How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 2001?

42,196 people died in 37,862 fatal crashes on US public roads in 2001, 0.6% more than in 2000. That is about 116 deaths a day.

Which state had the most road deaths in 2001?

California, with 3,956 deaths in 3,543 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,736 and Florida third with 3,012.

Is 2001 the latest year available?

No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 2001 figures are final.

Fatal crashes in the United States in 2001

In 2001, 42,196 people died in 37,862 fatal crashes on US roads, 0.6% more than in 2000. That is about 116 deaths a day.

2000 · 2002 · All states today.

US road deaths since 1975, with 2001 marked

Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them.

Road deaths by state in 2001

California, Texas and Florida together had 25% of the deaths. Deaths rose in 30 states and fell in 21 on the year before; the largest change was in District of Columbia, 42% up.

	State	Deaths, 2001	Fatal crashes	Change on 2000
1	California	3,956	3,543	5.4%
2	Texas	3,736	3,318	-1.1%
3	Florida	3,012	2,714	0.4%
4	Georgia	1,647	1,471	6.9%
5	New York	1,564	1,441	7.1%
6	Pennsylvania	1,532	1,378	0.8%
7	North Carolina	1,530	1,360	-1.7%
8	Illinois	1,414	1,274	-0.3%
9	Ohio	1,378	1,257	0.9%
10	Michigan	1,328	1,206	-3.9%
11	Tennessee	1,251	1,126	-4.3%
12	Missouri	1,098	973	-5.1%
13	South Carolina	1,060	962	-0.5%
14	Arizona	1,051	938	1.4%
15	Alabama	991	900	-0.5%
16	Louisiana	952	860	1.5%
17	Virginia	935	855	0.6%
18	Indiana	909	825	2.6%
19	Kentucky	845	762	3.0%
20	Mississippi	784	704	-17.4%
21	Wisconsin	763	683	-4.5%
22	New Jersey	745	681	1.9%
23	Colorado	741	647	8.8%
24	Oklahoma	682	588	4.9%
25	Maryland	659	600	12.1%
26	Washington	649	568	2.9%
27	Arkansas	611	538	-6.3%
28	Minnesota	568	508	-9.1%
29	Kansas	494	432	7.2%
30	Oregon	488	428	8.2%
31	Massachusetts	477	446	10.2%
32	New Mexico	464	415	7.4%
33	Iowa	446	384	0.2%
34	West Virginia	376	355	-8.5%
35	Connecticut	318	290	-6.7%
36	Nevada	314	285	-2.8%
37	Utah	291	258	-22.0%
38	Idaho	259	225	-6.2%
39	Nebraska	246	215	-10.9%
40	Montana	230	201	-3.0%
41	Maine	192	170	13.6%
42	Wyoming	186	155	22.4%
43	South Dakota	171	154	-1.2%
44	New Hampshire	142	124	12.7%
45	Hawaii	140	132	6.1%
46	Delaware	136	117	10.6%
47	North Dakota	105	96	22.1%
48	Vermont	92	84	21.1%
49	Alaska	89	80	-16.0%
50	Rhode Island	81	78	1.2%
51	District of Columbia	68	58	41.7%

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 2001

How many people died in car accidents in the United States in 2001?: 42,196 people died in 37,862 fatal crashes on US public roads in 2001, 0.6% more than in 2000. That is about 116 deaths a day.
Which state had the most road deaths in 2001?: California, with 3,956 deaths in 3,543 fatal crashes. Texas was second with 3,736 and Florida third with 3,012.
Is 2001 the latest year available?: No. The latest year NHTSA has published is 2024; the 2001 figures are final.

Where the 2001 numbers come from

Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System file for 2001, the final file. Rates per 100,000 use Census Bureau population estimates. The full method.