What age group has the most fatal crashes?
Age is one of the most important factors that impacts how likely you are to get in a car accident. Read on to examine the age group with the most fatal crashes and how gender and location affect that.
Free Auto Insurance Comparison
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
UPDATED: Jun 20, 2022
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
- Drivers aged 25 to 34 are the deadliest age group in 32 states
- Washington, D.C., has the most fatal crashes among drivers aged 16 – 34
- Drivers 65 or older are the least likely to be involved in a fatal car accident
In the United States, over 30,000 people die in fatal car accidents yearly. Car insurance companies know the risks drivers take on the road, so they study the factors that increase the likelihood of a crash to determine rates.
Age and gender are two significant factors that determine auto insurance rates. Insurance companies study the rate of car accidents by age and often charge younger drivers more. However, the deadliest drivers are not teens — drivers in their 30s are responsible for more fatal accidents than any other age group.
This study examines which age group has the most car accidents and breaks down accident rates by state. We found that the deadliest age group on the road are drivers aged 25 – 34, followed by teens and young drivers aged 20 – 24.
If you’re a young driver or considering adding a teen to your auto insurance policy, keep reading to learn how you can save money on car insurance with good driver and good student discounts.
Table of Contents
What age group has the most fatal car accidents?
The age group with the most fatal car accidents are drivers between the ages of 25 and 34. There are nearly 1,000 more deaths per year among 25- to 34-year-olds than drivers under 25.
Age Group Number of Deaths in Fatal Accidents
16-24 5,623
25-34 6,548
35-44 5,117
45-54 4,958
55-64 5,347
65-74 3,658
75+ 3,556
Now, let’s take a closer look at the age groups with the most fatal accidents:
#1 – Drivers Aged 25 – 34
Younger millennial drivers are responsible for the most fatal crashes across the country. On average, this age group comprises 18.8% of all fatal accidents.
- Total number of drivers aged 25 – 34: 36,739,000
- Total number of fatal crashes: 6,548
- Worst states for this age group: Washington, D.C., and Rhode Island
In Washington, D.C., drivers between the ages of 25 and 34 tied with drivers aged 35 – 44 for fatal accidents. Together, they’re responsible for more than half (52.2%) of all fatal accidents in the district.
#2 – Drivers Aged 16 – 24
Despite being stereotyped as the most reckless drivers on the road, teens and younger drivers are less likely to get into fatal crashes in most states. In fact, when considering the youngest drivers aged 16 – 20, they had fewer fatal accidents than any other age group on this list.
- Total number of drivers aged 16 – 24: 25,709,000
- Total number of fatal crashes: 5,623
- Worst states for this age group: Alaska and Montana
In Alaska, teen and young drivers tied with 25- to 34-year-old drivers for the most fatal accidents. Together, they account for 41.6% of traffic fatalities in the state. In Montana, teen and young drivers are responsible for 20.6% of fatal accidents.
#3 – Drivers Aged 55 – 64
Drivers in this age range are the deadliest in only four states, accounting for less than 20% of fatal accidents in every state except New Hampshire.
- Total number of drivers aged 55 – 64: 22,674,000
- Total number of fatal crashes: 5,347
- Worst states for this age group: New Hampshire and Virginia
Drivers between 55 and 64 are involved in 22.8% of fatal accidents in New Hampshire. However, they tied as the deadliest age group in Virginia with 25- to 34-year-old drivers, with both groups in 16.7% of fatal accidents.
#4 – Drivers Aged 35 – 44
Older millennials Drivers aged 35 – 44 are among the least deadly age groups on the road despite having the highest number of licensed drivers in the U.S. population.
- Total number of drivers aged 35 – 44: 42,153,000
- Total number of fatal crashes: 5,117
- Worst states for this age group: Washington, D.C., and North Dakota
This age group tied with younger millennials as the deadliest drivers in Washington, D.C., accounting for 22% of fatal accidents in North Dakota.
#5 – Drivers Aged 45 – 54
This age group ranks as the most deadly in only one state — South Carolina, where they’re responsible for 17.2% of fatal accidents.
- Total number of drivers aged 45 – 54: 36,021,000
- Total number of fatal crashes: 4,958
- Worst state for this age group: South Carolina
These drivers are among the safest on the road, along with the older generation of drivers aged 65 and older.
As drivers age, the total fatal crashes they are involved in decrease. We did not include statistics from drivers in the 65+ age group because no state-ranked them as the most deadly drivers.
Free Auto Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What age group has the most fatal crashes per state?
Drivers between the ages of 25 and 34 ranked the highest in 32 states and were responsible for more than 20% of all fatal accidents in nine states. Teen and young drivers had the highest fatality rates in 23 states.
State Deadliest Age Group(s) Number of Deaths Percentage of Total Fatal Accidents
Alabama 25-34 176 18.9%
Alaska 16-24, 25-34 14 20.8%
Arizona 35-24, 55-64 153 15.6%
Arkansas 16-24 85 16.8%
California 25-34 770 21.3%
Colorado 25-34 113 18.9%
Connecticut 16-24 44 17.7%
Delaware 16-24 23 17.4%
District of Columbia 25-34, 35-44 6 26.1%
Florida 25-34 544 17.1%
Georgia 25-34 281 18.8%
Hawaii 25-34 23 21.3%
Idaho 35-44 34 15.2%
Illinois 25-34 191 19%
Indiana 16-24 140 17.3%
Iowa 16-24 57 17%
Kansas 16-24 71 17.3%
Kentucky 35-44 124 16.9%
Louisiana 35-44 145 19.9%
Maine 25-34 33 21%
Maryland 25-34 97 18.6%
Massachusetts 16-24 58 17.4%
Michigan 25-34 172 17.5%
Minnesota 55-64 56 15.4%
Mississippi 25-34 113 17.6%
Missouri 25-34 157 17.8%
Montana 16-24 38 20.6%
Nebraska 25-34 50 20.1%
Nevada 25-34 53 13.8%
New Hampshire 55-64 23 22.8%
New Jersey 25-34 107 12.4%
New Mexico 25-34 85 20%
New York 25-34 180 19.3%
North Carolina 25-34 266 19.4%
North Dakota 35-44 22 22%
Ohio 25-34 200 17.3%
Oklahoma 25-34 109 17%
Oregon 25-34 84 17.2%
Pennsylvania 25-34 188 17.7%
Rhode Island 25-34 14 24.6%
South Carolina 45-54 172 17.2%
South Dakota 16-24 20 19.6%
Tennessee 25-34 198 17.4%
Texas 25-34 729 20.2%
Utah 16-24 44 17.7%
Vermont 25-34 9 19.1%
Virginia 25-34, 55-64 139 16.7%
Washington 25-34 93 17.9%
West Virginia 25-34 46 17.7%
Wisconsin 16-24 95 16.8%
Wyoming 25-34 28 19%
Young drivers between 16 and 24 and millennial drivers aged 25 – 34 tied for the country’s highest percentage of fatal accidents (26.1%). Although 25- to 34-year-old drivers are behind more fatal crashes, teen drivers still ranked second-highest, which is why auto insurance costs more for young drivers.
Who has more fatal car accidents by age and gender?
Why are car insurance rates higher for males? Males are more likely to get into a fatal accident than female drivers.
Age Group Number of Male Fatalities Number of Female Fatalities
16-24 3,303 1,540
25-34 3,355 1,472
35-44 3,055 1,072
45-54 1,826 914
55-64 1,936 902
Overall, the rate of traffic-related deaths is nearly double for males than females across all age groups.
However, the youngest drivers still have the highest fatality rates, leading insurance companies to increase rates for teen drivers who lack experience behind the wheel. Young male drivers also pay more for car insurance than any other driver.
How to Save Money on Auto Insurance for Young Drivers
They aren’t the most dangerous drivers on the road, but auto insurance companies still charge higher rates for young drivers under 25. For example, a young driver’s average car insurance rates are $215 monthly, $60 more than the national average.
Unfortunately, auto insurance rates for a 16-year-old will go as high as $800 per month for full coverage. You can reduce these rates by adding a teen driver to an existing policy. Still, your rates will be higher than average due to the age and assumed inexperience of the young driver.
Auto insurance rates begin to decrease after a driver turns 25, but you may still see increased rates due to the high fatality rates among this age group. Fortunately, most auto insurance companies offer discounts to young drivers for having good grades, taking a driver’s education course, and paying your annual car insurance in full.
This table lists the auto insurance discounts available to drivers under 25:
Auto Insurance Discounts Allstate American Family Farmers Geico Liberty Mutual Nationwide Progressive State Farm Travelers USAA
Adaptive Cruise Control x x x
Adaptive Headlights x x x x
Anti-Lock Brakes x x x x x x x x x x
Anti-Theft x x x x x x x x x x
Claim Free x x x x x x x x x x
Continuous Coverage x x x x x x
Daytime Running Lights x x x x x x x x x
Defensive Driver x x x x x x x x x x
Distant Student x x x x x x x x x
Driver's Ed x x x x x x x x x
Driving Device/App x x x x x x x x x
Early Signing x x x x x x x x
Electronic Stability Control x x x x x x
Emergency Deployment x
Family Legacy x x x x
Family Plan x x x
Farm Vehicle x x x
Federal Employee x x x
Forward Collision Warning x x x
Full Payment x x x x x x x
Further Education x x x x
Garaging/Storing x x x
Good Credit x x x
Good Student x x x x x x x x x x
Green Vehicle x x x x
Homeowner x x x x x x x
Lane Departure Warning x x x
Life Insurance x x
Low Mileage x x x x x x x x x x
Loyalty x x x x x
Married x x x x x
Membership/Group x x x x
Military x x x x x x
Multiple Drivers
Multiple Policies x x x x x x x x x x
Multiple Vehicles x x x x x x x x x
New Address x
New Customer/New Plan x
New Graduate x
Newer Vehicle x x x x x x x x
Newly Licensed x
Newlyweds x
Occupation x x x x x x
On Time Payments x x
Online Shopper x
Paperless Documents x x x x x
Paperless/Auto Billing x x x x x x x x x
Passive Restraint x x x x x x x x x x
Safe Driver x x x x x x x x x
Seat Belt Use x
Students & Alumni x x x x
Volunteer x
Young Driver x x x
Does your insurance company offer the discounts you need to lower your rates? If not, start shopping around with multiple local companies. Get quotes from three different insurers in your area to find one with the right discounts and a suitable price for every driver on your policy.
Free Auto Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Methodology: What age group has the most fatal crashes?
We used the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System to find the rate of fatal car accidents by age and state. We combined the 16 to 20 and 21 to 24 age groups, so each group encompasses 10 years.
We also used teenage motor vehicle trends from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety to examine the differences between male and female teen drivers. Finally, the U.S. Department of Transportation provided details regarding the number of licensed drivers in the country.