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

Car accident deaths in Madera County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 25 in 2020 to 37 in 2021 and 40 in 2022. The count then fell to 21 in 2023 before rising to 28 in 2024. The highest count was 40 in 2022, and the lowest was 21 in 2023. Comparing the endpoints, the 2024 count was 3 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths occurring in car accidents was 83.3% in 2020, 92.5% in 2021, 83.3% in 2022, 75.0% in 2023 and 84.8% in 2024. The highest share occurred in 2021, while the highest death count occurred in 2022. All traffic deaths followed the same sequence of increases and decreases as the car accident death counts.^{[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 Madera County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 114 deaths, or 75.5% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 11 deaths, or 7.3%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 26 deaths, or 17.2%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These categories describe the people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. They do not limit the count to occupants of passenger vehicles. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) follows the FARS classification and is not a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Head-on collisions accounted for 31 deaths (20.5%), angle (side impact) collisions for 29 (19.2%), rear-end collisions for 9 (6.0%) and sideswipe collisions for 7 (4.6%). Unknown manner of collision accounted for 1 death (0.7%). These are car accident death counts classified by the crash's first harmful event.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The largest row, Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, recorded 74 deaths (49.0%). It includes first harmful events such as striking a parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. It does not mean another vehicle had to be physically moving: a motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime accounted for 53 car accident deaths (35.1%), compared with 96 (63.6%) at nighttime. The daytime interval runs from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.; nighttime runs from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. Time of day was unknown for 2 deaths (1.3%). Nighttime had the larger recorded count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

By land use, 49 deaths (32.5%) were classified as urban and 102 (67.5%) as rural. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 22 car accident deaths, or 14.6%. The large-truck figure counts deaths in the selected crashes, rather than the number of trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with California and the United States

Madera County's car accident death rate was 18.7 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. California's rate was 9.3, and the national rate was 10.5. Madera County's rate was higher than both. The listed neighboring counties had rates of 15.9 in Fresno County and 17.4 in Merced County. Madera County's rate was also higher than each of those rates.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, Merced County had the higher rate, while Fresno County had the higher death count: 811 compared with 253. Rates use the sum of annual Census population estimates to express average annual deaths per 100,000 residents. They 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

These recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Madera County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident deaths. Shares use all traffic deaths: speeding-related, 45 deaths (25.1%); roadway departure, 109 (60.9%); at an intersection, 37 (20.7%); pedestrian involved, 31 (17.3%); motorcycle involved, 26 (14.5%); hit-and-run, 18 (10.1%); driver distraction reported, 4 (2.2%); and in a work zone, 2 (1.1%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These classifications are not findings of fault or cause. Roadway departure had the largest death count among 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. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, the grouping remains crash location, not where those killed lived. Records for 2020 through 2023 are Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File and may be revised.^[8][6][7]

Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, and multiply by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustments for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate of 166,132 is not the rate denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Fresno County, California (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Merced County, California (2020-2024)
• California car accident statistics (2020-2024)

On related publications

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