Fatal crashes in the United States in 1991
In 1991, 41,508 people died in 36,937 fatal crashes on US roads, 6.9% fewer than in 1990. That is about 114 deaths a day. In 1992, deaths fell to 39,250, 5.4% fewer than in 1991.
1990 · 1992 · All states today.
US road deaths since 1975, with 1991 marked
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.
Road deaths by state in 1991
California, Texas and Florida together had 25% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 11 states and fell in 40 on the year before; the largest change was in District of Columbia, 31% up.
| State | Deaths, 1991 | Fatal crashes | Change on 1990 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,688 | 4,194 | -9.7% |
| 2 | Texas | 3,078 | 2,697 | -5.3% |
| 3 | Florida | 2,463 | 2,217 | -14.8% |
| 4 | New York | 2,008 | 1,827 | -9.4% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 1,661 | 1,510 | +0.9% |
| 6 | Ohio | 1,636 | 1,451 | -0.1% |
| 7 | Illinois | 1,448 | 1,289 | -8.9% |
| 8 | Michigan | 1,421 | 1,287 | -9.5% |
| 9 | Georgia | 1,389 | 1,226 | -11.1% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 1,369 | 1,213 | -1.2% |
| 11 | Alabama | 1,116 | 984 | -0.4% |
| 12 | Tennessee | 1,113 | 1,002 | -5.4% |
| 13 | Indiana | 1,022 | 903 | -2.6% |
| 14 | Missouri | 1,011 | 906 | -7.8% |
| 15 | Virginia | 948 | 845 | -12.1% |
| 16 | South Carolina | 890 | 789 | -9.1% |
| 17 | Louisiana | 862 | 783 | -10.1% |
| 18 | Kentucky | 826 | 722 | -2.7% |
| 19 | Arizona | 816 | 727 | -6.1% |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 797 | 677 | +3.6% |
| 21 | New Jersey | 783 | 737 | -11.6% |
| 22 | Mississippi | 714 | 606 | -4.8% |
| 23 | Maryland | 694 | 629 | -1.8% |
| 24 | Washington | 682 | 602 | -17.3% |
| 25 | Oklahoma | 652 | 551 | +1.7% |
| 26 | Arkansas | 608 | 530 | +0.7% |
| 27 | Massachusetts | 552 | 510 | -8.8% |
| 28 | Colorado | 543 | 480 | -0.2% |
| 29 | Minnesota | 531 | 469 | -6.2% |
| 30 | Iowa | 488 | 423 | +4.9% |
| 31 | Oregon | 482 | 423 | -16.8% |
| 32 | New Mexico | 469 | 422 | -6.0% |
| 33 | West Virginia | 414 | 371 | -13.9% |
| 34 | Kansas | 409 | 350 | -7.9% |
| 35 | Connecticut | 310 | 281 | -19.5% |
| 36 | Nevada | 298 | 261 | -13.1% |
| 37 | Nebraska | 275 | 242 | +5.0% |
| 38 | Utah | 271 | 229 | -0.4% |
| 39 | Idaho | 264 | 221 | +8.2% |
| 40 | Maine | 205 | 181 | -3.8% |
| 41 | Montana | 200 | 172 | -5.7% |
| 42 | New Hampshire | 144 | 135 | -8.9% |
| 43 | South Dakota | 143 | 130 | -6.5% |
| 44 | Hawaii | 135 | 119 | -23.7% |
| 45 | Wyoming | 122 | 104 | -2.4% |
| 46 | Vermont | 110 | 100 | +22.2% |
| 47 | Delaware | 102 | 90 | -26.1% |
| 48 | Alaska | 101 | 90 | +3.1% |
| 49 | North Dakota | 94 | 86 | -16.1% |
| 50 | Rhode Island | 88 | 84 | +4.8% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 63 | 60 | +31.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every state in every year as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/1991/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
Rates per 100,000 residents are given for 2015 onward, the years the site holds population estimates for.
Questions about US road deaths in 1991
- How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 1991?
- 41,508 people died in 36,937 fatal crashes on US public roads in 1991, 6.9% fewer than in 1990. That is about 114 deaths a day. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Which state had the most road deaths in 1991?
- California, with 4,688 deaths in 4,194 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,078 and Florida third with 2,463.
- Is 1991 the latest year available?
- No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 1991 figures are final.
Where the 1991 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 1991, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. News reports from 1991 often quote NHTSA's early estimate, made before the file was complete, so their totals differ from the final count here. The full method.