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

Car accident deaths in Plymouth County by year

Annual car accident deaths rose from 27 in 2020 to 31 in 2021 and 39 in 2022. The count then fell to 33 in 2023 before rising to 36 in 2024. The highest count was 39 in 2022, and the lowest was 27 in 2020. The 2024 count was 9 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths numbered 30 in 2020, 37 in 2021, 42 in 2022, 36 in 2023 and 40 in 2024. The share attributed to car accidents was 90.0%, 83.8%, 92.9%, 91.7% and 90.0%, respectively. That share was highest in 2022 and lowest in 2021, while the shares for 2020 and 2024 were equal.^{[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 Plymouth County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 118 deaths, or 71.1% of car accident deaths in Plymouth County during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 20 deaths, or 12.0%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 28 deaths, or 16.9%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These labels classify the people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. Each category uses the county where the crash occurred rather than the person's residence. For a reader searching for a car accident lawyer, keep that location-based grouping in mind when reading the counts.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) accounted for 21 deaths, or 12.7%; Head-on for 17, or 10.2%; Rear-end for 14, or 8.4%; and Sideswipe for 7, or 4.2%. The Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport row recorded 107 car accident deaths, or 64.5%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Manner of collision identifies the first harmful event. The latter row means that 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 motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; the classification does not require it to be physically moving.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime, defined as 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 87 car accident deaths, or 52.4%. Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 78 deaths, or 47.0%. Time of day was unknown for 1 death, or 0.6%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification was urban for 163 deaths, or 98.2%, and rural for 1 death, or 0.6%. Land use was unknown for 2 deaths, or 1.2%. These figures cover 2020 through 2024. During that period, car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 7, representing 4.2% of the selected deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Massachusetts and the United States

Plymouth County's car accident death rate was 6.2 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. The Massachusetts rate was 4.7, and the United States 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, Norfolk County had a rate of 5.0, Bristol County 6.3 and Suffolk County 2.8. Plymouth County's rate was higher than Norfolk County's and Suffolk County's and lower than Bristol County's. These rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They 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

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Plymouth County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accidents. As shares of all traffic deaths, Speeding-related accounted for 27.6%, Roadway departure for 58.9%, At an intersection for 21.6%, and Pedestrian involved for 16.2%. Motorcycle involved accounted for 20.0%, Hit-and-run for 4.3%, Driver distraction reported for 11.9%, and In a work zone for 1.6%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These entries describe recorded crash characteristics; they 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 use crash location, not residence. The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File, subject to revision when replaced by the Final File.^[8][6][7]

Car accident 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 adjustment for miles driven or visitors. The separately shown July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

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