| Data years | 2020-2024[1][2][3][4][5] |
|---|---|
| Deaths in car accidents, 2020-2024 | 300[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Deaths in car accidents, 2024 | 57[5] |
| Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents | 4.7[1][2][3][4][5][6] |
| Population, July 1, 2024 (estimate) | 1,282,549[6] |
| 2024 data file | FARS Annual Report File[5] |
Oakland County, Michigan recorded 300 car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, out of 329 all traffic deaths in that period, a share of 91.2%. In 2024 alone, car accident deaths in the county stood at 57 out of 68 all traffic deaths, a share of 83.8%.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
On this page, a car accident is a fatal crash involving at least one passenger vehicle such as a car, SUV, pickup or van, and the deaths counted include everyone killed in those crashes, whether they were in the passenger vehicle, in another vehicle, or a nonoccupant. The figures are grouped by the county where the crash happened, not by where the people killed lived. Figures come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System and Census Bureau population estimates.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Contents
Car accident deaths in Oakland County by year
Car accident deaths in Oakland County ranged across the five years tracked, from 57 in 2020 to 63 in 2021 to 71 in 2022, then down to 52 in 2023 before returning to 57 in 2024. The highest year was 2022, with 71 car accident deaths, and the lowest was 2023, with 52. All traffic deaths followed a similar path, climbing from 62 in 2020 to 79 in 2022 before falling to 54 in 2023 and rising to 68 in 2024. Comparing the first and last years tracked, car accident deaths in 2020 and 2024 were the same, both at 57.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Year | Deaths in car accidents | All traffic deaths | Share in car accidents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 57 | 62 | 91.9% |
| 2021 | 63 | 66 | 95.5% |
| 2022 | 71 | 79 | 89.9% |
| 2023 | 52 | 54 | 96.3% |
| 2024 | 57 | 68 | 83.8% |
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 Oakland County car accidents
Among the 300 car accident deaths recorded in Oakland County from 2020 through 2024, People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 183 deaths, a share of 61.0%, the majority of the total. People in other vehicles accounted for 38 deaths, a share of 12.7%. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 79 deaths, a share of 26.3%.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
How the fatal car crashes happened
Among manners of collision recorded for car accident deaths in Oakland County from 2020 through 2024, Angle (side impact) crashes accounted for 75 deaths, a share of 25.0%, Rear-end crashes for 35 deaths, 11.7%, Head-on crashes for 33 deaths, 11.0%, and Sideswipe crashes for 10 deaths, 3.3%. The row labeled Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport covered 147 deaths, a share of 49.0%, meaning the crash's first harmful event was something other than 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
Of the 300 car accident deaths recorded in Oakland County from 2020 through 2024, 160 occurred during nighttime hours (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.), a share of 53.3%, and 137 occurred during daytime hours (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.), a share of 45.7%. By land use, 287 of these deaths occurred in urban areas, a share of 95.7%, while 9 occurred in rural areas, a share of 3.0%. Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 20, a share of 6.7% of all car accident deaths in the county over the period.[1][2][3][4][5]
Car accident death rate compared with Michigan and the United States
Oakland County's average annual rate of car accident deaths was 4.7 per 100,000 residents from 2020 through 2024. That rate is lower than Michigan's rate of 9.7 and lower than the national rate of 10.5. Among the listed neighboring counties, Wayne County, Michigan had a rate of 10.7, Macomb County, Michigan had a rate of 6.0, Genesee County, Michigan had a rate of 12.2, and Washtenaw County, Michigan had a rate of 6.8, and Oakland County's rate of 4.7 is lower than each of them. This figure is an average annual count of deaths per 100,000 residents and does not adjust for miles driven or for visitors to the county.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
| Area | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland County, Michigan | 300 | 4.7 |
| Michigan | 4,897 | 9.7 |
| United States | 176,219 | 10.5 |
| Wayne County, Michigan (neighbor) | 951 | 10.7 |
| Macomb County, Michigan (neighbor) | 262 | 6.0 |
| Genesee County, Michigan (neighbor) | 245 | 12.2 |
| Washtenaw County, Michigan (neighbor) | 126 | 6.8 |
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 Oakland County of any vehicle type as shares of all traffic deaths from 2020 through 2024, Roadway departure was recorded in 118 deaths, a share of 35.9%, and At an intersection was recorded in 105 deaths, 31.9%. Speeding-related crashes were recorded in 80 deaths, 24.3%, Pedestrian involved crashes in 77 deaths, 23.4%, and Motorcycle involved crashes in 51 deaths, 15.5%. Driver distraction was reported in 24 deaths, 7.3%, Hit-and-run crashes in 21 deaths, 6.4%, and crashes In a work zone in 16 deaths, 4.9%. Because a single crash can carry several of these characteristics, the rows overlap and do not add to 100%.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Recorded crash characteristic (all fatal crashes) | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Share of all traffic deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 80 | 24.3% |
| Roadway departure | 118 | 35.9% |
| At an intersection | 105 | 31.9% |
| Pedestrian involved | 77 | 23.4% |
| Motorcycle involved | 51 | 15.5% |
| Hit-and-run | 21 | 6.4% |
| Driver distraction reported | 24 | 7.3% |
| In a work zone | 16 | 4.9% |
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 trafficways open to the public where an occupant or nonoccupant dies within 30 days of the crash; FARS covers fatal crashes only, so nonfatal crashes and injuries are not part of these counts. Deaths are grouped by the county where the crash occurred rather than by the home county of the people killed. Data for 2020 through 2023 come from FARS Final Files, while the 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and may change when NHTSA issues the Final File. Rates divide the 2020 to 2024 deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates for those years, multiplied by 100,000, to produce an average annual rate per 100,000 residents.[8][6][7]
See also
- Car accident statistics for Wayne County, Michigan (2020-2024)
- Car accident statistics for Genesee County, Michigan (2020-2024)
- Car accident statistics for Macomb County, Michigan (2020-2024)
- Michigan car accident statistics (2020-2024)
On related publications
- Truck accident statistics for Oakland County, Michigan (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
References
- abcdefghijklmnop "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2020 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnop "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2021 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnop "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2022 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnop "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2023 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqr "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024 national data files (Annual Report File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefg "Annual resident population estimates for counties, April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (CO-EST2025-ALLDATA)". U.S. Census Bureau. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcde "Fatality Analysis Reporting System Analytical User's Manual, 1975-2024 (DOT HS 813 794)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- ^ "Overview of motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2024 (DOT HS 813 791, April 2026)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record