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

Car accident deaths in Monterey County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 43 in 2020 to 42 in 2021, then rose to 51 in 2022. The count fell to 38 in 2023 before rising to 42 in 2024. The highest count was in 2022, and the lowest was in 2023. The 2024 count was 1 death lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths followed the same direction of change: 50 in 2020, 47 in 2021, 57 in 2022, 39 in 2023 and 45 in 2024. The car accident share of traffic deaths was 86.0%, 89.4%, 89.5%, 97.4% and 93.3%, respectively. Although 2023 had the lowest car accident death count, it had the highest share of all traffic deaths.^{[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 Monterey County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 155 deaths, or 71.8% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 13 deaths, or 6.0%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 48 deaths, or 22.2%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category describes people who died in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. The categories distinguish person and vehicle classifications within that crash selection; the counts are assigned to Monterey County by crash location. They do not identify the county of residence of the people who died.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Head-on collisions accounted for 37 deaths, or 17.1%, the largest count among collisions with another motor vehicle in transport. Angle (side impact) recorded 27 deaths, or 12.5%; Rear-end recorded 10, or 4.6%; and Sideswipe recorded 5, or 2.3%. Other recorded 1 death, or 0.5%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 136 deaths, or 63.0% of car accident deaths. This classification 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 motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 94 car accident deaths, or 43.5%. Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 113 deaths, or 52.3%. Time of day was unknown for 9 deaths, or 4.2%. Nighttime had the highest count of these time classifications.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 116 deaths in urban settings, or 53.7%, and 100 in rural settings, or 46.3%. Separately, car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 21, representing 9.7%. These figures describe the selected fatal crashes in Monterey County during 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with California and the United States

Monterey County's car accident death rate was 9.9 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 the state rate and lower than the national rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, Kings County had the highest rate at 20.0, followed by Fresno County at 15.9; San Luis Obispo County had the lowest at 8.5. Monterey County's rate was lower than Kings County's and Fresno County's and higher than San Luis Obispo County's. These rates use deaths and annual Census population estimates for the reporting period. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors, and the deaths are counted 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 Monterey County, of any vehicle type, rather than only the car accident selection. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related, 26.5%; Roadway departure, 54.6%; At an intersection, 15.5%; Pedestrian involved, 20.2%; Motorcycle involved, 10.9%; Hit-and-run, 5.9%; Driver distraction reported, 4.6%; and In a work zone, 1.7%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Roadway departure had the largest listed share, while In a work zone had the smallest. 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.^{[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 NHTSA's 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 residence. Readers searching for a car accident lawyer should keep that grouping in mind when reading these counts.^[8][6][7]

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

See also

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

On related publications

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