What Is the Most Common Cause of Car Crash Deaths?

Over 364,366 reported car accidents occurred in Florida in 2025, equalling an average of 999 car wrecks daily. In 2023, the states with the highest number of reported car accidents were as follows:

1. Texas
2. California
3. Florida

Unfortunately, the high volume of accidents increases the risk of fatalities. When a person dies in a car accident, the at-fault driver may face criminal charges. Whether they face criminal charges or not, the victim’s family may have grounds to pursue a legal claim. Discussing your case with a car accident lawyer ensures you understand your options and how you can get justice after losing a loved one in a fatal car accident.

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How many car crash deaths are there per year in Florida? 

In 2025, 2,909 people died in car crashes. This is a slight decrease from the 3,098 car accident fatalities in 2024.

Some counties record notably higher numbers of fatal car accidents than others. In 2022, the counties with the highest number of fatalities were as follows:

1. Miami-Dade: 325
2. Hillsborough: 230
3. Broward: 219
4. Palm Beach: 194
5. Orange: 172
6. Duval: 165
7. Polk: 157
8. Lee: 120
9. Pinellas: 112
10. Volusia: 110

However, when the rate of fatal car accidents is compared to each county’s population, the Florida counties with the highest car accident deaths per 100,000 residents are as follows:

1. Lafayette: 89.4
2. Glades: 69.9
3. Desoto: 58.2
4. Dixie: 57.6
5. Putnam: 50.3
6. Suwanee: 50.2
7. Taylor: 47.2
8. Okeechobee: 44.8 
9. Hamilton: 43.3
10. Gilchrist: 41.4

Demographics: Age and Sex

Crash death rates vary significantly by age and sex. In 2023, males had higher per capita crash death rates than females at all ages, with males aged 20–24 experiencing the highest rates. Road traffic injuries are also the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years, highlighting the vulnerability of younger populations.

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What are the most common causes of fatal car accidents?

The most common causes of car accidents overlap with the most common causes of car crash deaths. Also, the leading contributors to the economic cost of car accidents were among the most common causes of car crash deaths. 

The most common causes of car crash deaths in the U.S.:

• Impaired driving: Both driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) and driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol qualify as impaired driving. When the use of substances, including alcohol, legal drugs, prescription drugs, and illegal drugs, impairs a driver’s ability to function normally and causes a crash, driving under the influence is the cause. Impaired driving caused 32% of traffic fatalities in the U.S. in 2022.
• Speeding: Exceeding the speed limit caused 29% of fatal car accidents in the U.S. in 2022.
• Distracted driving: The 3,308 deaths in distracted driving accidents equals 7.7% of the 42,514 car crash fatalities in the U.S. in 2022.

Other common reasons fatal car accidents occur include the following:

• Driver error
• Driver fatigue
• Ignoring traffic signals
• Overcorrecting and swerving to avoid objects
• Reckless driving
• Vehicle defects
• Weather

Risk Factors Beyond Driver Behavior  

Beyond driver error, several external factors contribute to fatal accidents:

• Poor weather conditions such as heavy rain, fog, or ice significantly increase crash risk.
• Unsafe vehicles and unsafe road infrastructure can worsen outcomes.
• Human error accounts for over 90% of traffic accidents, underscoring the need for systemic safety measures.

Seat Belt Use

Seat belt use among front seat occupants was 91.9% in 2023. Wearing seat belts reduces the risk of death by 45% and injuries by 50%. Despite high compliance, thousands of fatalities still occur each year when seat belts are not worn. Promoting consistent seat belt use remains one of the most effective road safety measures.

Financial costs from car accidents

Car accidents have both human and economic tolls. An evaluation of the financial costs associated with car crashes determined the economic cost of car accidents in 2019 was $340 billion. Updated for inflation, this number has risen to $417 billion in 2024. This figure includes ambulance, legal, medical, insurance, property damage, and work-related expenses from car crashes. That number soars to $1.4 trillion if it includes quality-of-life costs. 

A breakdown of the financial costs compared to the accidents’ causes determined the most common causes of car accidents are as follows:

• Distracted driving: Distracted driving includes using cell phones or doing anything that takes the driver’s mind off the road or hands off the wheel. Distracted driving was a factor in 29% of the total economic costs of car accidents in 2019. 
• Alcohol: 20% of the total economic cost of car accidents stemmed from driving under the influence
• Speeding: Crashes caused by drivers exceeding the speed limit were another notable contributor to the economic cost of car accidents

When Fatal Crashes Occur

Fatal crashes are not evenly distributed throughout the week. In 2023, about half of crash deaths occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, and nearly one-third occurred between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. These patterns reflect higher traffic volumes and riskier driving behaviors during evenings and weekends.

Common injuries that can result after an accident

Car crash victims can suffer various injuries, including the following:

• Amputation
• Broken bones
• Facial trauma
• Lacerations
• Soft tissue injuries

Some of the most severe injuries are catastrophic injuries causing permanent disability, disfigurement, or death. Common injuries causing fatalities include the following:

• Burns: Although victims may recover from minor burns, burns pose a risk of infection and can be life-threatening
• Chest and neck injuries: Chest injuries involve the heart and lungs, affecting the victim’s ability to breathe and distribute blood throughout their body. Neck injuries can cause spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Neck and spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis or death. 
• Internal injuries: Vital organs can be punctured, cut, or bruised during a car accident. Severe internal injuries can cause organ failure or internal bleeding. Without effective treatment, the victim can die from these injuries.
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): Head injuries are severe because they can cause permanent brain damage. The brain may bleed or swell because of head trauma, and bleeding or swelling can be fatal. Victims may also suffer permanent brain damage from TBIs.

Vehicle Type & Vulnerable Road Users

Fatalities vary by vehicle type and road user:

• In 2023, 59% of crash fatalities were passenger vehicle occupants.
• 18% were pedestrians, and 15% were motorcyclists.
• Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists face disproportionate risks, especially in urban areas.

Economic & Social Impact

Road traffic crashes cost most countries about 3% of their GDP annually. Beyond financial losses, victims often suffer long-term emotional and psychological impacts, including anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Millions sustain severe injuries requiring lifelong medical care, creating a heavy burden on families and healthcare systems.

Prevention & Road Safety Measures

Preventing fatal crashes requires a holistic approach to road safety. Effective enforcement of traffic laws influences driver behavior. Governments must adopt the safe system approach, which accommodates human error. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving, yet often overlooked. Public awareness campaigns and infrastructure improvements are essential to reducing fatalities.

Can I sue if I have lost a loved one in a car accident? 

You may have grounds to file a legal claim if you lose a loved one in a car accident. Whether you can sue depends on your relationship with the deceased and whether the at-fault driver was negligent. 

Who can sue for wrongful death?

Florida limits who can file a wrongful death lawsuit — the victim’s personal representative must file the lawsuit. However, the personal representative must inform immediate family members about the case. 

Florida law allows the decedent’s spouse and adoptive or blood relatives to participate in the suit. They do not restrict blood relatives by the nature of the relationship; instead, as long as the relative relied on the decedent for personal or financial support, Florida law allows them to participate in the suit.

Negligence 

You must be able to prove the at-fault driver was guilty of negligence and that their negligence caused your loved one’s wrongful death. Suppose your spouse was driving home during a windstorm. A piece of sheet metal blew into the road and struck a vehicle. The force of the impact sent that vehicle into its neighboring lane, and it struck your spouse’s vehicle, claiming their life in a fatal car accident.

You may have grounds to sue a construction company or another party if they failed to secure the sheet metal; however, you may not have legal grounds for a claim against the other driver because their negligence did not cause the accident.

Suppose a drunk driver struck your spouse’s vehicle after running a red light, causing their death. In that case, you can argue that their choice to break the law by driving under the influence caused your spouse’s death. Since breaking the law could qualify as gross negligence, you may have grounds to sue the at-fault driver and seek punitive damages in addition to economic and non-economic damages. 

Depending on the circumstances, you may also have a case against the bartender or retailer who provided the alcohol. Hiring a wrongful death attorney is the best way to ensure all liable parties are identified when you’re filing your lawsuit.

Contact Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, if you have lost a loved one in a car accident

Florida allows victims two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Navigating a lawsuit can be frustrating and confusing for those without a legal background; contacting Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, will give you peace of mind because you can be confident our expert legal team will take all the steps required to get you the justice you deserve.

We understand the personal and financial impact of losing a loved one in a wrongful death. We gather evidence to build a compelling case to help Tampa-area victims get fair compensation after their loved one’s wrongful death.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)