Oklahoma car accident statistics (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Oklahoma by year

Car accident deaths rose from 575 in 2020 to 672 in 2021, then fell to 612 in 2022, 603 in 2023 and 554 in 2024. The highest count was in 2021, and the lowest was in 2024. The 2024 count was 21 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Oklahoma's share of the national car accident death total was 1.7% in 2020, 1.8% in 2021, 1.7% in 2022, 1.7% in 2023 and 1.6% in 2024. Across 2020 through 2024, the state's 3,016 deaths represented 1.7% of the national total of 176,219. The 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and remain subject to revision.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised when NHTSA publishes the final file.

Who died in Oklahoma car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 2,299 deaths, or 76.2%, the largest share of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. People in other vehicles accounted for 266 deaths, or 8.8%, the smallest share. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 451 deaths, or 15.0%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These categories classify people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. They do not limit the count to people in passenger vehicles. The Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) category follows FARS classifications and can include occupants of parked motor vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Collision types and setting

Death counts by manner of collision were Angle (side impact), 753; Head-on, 415; Rear-end, 248; Sideswipe, 68; Other, 19; and Unknown, 3. Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 1,510 deaths. This means the first harmful event was not between motor vehicles in transport, such as a fixed-object impact or rollover. Vehicles stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime accounted for 1,502 car accident deaths (49.8%), nighttime for 1,453 (48.2%), and unknown time for 61 (2.0%). Urban locations accounted for 1,285 deaths (42.6%), rural locations for 1,724 (57.2%), and unknown land use for 7 (0.2%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Counties with the most car accident deaths

Oklahoma County had the most car accident deaths, 418, followed by Tulsa County with 404 and Cleveland County with 123. Canadian County recorded 78 deaths, McCurtain County 73 and Payne County 70. Ottawa County and Pottawatomie County each recorded 64; Rogers County recorded 63. Creek County and Muskogee County each had 58 deaths, Wagoner County had 54, Bryan County and McClain County each had 52, and Le Flore County had 51.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Death counts and population-based rates describe different measures. Among the listed counties, McCurtain County had the highest average annual deaths per 100,000 residents at 47.3, while Cleveland County had the lowest at 8.2. These rate rankings apply to the listed counties, not every county statewide.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Up to 15 counties with the most deaths in the period, largest first. Rates for counties with few deaths change sharply with each death.

How Oklahoma compares with the national rate

The Oklahoma car accident death rate was 15.0, compared with the national rate of 10.5. Both figures measure average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Oklahoma's rate was higher than the national rate. The corresponding death counts were 3,016 for Oklahoma and 176,219 for the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The calculation divides deaths during the period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates, then multiplies by 100,000. It does not adjust for miles driven or visitors. Oklahoma's separately reported 2024 population estimate of 4,097,758 is not the denominator. Readers searching for a car accident lawyer should keep the grouping in mind: these deaths are assigned by crash location.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

About these figures

NHTSA's census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes is FARS. For a crash to be included, a motor vehicle must be traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public, and an occupant or nonoccupant must die within 30 days. Neither nonfatal crashes nor injuries are included. Counts for states and counties are based on the location of the crash rather than residence.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 records are Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File, subject to revision when replaced by the Final File. Rates use deaths divided by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, multiplied by 100,000. They express average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustments for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• FARS Annual Report File and Final File
• Car accident statistics for Oklahoma County, Oklahoma (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Tulsa County, Oklahoma (2020-2024)