Car accident statistics for Essex County, Massachusetts (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Essex County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 37 in 2020 to 35 in 2021 and 26 in 2022. The count rose to 30 in 2023, then fell to 24 in 2024. Within this period, 2020 had the highest count and 2024 had the lowest. The 2024 count was 13 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths numbered 40 in 2020, 40 in 2021, 31 in 2022, 37 in 2023 and 29 in 2024. The share attributed to car accidents declined from 92.5% to 87.5%, then to 83.9% and 81.1%, before rising to 82.8% in 2024. These annual shares compare passenger-vehicle-involved deaths with all traffic deaths in the same year.^{[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 Essex County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 100 deaths, or 65.8% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 13 deaths, or 8.6%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 39 deaths, or 25.7%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category counts deaths in crashes involving a passenger vehicle, even when the person was classified in another category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) follows the FARS classification and can include occupants of parked motor vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event in a car accident. Angle (side impact) accounted for 21 deaths (13.8%), Head-on for 17 (11.2%), Rear-end for 8 (5.3%), Sideswipe for 9 (5.9%), and Other for 1 (0.7%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 96 deaths (63.2%). This means the first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport. Examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A vehicle stopped in traffic can count as a motor vehicle in transport; physical movement is not the test.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime, defined as 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 79 car accident deaths, or 52.0%, from 2020 through 2024. Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 73 deaths, or 48.0%. Nighttime had the higher death count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The urban classification accounted for 150 deaths, or 98.7%, while the rural classification accounted for 2 deaths, or 1.3%. Separately, car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 6, or 3.9%. That truck figure counts deaths in passenger-vehicle-involved crashes with a large truck also involved.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Massachusetts and the United States

Essex County's car accident death rate was 3.7 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. The Massachusetts rate was 4.7 and the national rate was 10.5, both higher than the county rate. These rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates and multiply by 100,000.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, rates were 3.0 in Middlesex County, Massachusetts; 5.4 in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire; 2.8 in Suffolk County, Massachusetts; and 6.3 in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Essex County's rate was higher than Middlesex and Suffolk and lower than Hillsborough and Rockingham. The rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors, and the deaths are assigned 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

The recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Essex County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident deaths. Shares of all traffic deaths were 35.0% for Speeding-related, 48.0% for Roadway departure, 21.5% for At an intersection, and 19.2% for Pedestrian involved.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Motorcycle involved accounted for 16.9%, Hit-and-run for 5.1%, Driver distraction reported for 11.3%, and In a work zone for 0.0%. A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so these rows overlap and do not add to 100%. The classifications describe 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 a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on trafficways customarily open to the public, counting deaths within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, these counts are grouped by crash county, not residence.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 to 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File, subject to revision. Rates divide 2020 to 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025 and multiply by 100,000. This yields average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustment for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the rate denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Middlesex County, Massachusetts (2020-2024)
• Massachusetts car accident statistics (2020-2024)