Car accident statistics for Wayne County, Michigan (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Wayne County by year

Car accident deaths in Wayne County moved across five years without a steady direction. The count stood at 224 in 2020, fell to 188 in 2021, rose to 197 in 2022, then fell to 180 in 2023 and 162 in 2024. The highest year in this span was 2020 with 224 deaths, and the lowest was 2024 with 162 deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Across the full period, deaths in car accidents were 62 lower in 2024 than in 2020. All traffic deaths fell in each year, from 253 in 2020 to 177 in 2024. The share of all traffic deaths that were car accident deaths ranged from 85.8% in 2021 to 91.5% in 2024.^{[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 Wayne County car accidents

Among the 951 car accident deaths recorded in Wayne County from 2020 through 2024, People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 568 deaths, a 59.7% share, which is the majority of the total. People in other vehicles made up 128 deaths, or 13.5%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 255 deaths, a 26.8% share. Together these three categories cover every person counted in the county's car accident death total for the period, grouped by where each crash occurred rather than by residency.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Manner of collision data for Wayne County's 951 car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024 shows Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport as the largest category, with 511 deaths, a 53.7% share. This category covers crashes whose first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport, such as striking a nonoccupant, a parked vehicle or a fixed object, or a rollover.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Among collisions with another motor vehicle in transport, Angle (side impact) crashes recorded 249 deaths (26.2%), Head-on crashes recorded 84 deaths (8.8%), Rear-end crashes recorded 76 deaths (8.0%), and Sideswipe crashes recorded 28 deaths (2.9%). Other collisions accounted for 3 deaths, or 0.3%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Of the 951 car accident deaths in Wayne County from 2020 through 2024, Nighttime hours from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. accounted for 650 deaths, a 68.3% share and the majority of the total, while Daytime hours from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. accounted for 299 deaths, or 31.4%. Two deaths were recorded with an unknown time.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

By land use, Urban areas accounted for 941 deaths, a 98.9% share and the majority, while Rural areas accounted for 8 deaths, or 0.8%. Among the 951 car accident deaths, 51 occurred in crashes that also involved a large truck, a 5.4% share.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Michigan and the United States

Wayne County's average annual rate of car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024 was 10.7 per 100,000 residents. This figure sits higher than Michigan's statewide rate of 9.7 and higher than the national rate of 10.5 for the same period.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, Oakland County, Michigan recorded a rate of 4.7, Macomb County, Michigan recorded 6.0, and Washtenaw County, Michigan recorded 6.8. Wayne County's rate of 10.7 is higher than each of these three neighboring counties. 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 Wayne County of any vehicle type, recorded characteristics show At an intersection present in 406 deaths, a 38.1% share of all traffic deaths, the largest figure among the characteristics listed. Roadway departure was recorded in 379 deaths (35.6%), and Speeding-related factors were recorded in 349 deaths (32.7%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Pedestrian involved crashes accounted for 266 deaths (25.0%), Hit-and-run crashes for 181 deaths (17.0%), and Motorcycle involved crashes for 174 deaths (16.3%). Driver distraction reported appeared in 40 deaths (3.8%), and In a work zone was the smallest listed characteristic at 18 deaths, or 1.7%. A single crash can carry several of these characteristics at once, so the shares overlap rather than sum to a total.^{[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 statistics are drawn from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on public trafficways where a vehicle occupant or nonoccupant dies within 30 days. Counts are grouped by the county where each crash happened, not by where the people killed actually lived, so a reader working with a car accident lawyer on a specific case should check which location field applies.^[8][6][7]

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 version. Rate calculations divide deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates and do not account for miles driven or visitor traffic. FARS itself covers fatal crashes only, so nonfatal crashes and injuries are not part of any figure on this page.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Oakland 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 Wayne County, Michigan (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)