Car accident statistics for Lucas County, Ohio (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Lucas County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 49 in 2020 to 44 in 2021 and 37 in 2022. The count rose to 43 in 2023, then fell to 33 in 2024. The highest count was in 2020, and the lowest was in 2024. The 2024 count was 16 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths followed a different yearly sequence: 51 in 2020, 54 in 2021, 40 in 2022, 52 in 2023 and 35 in 2024. Car accident deaths accounted for 96.1%, 81.5%, 92.5%, 82.7% and 94.3% of those respective yearly totals. The highest share was in 2020, while the lowest share was in 2021.^{[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 Lucas County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 143 deaths, or 69.4% of car accident deaths in Lucas County during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 31 deaths, or 15.0%, and was the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 32 deaths, or 15.5%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category counts deaths in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. The Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) label follows the FARS classification, which can include occupants of parked motor vehicles. It is not a literal test of a person's position relative to a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. Angle (side impact) accounted for 63 deaths (30.6%), Head-on for 25 (12.1%), Rear-end for 15 (7.3%) and Sideswipe for 7 (3.4%). Unknown accounted for 1 death (0.5%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 95 deaths (46.1%), the largest row. 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 motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; the classification does not test whether another vehicle was physically moving.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime, defined as 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 118 car accident deaths (57.3%) in Lucas County from 2020 through 2024. Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 88 deaths (42.7%). Nighttime had the higher count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 189 deaths (91.7%) as Urban and 14 deaths (6.8%) as Rural. Unknown land use accounted for 3 deaths (1.5%). Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 26 car accident deaths, or 12.6% of the selected deaths during the reporting period.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Ohio and the United States

Lucas County's car accident death rate was 9.6 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. That rate was higher than Ohio's 8.9 and lower than the United States rate of 10.5. The corresponding death counts were 206 for Lucas County, 5,262 for Ohio and 176,219 for the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These rates divide the deaths during the reporting period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The county's separately displayed 2024 population estimate of 424,255 is not the denominator used for its rate. The national figures cover the states and the District of Columbia.^{[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 Lucas County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident crashes. Shares of all traffic deaths were 25.4% for Speeding-related, 45.7% for Roadway departure, 35.8% for At an intersection and 13.4% for Pedestrian involved.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Motorcycle involved accounted for 19.4%, Hit-and-run for 5.6%, Driver distraction reported for 2.2% and In a work zone for 1.7%. A crash can carry several characteristics, so these rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These recorded characteristics 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 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 residency. Readers searching for a car accident lawyer should retain that location distinction when reading these counts.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File and may change when replaced by the Final File. Rates use deaths divided by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, multiplied by 100,000. The separate July 1, 2024 estimate is not the denominator, and rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Ohio car accident statistics (2020-2024)