Car accident statistics for Contra Costa County, California (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Contra Costa County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 92 in 2020 to 88 in 2021 and 64 in 2022. The count then rose to 87 in 2023 before falling to 60 in 2024. The highest count was in 2020, and the lowest was in 2024. The 2024 count was 32 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths numbered 104 in 2020, 95 in 2021, 69 in 2022, 98 in 2023 and 66 in 2024. Car accident deaths represented 88.5%, 92.6%, 92.8%, 88.8% and 90.9% of those respective annual totals. The highest annual share was 92.8% in 2022, while the lowest was 88.5% in 2020.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Contra Costa County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 253 deaths, or 64.7% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 31 deaths, or 7.9%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 107 deaths, or 27.4%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These categories classify the people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. The Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) label follows the FARS classification, which can include occupants of parked motor vehicles. It is not a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

For car accident deaths, Angle (side impact) and Rear-end each recorded 44 deaths, or 11.3%. Head-on recorded 36 deaths, or 9.2%; Sideswipe recorded 15, or 3.8%. Other recorded 4 deaths, or 1.0%, and Unknown recorded 1, or 0.3%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 247 deaths, or 63.2%. Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. This row includes events such as striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover, rather than a collision between motor vehicles in transport. A vehicle stopped in traffic can be a motor vehicle in transport; physical movement is not the test.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime, defined as 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 256 car accident deaths, or 65.5%, during 2020 through 2024. Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 132 deaths, or 33.8%. Time of day was Unknown for 3 deaths, or 0.8%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 337 deaths in Urban locations, representing 86.2%, and 54 in Rural locations, representing 13.8%. Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 22, or 5.6%. That truck figure counts deaths in the selected crashes, not the number of trucks involved.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with California and the United States

The car accident death rate for Contra Costa County was 6.7 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. California's rate was 9.3, and the national rate was 10.5. The county rate was lower than both.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, Sacramento County had a rate of 10.5, San Joaquin County 14.7, Alameda County 5.3 and Solano County 9.3. Contra Costa County's rate was higher than Alameda County's and lower than the other listed neighbors' rates. These rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors, and deaths are assigned by crash location.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in the county, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident deaths. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related, 164 deaths (38.0%); Roadway departure, 189 (43.8%); At an intersection, 84 (19.4%); Pedestrian involved, 99 (22.9%); Motorcycle involved, 52 (12.0%); Hit-and-run, 41 (9.5%); Driver distraction reported, 15 (3.5%); and In a work zone, 7 (1.6%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These classifications are not findings of fault or cause. Roadway departure had the largest share of the listed characteristics.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on trafficways customarily open to the public, with a death within 30 days. It excludes nonfatal crashes and injuries. Counts follow crash location, not residency. Readers searching for a car accident lawyer should retain that location distinction when interpreting these counts.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates use deaths divided by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates for 2020 through 2024, Vintage 2025, multiplied by 100,000. The separate July 1, 2024 estimate of 1,169,534 is not the rate denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Alameda County, California (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for San Joaquin County, California (2020-2024)
• California car accident statistics (2020-2024)