Fatal crashes in the United States in 1979
In 1979, 51,093 people died in 45,223 fatal crashes on US roads, 1.5% more than in 1978. That is about 140 deaths a day.
1978 · 1980 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 1979 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 1979
California, Texas and Florida together had 24% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 28 states and fell in 23 on the year before; the largest change was in Vermont, 34% up. 1979 was the peak year since 1975.
| State | Deaths, 1979 | Fatal crashes | Change on 1978 | Per 100,000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 5,542 | 4,975 | 4.4% | |
| 2 | Texas | 4,168 | 3,628 | 6.5% | |
| 3 | Florida | 2,593 | 2,322 | 16.0% | |
| 4 | New York | 2,396 | 2,217 | -1.6% | |
| 5 | Ohio | 2,281 | 2,010 | 11.4% | |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 2,153 | 1,923 | 3.5% | |
| 7 | Illinois | 2,017 | 1,777 | -5.7% | |
| 8 | Michigan | 1,823 | 1,638 | -9.8% | |
| 9 | North Carolina | 1,527 | 1,352 | 2.3% | |
| 10 | Georgia | 1,524 | 1,331 | 3.5% | |
| 11 | Indiana | 1,299 | 1,147 | 2.6% | |
| 12 | Tennessee | 1,210 | 1,045 | -2.5% | |
| 13 | Louisiana | 1,195 | 1,050 | 10.8% | |
| 14 | Missouri | 1,147 | 989 | -3.6% | |
| 15 | New Jersey | 1,142 | 1,052 | 1.6% | |
| 16 | Arizona | 1,029 | 876 | 0.2% | |
| 17 | Virginia | 1,016 | 923 | -4.4% | |
| 18 | Washington | 1,015 | 894 | 3.0% | |
| 19 | Alabama | 998 | 885 | -12.6% | |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 985 | 867 | 1.4% | |
| 21 | Massachusetts | 917 | 855 | 6.5% | |
| 22 | South Carolina | 900 | 795 | 1.9% | |
| 23 | Kentucky | 896 | 795 | 2.1% | |
| 24 | Minnesota | 867 | 776 | -9.9% | |
| 25 | Oklahoma | 853 | 733 | -5.3% | |
| 26 | Mississippi | 715 | 630 | -8.8% | |
| 27 | Colorado | 691 | 618 | -0.4% | |
| 28 | Oregon | 676 | 601 | -4.5% | |
| 29 | Maryland | 671 | 605 | -5.6% | |
| 30 | Iowa | 655 | 566 | 2.7% | |
| 31 | New Mexico | 633 | 555 | -5.4% | |
| 32 | Connecticut | 568 | 514 | 25.7% | |
| 33 | Arkansas | 548 | 476 | -4.0% | |
| 34 | Kansas | 519 | 451 | -9.3% | |
| 35 | West Virginia | 512 | 446 | 12.0% | |
| 36 | Nevada | 354 | 298 | 16.1% | |
| 37 | Idaho | 333 | 285 | 1.8% | |
| 38 | Montana | 332 | 275 | 23.0% | |
| 39 | Nebraska | 330 | 277 | -2.9% | |
| 40 | Utah | 321 | 282 | -13.2% | |
| 41 | Wyoming | 244 | 198 | 1.2% | |
| 42 | Maine | 236 | 200 | -0.4% | |
| 43 | South Dakota | 211 | 169 | 10.5% | |
| 44 | Hawaii | 205 | 183 | 5.7% | |
| 45 | New Hampshire | 184 | 159 | 7.6% | |
| 46 | Vermont | 159 | 130 | 33.6% | |
| 47 | North Dakota | 128 | 114 | -29.3% | |
| 48 | Rhode Island | 123 | 105 | 13.9% | |
| 49 | Delaware | 118 | 109 | -5.6% | |
| 50 | Alaska | 90 | 80 | -29.1% | |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 44 | 42 | -10.2% |
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 1979
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 1979?
- 51,093 people died in 45,223 fatal crashes on US public roads in 1979, 1.5% more than in 1978. That is about 140 deaths a day.
- Which state had the most road deaths in 1979?
- California, with 5,542 deaths in 4,975 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 4,168 and Florida third with 2,593.
- Is 1979 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 1979 figures are final.
Where the 1979 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 1979, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. The full method.