| Data years | 2020-2024[1][2][3][4][5] |
|---|---|
| Deaths in car accidents, 2020-2024 | 626[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Deaths in car accidents, 2024 | 102[5] |
| Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents | 8.2[1][2][3][4][5][6] |
| Population, July 1, 2024 (estimate) | 1,543,330[6] |
| 2024 data file | FARS Annual Report File[5] |
Suffolk County, New York recorded 626 car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Of the 708 all traffic deaths in the county over those five years, car accidents made up 88.4% of the total. In 2024 alone, the county saw 102 car accident deaths out of 120 all traffic deaths, a share of 85.0%.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
On this page, a car accident is a fatal crash involving at least one passenger vehicle, whether a passenger car, SUV, pickup or van. The deaths counted include everyone killed in those crashes: people riding in the passenger vehicles, people in other vehicles and nonoccupants. Figures come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System together with Census Bureau population estimates, which supply the residency totals used to calculate rates elsewhere on this page.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Contents
Car accident deaths in Suffolk County by year
Car accident deaths in Suffolk County rose and then fell between 2020 and 2024. The count stood at 100 in 2020, rose to 137 in 2021, and climbed further to 145 in 2022, the highest year in the span. It then fell to 142 in 2023 and dropped to 102 in 2024. From 2020 to 2024, deaths were 2 higher, a change from 100 to 102 across the five-year period.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Year | Deaths in car accidents | All traffic deaths | Share in car accidents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 100 | 113 | 88.5% |
| 2021 | 137 | 153 | 89.5% |
| 2022 | 145 | 164 | 88.4% |
| 2023 | 142 | 158 | 89.9% |
| 2024 | 102 | 120 | 85.0% |
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 Suffolk County car accidents
Among the 626 car accident deaths recorded in Suffolk County from 2020 through 2024, People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 359 deaths, a 57.3% share and the majority of the total. People in other vehicles made up 57 deaths, or 9.1%. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 210 deaths, representing 33.5% of car accident deaths over the five-year period.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
How the fatal car crashes happened
Looking at manner of collision among the 626 car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, Angle (side impact) crashes accounted for 112 deaths (17.9%), Head-on crashes for 64 deaths (10.2%), Rear-end crashes for 51 deaths (8.1%), and Sideswipe crashes for 10 deaths (1.6%). The Other category recorded 1 death (0.2%). The largest row, Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, covers 388 deaths, or 62.0%, meaning the crash's first harmful event was not 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 626 car accident deaths recorded from 2020 through 2024, Nighttime hours (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 390 deaths, or 62.3%, more than the 236 deaths, or 37.7%, recorded during Daytime hours (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.). Urban land use accounted for 613 deaths, a 97.9% share and the majority, while Rural land use accounted for 11 deaths (1.8%) and 2 deaths (0.3%) fell under Unknown. Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 24, a 3.8% share of the county's car accident deaths.[1][2][3][4][5]
Car accident death rate compared with New York and the United States
Suffolk County's average annual rate of car accident deaths stands at 8.2 per 100,000 residents, based on 626 deaths from 2020 through 2024. That rate is higher than the New York state rate of 4.7 and lower than the national rate of 10.5. Among the listed neighboring counties, Nassau County, New York recorded a rate of 4.8, built on 334 deaths over the same period, and Suffolk County's rate of 8.2 is higher than that figure. This rate reflects average annual deaths per 100,000 residents and does not adjust for miles driven or for visitors, so it should be read alongside the other measures on this page rather than on its own.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
| Area | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County, New York | 626 | 8.2 |
| New York | 4,644 | 4.7 |
| United States | 176,219 | 10.5 |
| Nassau County, New York (neighbor) | 334 | 4.8 |
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 recorded characteristics across all fatal crashes in Suffolk County of any vehicle type, as shares of all traffic deaths, Roadway departure was recorded in 274 deaths (38.7%) and Speeding-related crashes in 233 deaths (32.9%). At an intersection accounted for 209 deaths (29.5%), Pedestrian involved for 212 deaths (29.9%), and Motorcycle involved for 106 deaths (15.0%). Driver distraction reported appears in 69 deaths (9.7%), Hit-and-run in 65 deaths (9.2%), and In a work zone in 4 deaths (0.6%). Because a single crash can carry several of these characteristics, the rows overlap and do not add to 100%, and they describe recorded characteristics rather than findings of fault.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Recorded crash characteristic (all fatal crashes) | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Share of all traffic deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 233 | 32.9% |
| Roadway departure | 274 | 38.7% |
| At an intersection | 209 | 29.5% |
| Pedestrian involved | 212 | 29.9% |
| Motorcycle involved | 106 | 15.0% |
| Hit-and-run | 65 | 9.2% |
| Driver distraction reported | 69 | 9.7% |
| In a work zone | 4 | 0.6% |
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 that includes a crash when a vehicle traveling on a public trafficway is involved and someone, whether an occupant or a nonoccupant, dies within 30 days. Counts are grouped by the county where the crash happened rather than by where the people killed lived, so a car accident lawyer reviewing this page should note that the numbers reflect crash location, not residency. The 2020 to 2023 figures are drawn from FARS Final Files, while the 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and may change once NHTSA issues the Final File. Rates use Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates summed across the five years. FARS covers fatal crashes only, so nonfatal crashes and injuries are not part of these statistics.[8][6][7]
See also
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