Car accident statistics for Honolulu County, Hawaii (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Honolulu County by year

Car accident deaths in Honolulu County ranged from year to year between 2020 and 2024. The count stood at 45 in 2020, fell to 36 in 2021, rose to 42 in 2022, rose again to 45 in 2023, and fell to 38 in 2024. Among these five years, 2020 and 2023 each recorded the highest count at 45 deaths, while 2021 recorded the lowest at 36 deaths. Comparing the start and end of the period, 2024's count of 38 deaths was 7 lower than the 45 recorded in 2020. Average annual deaths across the period came to 41.2.^{[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 Honolulu County car accidents

Of the 206 car accident deaths recorded in Honolulu County from 2020 through 2024, People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 80 deaths, or 38.8%. People in other vehicles accounted for 39 deaths, or 18.9%, the smallest of the three categories. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 87 deaths, or 42.2%, the largest share among the three person categories.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Among manner of collision categories for the 206 car accident deaths, Angle (side impact) collisions accounted for 32 deaths (15.5%), Rear-end collisions accounted for 16 deaths (7.8%), Head-on collisions accounted for 8 deaths (3.9%), and Sideswipe collisions accounted for 7 deaths (3.4%). The largest category was Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, with 143 deaths, or 69.4%. This row covers crashes whose first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport, such as striking a pedestrian, a cyclist, a parked vehicle or a fixed object, or a rollover.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime hours, defined as 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 129 car accident deaths, or 62.6%, while daytime hours, 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 76 deaths, or 36.9%. One death, 0.5%, occurred at an unknown time. By land use, urban areas accounted for 203 car accident deaths, or 98.5%, while rural areas accounted for 1 death, or 0.5%, with 2 deaths of unknown land use. Crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 2 car accident deaths, or 1.0% of the county's car accident deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Hawaii and the United States

Honolulu County's average annual rate of car accident deaths came to 4.1 per 100,000 residents for the 2020 to 2024 period. That figure is lower than the statewide rate for Hawaii, which stood at 5.4 per 100,000 residents, and lower than the national rate of 10.5 per 100,000 residents. Among the areas compared in the table, the United States recorded the highest rate at 10.5 and Honolulu County recorded the lowest at 4.1. This rate reflects average annual deaths per 100,000 residents and does not adjust for miles driven or for visitors to the county.^{[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

Looking at all fatal crashes in Honolulu County, of any vehicle type, as shares of all traffic deaths, speeding-related crashes accounted for 121 deaths, or 45.1%, the largest share among the recorded characteristics. Roadway departure was recorded in 109 deaths (40.7%), motorcycle involvement in 85 deaths (31.7%), and pedestrian involvement in 83 deaths (31.0%). Driver distraction was reported in 77 deaths (28.7%), intersection crashes in 68 deaths (25.4%), hit-and-run crashes in 23 deaths (8.6%), and work zone crashes in 5 deaths (1.9%), the smallest share listed. Because a single crash can carry several characteristics, these rows overlap and do not add to 100%.^{[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

These figures come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on public trafficways where a death occurs within 30 days of the crash. Counts are grouped by the county where the crash happened rather than by where the people killed lived, a distinction worth keeping in mind for anyone researching these figures, including a car accident lawyer reviewing county-level patterns. Data for 2020 through 2023 come from FARS Final Files, while 2024 data come from the FARS Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA issues the Final File. Rates divide 2020 to 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates and do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. FARS covers fatal crashes only, so nonfatal crashes and injuries are not reflected here.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Hawaii car accident statistics (2020-2024)