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

Car accident deaths in Santa Barbara County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 26 in 2020 to 46 in 2021, then fell to 36 in 2022. The count rose to 38 in 2023 before falling to 32 in 2024. The highest count was 46 in 2021, and the lowest was 26 in 2020. The 2024 count was 6 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths numbered 28 in 2020, 51 in 2021, 39 in 2022, 40 in 2023 and 38 in 2024. The corresponding shares in car accidents were 92.9%, 90.2%, 92.3%, 95.0% and 84.2%. The highest share occurred in 2023, while the lowest occurred in 2024. The year with the highest death count therefore differed from the year with the highest share.^{[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 Santa Barbara County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 123 deaths, or 69.1%, in the selected fatal crashes. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 21 deaths, or 11.8%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 34 deaths, or 19.1%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category covers deaths in crashes involving a passenger vehicle during 2020 through 2024. The categories describe the people killed, rather than separate sets of crash locations. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, keep the grouping in view: these counts follow crash location, not where the people killed lived.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Head-on collisions accounted for 35 car accident deaths, or 19.7%; Angle (side impact) accounted for 22, or 12.4%; Rear-end for 15, or 8.4%; and Sideswipe for 10, or 5.6%. Head-on had the largest death count among collisions with another motor vehicle in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 96 deaths, or 53.9%. This describes the first harmful event, such as striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. It does not establish 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 80 car accident deaths, or 44.9%. Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 94 deaths, or 52.8%. Time of day was unknown for 4 deaths, or 2.2%. Nighttime had the larger count of deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 101 deaths in urban settings, or 56.7%, and 77 in rural settings, or 43.3%. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 11 deaths, or 6.2%. These time, land-use and truck-involvement figures describe deaths within the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes from 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with California and the United States

The Santa Barbara County car accident death rate was 8.0 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. These are population-based rates, not death counts or measures adjusted for miles driven or visitors.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, Kern County had the highest rate at 19.4, and Ventura County had the lowest at 6.5. San Luis Obispo County's rate was 8.5. Santa Barbara County's rate was lower than Kern County's and San Luis Obispo County's, and higher than Ventura County's. Each rate uses deaths for the period and the sum of annual Census population estimates.^{[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 Santa Barbara County, of any vehicle type. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related, 70 deaths (35.7%); Roadway departure, 102 (52.0%); At an intersection, 35 (17.9%); and Pedestrian involved, 35 (17.9%). Motorcycle involved accounted for 30 deaths (15.3%); Hit-and-run, 22 (11.2%); Driver distraction reported, 3 (1.5%); and In a work zone, 9 (4.6%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

These figures have a different scope from the car accident counts. A crash can carry several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. The entries are recorded characteristics, 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. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Counts follow crash location, not residence. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. Data for 2020 through 2023 are Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File, subject to revision when replaced by the Final File.^[8][6][7]

Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjusting for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 estimate of 443,081 is not the rate denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Kern County, California (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Ventura County, California (2020-2024)
• California car accident statistics (2020-2024)