Motor-Vehicle Deaths in the U.S. Compared to the World

Road safety in the United States lags other high-income countries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a study comparing the United States to 28 other high-income countries regarding road safety in 2015 and 2019. This analysis found that in 2019 the United States experienced:

  • More motor-vehicle deaths than any other country
  • The highest rate of motor-vehicle deaths per 100,000 population than any other country
  • The fourth highest motor-vehicle deaths per 10,000 registered vehicles compared to other countries
  • The sixth highest motor-vehicle deaths per 100 million vehicle miles compared to other countries

In addition, the number of motor-vehicle deaths in the United States increased 2.5% from 2015 to 2019. During this same time, 15 other high-income countries experienced decreases in motor-vehicle deaths.

Use the interactive chart to view country rankings and percent changes from 2015 to 2019.

Source: Yellman, M.A. & Sauber-Schatz, E.K. (2022). Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths – United States and 28 Other High-Income Countries, 2015 and 2019. MMWR, 71: 837-843

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