How Many Deaths Are Caused By Speeding

Speeding is a major factor in traffic deaths and injuries. The role of speeding in crashes is described in terms of its effect on the driver, the vehicle, and the road. Below outlines the NSC analysis of NHTSA FARS data for speeding accident statistics.

Table of Contents

Quick Facts

  • For more than two decades, speeding has been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities.
  • Speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2020, killing 11,258, or an average of over 30 people per day.
  • The total number of fatal motor-vehicle crashes attributable to speeding was 10,136.
  • A crash is considered speeding-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was indicated as a contributing factor in the crash.
  • 2020 marked a reversal regarding the recent progress that has been made in reducing speeding-related deaths. Speeding-related deaths increased 17% from 2019 and were the most deaths recorded since 2008. Speeding deaths now represent 29% of all traffic fatalities, up from 26% in 2019.
  • The proportion of speeding-related crashes to all fatal crashes in 2020 decreased as the age of the driver increased.
  • Young male drivers in the 15-20 and 21-24 year age groups were the most likely to be speeding at the time of fatal crashes. In 2020, at least 32% of male drivers in these age groups that were involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the crash, compared to 18% of female drivers in these two youngest age groups.
  • In 2020, speeding was a factor in fatal crashes for 45% on roads with moving or standing water.
  • In 2020, there were 1,228 traffic fatalities related to speeding in California, second to Texas at 1,446.

Speeding-related fatalities by year

Speeding-related fatalities by year
YearSpeeding- related deaths
200012,552
200112,924
200213,799
200313,499
200413,291
200513,583
200613,609
200713,140
200811,767
200910,664
201010,508
201110,001
201210,329
20139,696
20149,283
20159,723
201610,291
20179,947
20189,579
20199,592
202011,258

Percent of total traffic deaths related to speeding

Percent of total traffic deaths related to speeding
YearPercent of total traffic deaths related to speed
200030%
200131%
200232%
200331%
200431%
200531%
200632%
200732%
200831%
200931%
201032%
201131%
201231%
201329%
201428%
201527%
201627%
201727%
201826%
201926%
202029%

Speeding related deaths by state, 2020

Speeding related deaths by state, 2020
StateTotal speeding related deaths
Alabama265
Alaska23
Arizona353
Arkansas164
California1,228
Colorado287
Connecticut96
Delaware33
District of Columbia16
Florida285
Georgia380
Hawaii37
Idaho62
Illinois460
Indiana238
Iowa61
Kansas102
Kentucky162
Louisiana189
Maine47
Maryland163
Massachusetts97
Michigan292
Minnesota122
Mississippi126
Missouri421
Montana83
Nebraska39
Nevada93
New Hampshire37
New Jersey142
New Mexico160
New York378
North Carolina489
North Dakota26
Ohio340
Oklahoma156
Oregon124
Pennsylvania459
Rhode Island20
South Carolina494
South Dakota42
Tennessee187
Texas1,446
Utah72
Vermont17
Virginia260
Washington167
West Virginia60
Wisconsin216
Wyoming42

Sources

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