Fatal crashes in the United States in 1975
In 1975, 44,525 people died in 39,161 fatal crashes on US roads. That is about 122 deaths a day.
US road deaths since 1975, with 1975 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 1975
California, Texas and New York together had 22% of the deaths.
| State | Deaths, 1975 | Fatal crashes | Change on 1974 | Per 100,000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,092 | 3,667 | ||
| 2 | Texas | 3,372 | 2,892 | ||
| 3 | New York | 2,366 | 2,123 | ||
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 2,078 | 1,870 | ||
| 5 | Illinois | 2,041 | 1,823 | ||
| 6 | Florida | 1,998 | 1,782 | ||
| 7 | Michigan | 1,779 | 1,584 | ||
| 8 | Ohio | 1,766 | 1,593 | ||
| 9 | North Carolina | 1,506 | 1,343 | ||
| 10 | Georgia | 1,360 | 1,170 | ||
| 11 | Indiana | 1,128 | 976 | ||
| 12 | Tennessee | 1,126 | 987 | ||
| 13 | Missouri | 1,045 | 896 | ||
| 14 | New Jersey | 1,043 | 923 | ||
| 15 | Virginia | 993 | 867 | ||
| 16 | Louisiana | 934 | 813 | ||
| 17 | Wisconsin | 930 | 806 | ||
| 18 | Alabama | 902 | 765 | ||
| 19 | Massachusetts | 864 | 788 | ||
| 20 | Kentucky | 863 | 751 | ||
| 21 | South Carolina | 820 | 711 | ||
| 22 | Washington | 758 | 668 | ||
| 23 | Oklahoma | 757 | 653 | ||
| 24 | Minnesota | 754 | 665 | ||
| 25 | Arizona | 670 | 593 | ||
| 26 | Iowa | 670 | 575 | ||
| 27 | Maryland | 670 | 598 | ||
| 28 | Colorado | 581 | 507 | ||
| 29 | Oregon | 562 | 502 | ||
| 30 | Arkansas | 559 | 475 | ||
| 31 | New Mexico | 555 | 466 | ||
| 32 | Mississippi | 546 | 483 | ||
| 33 | Kansas | 509 | 433 | ||
| 34 | West Virginia | 461 | 401 | ||
| 35 | Connecticut | 389 | 358 | ||
| 36 | Nebraska | 369 | 317 | ||
| 37 | Montana | 291 | 241 | ||
| 38 | Idaho | 281 | 235 | ||
| 39 | Utah | 272 | 243 | ||
| 40 | Maine | 223 | 200 | ||
| 41 | Nevada | 218 | 190 | ||
| 42 | Wyoming | 210 | 172 | ||
| 43 | South Dakota | 195 | 160 | ||
| 44 | North Dakota | 167 | 137 | ||
| 45 | New Hampshire | 151 | 138 | ||
| 46 | Hawaii | 144 | 129 | ||
| 47 | Vermont | 143 | 119 | ||
| 48 | Delaware | 122 | 105 | ||
| 49 | Alaska | 112 | 98 | ||
| 50 | Rhode Island | 110 | 100 | ||
| 51 | District of Columbia | 70 | 70 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Rates per 100,000 residents are given for 2015 onward, the years the site holds population estimates for.
Questions about fatal crashes in the United States in 1975
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 1975?
- 44,525 people died in 39,161 fatal crashes on US public roads in 1975. That is about 122 deaths a day.
- Which state had the most road deaths in 1975?
- California, with 4,092 deaths in 3,667 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,372 and New York third with 2,366.
- Is 1975 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 1975 figures are final.
Where the 1975 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 1975, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. The full method.