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

Car accident deaths in Imperial County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 25 in 2020 to 51 in 2021, then fell to 36 in 2022 and 15 in 2023. The count rose to 25 in 2024. The highest year was 2021, and the lowest was 2023. Comparing the endpoints, 2020 and 2024 had the same number of deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths followed the same sequence of increases and decreases: 29 in 2020, 55 in 2021, 40 in 2022, 17 in 2023 and 26 in 2024. The share attributed to car accidents was 86.2%, 92.7%, 90.0%, 88.2% and 96.2%, respectively. That share was highest in 2024, although the highest death count occurred in 2021.^{[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 Imperial County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 119 deaths, or 78.3% of car accident deaths in Imperial County from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 7 deaths, or 4.6%, making it the smallest category.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 26 deaths, or 17.1%. These labels classify the people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. The FARS nonoccupant category is a person-type grouping rather than a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle; it can include occupants of parked motor vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Among all car accident deaths, Angle (side impact) accounted for 31 deaths, or 20.4%; Head-on for 26, or 17.1%; Rear-end for 10, or 6.6%; and Sideswipe for 4, or 2.6%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 81 deaths, or 53.3%. This row describes the first harmful event, such as striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. It does not test whether another vehicle was physically moving: a vehicle stopped in traffic can be a motor vehicle in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime, defined as 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 82 car accident deaths, or 53.9%. Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 64 deaths, or 42.1%. Time of day was unknown for 6 deaths, or 3.9%. These figures cover 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 35 deaths in urban locations, or 23.0%, and 117 in rural locations, or 77.0%. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 25 car accident deaths, or 16.4%. That figure counts deaths in the qualifying crashes, rather than only deaths of people in large trucks.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with California and the United States

Imperial County's car accident death rate was 16.9 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 higher than both. These rates use deaths recorded by crash location and the sum of annual Census population estimates.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The listed neighboring counties had rates of 11.5 in Riverside County, California; 7.7 in San Diego County, California; and 10.3 in Yuma County, Arizona. Imperial County's rate was higher than each. Among the listed neighboring counties, Riverside County had the highest rate and San Diego County the lowest. The rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^{[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 Imperial County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accidents. As shares of all traffic deaths, speeding-related crashes accounted for 25.7%, roadway departure for 49.7%, crashes at an intersection for 25.1%, and pedestrian-involved crashes for 18.0%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Motorcycle-involved crashes accounted for 9.6% of all traffic deaths, hit-and-run for 4.2%, driver distraction reported for 3.0%, and crashes in a work zone for 0.0%. Roadway departure had the largest share among the listed characteristics. Rows overlap since a crash can have several recorded characteristics. They are not findings of fault or cause.^{[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 involving a motor vehicle on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. It excludes nonfatal crashes and injuries. Whether reading with a car accident lawyer in mind or otherwise, keep the grouping clear: crash location, not residency.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 records are Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates divide deaths for 2020 through 2024 by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Riverside County, California (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for San Diego County, California (2020-2024)
• California car accident statistics (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Truck accident statistics for Imperial County, California (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)