Fatal crashes in Los Angeles County, California
In 2024, 778 people died in 726 fatal crashes in Los Angeles County, California, 7.4% fewer than in 2023. From 2015 to 2024 the county recorded 7,312 fatal crashes and 7,783 deaths, the most of any county in California.
8 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 9.8 across California in 2024; 7.8 against 10.1 a year over 2015 to 2024. Population 9,757,179, Census Bureau estimate. All fatal crashes in California.
Deaths in Los Angeles County by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 726 | 778 |
| 2023 | 777 | 840 |
| 2022 | 817 | 866 |
| 2021 | 807 | 851 |
| 2020 | 723 | 760 |
| 2019 | 679 | 716 |
| 2018 | 689 | 733 |
| 2017 | 709 | 751 |
| 2016 | 776 | 837 |
| 2015 | 609 | 651 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
The deadliest roads in Los Angeles County
I-5 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Los Angeles County from 2015 to 2024: 221, with 251 deaths. The 15 roads listed held 23% of all fatal crashes in Los Angeles County from 2015 to 2024; 8 are interstates, 1 US route, 6 state highways. 26% of the county's fatal crashes were on an interstate, US or state route; the other 74% were on county roads and city streets. Routes are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-5 | 221 | 251 | 74 | |
| 2 | I-10 | 191 | 199 | 64 | |
| 3 | State Highway 1 | 138 | 148 | 52 | |
| 4 | I-405 | 133 | 146 | 48 | |
| 5 | State Highway 138 | 112 | 129 | 42 | |
| 6 | US 101 | 109 | 111 | 50 | |
| 7 | I-110 | 105 | 117 | 44 | |
| 8 | I-605 | 97 | 107 | 25 | |
| 9 | State Highway 60 | 95 | 99 | 30 | |
| 10 | I-210 | 88 | 100 | 27 | |
| 11 | State Highway 14 | 84 | 92 | 25 | |
| 12 | I-710 | 81 | 90 | 30 | |
| 13 | State Highway 91 | 77 | 84 | 25 | |
| 14 | State Highway 2 | 65 | 71 | 16 | |
| 15 | I-105 | 52 | 56 | 24 |
Los Angeles had 37% of the county's fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, 2,683 of 7,312.
Cities NHTSA filed, with their fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024: Los Angeles 2,683, Long Beach 330, Lancaster 209, Palmdale 174, Pomona 169, Compton 110, West Covina 82, Inglewood 82. The city is not filed for crashes outside a city.
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen in Los Angeles County
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 357 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 9 pm to 10 pm; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.9 percent, 357 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 169 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 103 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 117 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 207 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 293 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.3 percent, 169 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 142 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 89 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 104 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 166 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 246 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.7 percent, 120 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 146 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 92 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 98 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 180 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 232 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.0 percent, 144 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 133 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 97 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 108 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 207 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 259 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.3 percent, 168 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 154 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 94 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 129 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 172 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 279 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.5 percent, 183 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 148 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 80 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 116 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 251 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 294 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.2 percent, 302 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 146 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 106 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 140 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 222 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 287 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.3%
- Feb7.8%
- Mar8.0%
- Apr8.7%
- May7.8%
- Jun7.7%
- Jul8.0%
- Aug7.9%
- Sep8.6%
- Oct9.1%
- Nov9.1%
- Dec9.0%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes in Los Angeles County first hit
The first harmful event was a pedestrian in 34%; a collision with another vehicle in 33%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 19%, a cyclist in 4.4%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pedestrian | 2,516 | 34% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 2,409 | 33% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 1,385 | 19% |
| Cyclist | 322 | 4.4% |
| Other | 249 | 3.4% |
| Parked vehicle | 217 | 3.0% |
| Rollover | 214 | 2.9% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes in Los Angeles County compare with California
The largest difference from California: from 2015 to 2024, 9.5% of fatal crashes in Los Angeles County were on rural roads, against 30% across California. Also above the California share: intersections, speeding, hit-and-runs, motorcycles and pedestrians. Below it: unlit roads at night, drinking drivers and unbelted occupants. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of California. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 7,312 crashes.
| Los Angeles | California | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 9.5% | 30% | below the California share |
| At or near an intersection | 35% | 27% | above the California share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 14% | 25% | below the California share |
| A drinking driver | 21% | 28% | below the California share |
| Speeding | 35% | 30% | above the California share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 3.1% | 4.1% | about the same as the California share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 35% | 38% | below the California share |
| Hit-and-run | 16% | 11% | above the California share |
| A motorcycle involved | 17% | 15% | above the California share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 36% | 26% | above the California share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes in Los Angeles County, California
- How many people died in car accidents in Los Angeles County in 2024?
- 778 people died in 726 fatal crashes in Los Angeles County, California, in 2024, 7.4% fewer than in 2023. That is 8 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 9.8 across California. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in Los Angeles County?
- I-5 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Los Angeles County from 2015 to 2024: 221, with 251 deaths.
- When do fatal crashes in Los Angeles County happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 357 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Los Angeles County involved a drinking driver?
- 1,548 of 7,312 fatal crashes in Los Angeles County from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 21%, against 28% across California.
Other counties in California with a page
- San Bernardino County
- Riverside County
- San Diego County
- Orange County
- Sacramento County
- Kern County
- Fresno County
- Santa Clara County
- San Joaquin County
- Alameda County
- Contra Costa County
- Stanislaus County
All fatal crashes in California, with every county ranked.
Where the Los Angeles County numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash NHTSA filed in Los Angeles County (county code 37). A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. The rate per 100,000 uses the Census Bureau's population estimate for the county; it is the only figure here not counted from FARS. Totals from state highway departments and news reports can differ: they count from their own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked against death certificates and revised once a year. The full method.
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/california/los-angeles-county/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”