Deaths from motor vehicles in California 2014-2020
In 2020, the state of California reported around 3,723 motor-vehicle deaths, a slight increase from the year before. The majority of deaths from motor vehicles in California involve passenger cars, with light trucks and then motorcycles accounting for a smaller portion of such deaths. Death from motor-vehicles remains a relevant problem across the United States.
Motor-vehicle deaths in the United States
In the United States, a person’s lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident is around 1 in 107. Death rates from motor vehicles have decreased in recent years and are significantly lower than the rates recorded in the 1970s and 1980s. This is due to a mass improvement in car safety standards and features. For example, most states now have laws against not wearing safety belts.
Drinking and driving
One of the biggest causes of motor-vehicle deaths is driving while under the influence of alcohol. This can be especially dangerous among younger people. The state of Arkansas reports the highest percentage of high school students who drove a vehicle when they had been drinking alcohol, with almost 11 percent of students stating they had done so. The day with the second highest average number of motor-vehicle deaths in the U.S. is the fourth of July, highlighting the dangers of drinking and driving.
Motor-vehicle deaths in the United States
In the United States, a person’s lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident is around 1 in 107. Death rates from motor vehicles have decreased in recent years and are significantly lower than the rates recorded in the 1970s and 1980s. This is due to a mass improvement in car safety standards and features. For example, most states now have laws against not wearing safety belts.
Drinking and driving
One of the biggest causes of motor-vehicle deaths is driving while under the influence of alcohol. This can be especially dangerous among younger people. The state of Arkansas reports the highest percentage of high school students who drove a vehicle when they had been drinking alcohol, with almost 11 percent of students stating they had done so. The day with the second highest average number of motor-vehicle deaths in the U.S. is the fourth of July, highlighting the dangers of drinking and driving.
