152361431277
1994160379486319
1995153346484356
1996178346486336
1997133327502368
1998138304512379
1999142310497362
2000131311458364
2001106290450333
2002107272405347
2003120265401328
2004121301406345
2005119247417294
2006115247375276
200796225335249
200878163269189
200969180288219
201059178256160
201159157252188
201254191237159
201349162250179
201447135249173
201550173256189
201663178284205
201776173249186
201861160238182
201953126248185

For the full report from IIHS, see Fatality Facts 2019: Children.

Families are deeply affected in cases of catastrophic injury to a child, and justice must be sought. You are not alone in the fight to bring justice to your child. We are here to fight with you. We are here to help.

Whether you are coping with the injury or loss of a child, our children’s injury lawyers can help you file a claim against the responsible party. Our San Diego personal injury attorneys are compassionate people who understand the difficulties of your circumstances and we want to help. We are committed to fighting hard on your child’s behalf so the negligent person or company is held responsible for the tragic situation at hand.

Contact the Car Accident Lawyers of Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers in San Diego, CA for Help Today

For more information, contact an experienced car accident lawyer at Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation today.

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Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers – San Diego Office
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(858) 551-2090

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