Car accident statistics for Lake County, Indiana (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Lake County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 45 in 2020 to 68 in 2021, then fell to 56 in 2022, 44 in 2023 and 31 in 2024. The highest count was in 2021, and the lowest was in 2024. The 2024 count was 14 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths followed the same yearly direction: 58 in 2020, 72 in 2021, 61 in 2022, 55 in 2023 and 36 in 2024. The share attributed to car accidents was 77.6%, 94.4%, 91.8%, 80.0% and 86.1%, respectively. That share rose between 2023 and 2024 even as the death count fell. Its highest value was in 2021; its lowest was in 2020.^{[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 Lake County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 193 deaths, or 79.1% of car accident deaths in Lake County during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 14 deaths, or 5.7%, making it the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 37 deaths, or 15.2%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These categories classify the people who died in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) follows the FARS classification and is not a literal test of whether a person was outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Among car accident deaths classified by manner of collision, Angle (side impact) accounted for 44 deaths, or 18.0%; Head-on for 35, or 14.3%; Rear-end for 24, or 9.8%; and Sideswipe for 10, or 4.1%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 131 deaths, or 53.7%. Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. This row includes events such as striking a pedestrian, cyclist, 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 (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) accounted for 113 car accident deaths, or 46.3%, during 2020 through 2024. Nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 130 deaths, or 53.3%. Time of day was Unknown for 1 death, or 0.4%. Nighttime had the larger recorded count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 202 deaths, or 82.8%, as Urban and 42 deaths, or 17.2%, as Rural. In a separate measure of vehicle involvement, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 35 car accident deaths, or 14.3% of the selected deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Indiana and the United States

Lake County's car accident death rate was 9.8 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. That rate was lower than Indiana's 11.4 and the national rate of 10.5. The corresponding death counts were 244 for Lake County, 3,889 for Indiana and 176,219 for the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The listed neighboring counties had rates of 6.6 in Cook County, Illinois, and 7.4 in Will County, Illinois. Lake County's rate was higher than each. Among the listed neighboring counties, Will County had the higher rate. These 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

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Lake County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident deaths. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related accounted for 126 deaths (44.7%); Roadway departure, 128 (45.4%); At an intersection, 60 (21.3%); and Pedestrian involved, 41 (14.5%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Motorcycle involved accounted for 33 deaths (11.7%); Hit-and-run, 23 (8.2%); Driver distraction reported, 15 (5.3%); and In a work zone, 11 (3.9%). A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so these rows overlap and do not add to 100%. The characteristics 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 traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. Counts follow crash location, not residency. When reading with a car accident lawyer in mind, keep that geographic grouping in view.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. The separately displayed 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 Cook County, Illinois (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Will County, Illinois (2020-2024)
• Indiana car accident statistics (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Truck accident statistics for Lake County, Indiana (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)