| Data years | 2020-2024[1][2][3][4][5] |
|---|---|
| Deaths in car accidents, 2020-2024 | 333[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Deaths in car accidents, 2024 | 64[5] |
| Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents | 5.6[1][2][3][4][5][6] |
| Population, July 1, 2024 (estimate) | 1,217,454[6] |
| 2024 data file | FARS Annual Report File[5] |
Salt Lake County, Utah recorded 333 car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, including 64 in 2024, a year with 73 all traffic deaths. Car accidents accounted for 87.7% of all traffic deaths in the county that year, and the 333 car accident deaths over the five years made up 85.8% of the 388 all traffic deaths recorded in that span.[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 death count includes everyone killed in those crashes, whether they were in the passenger vehicle, in another vehicle or a nonoccupant. A car accident lawyer reading this page should note that the figures are grouped by crash location rather than by county of residence. The statistics 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 Salt Lake County by year
Car accident deaths in Salt Lake County ranged across the five years tracked on this page. Deaths rose from 62 in 2020 to 68 in 2021, then rose again to 86 in 2022, the highest year of the period. They fell to 53 in 2023, the lowest year, before rising to 64 in 2024. The 2024 total of 64 deaths is 2 deaths higher than the 2020 total of 62. All traffic deaths followed a similar pattern, climbing from 71 in 2020 to a high of 94 in 2022 before dropping to 68 in 2023 and reaching 73 in 2024.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Year | Deaths in car accidents | All traffic deaths | Share in car accidents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 62 | 71 | 87.3% |
| 2021 | 68 | 82 | 82.9% |
| 2022 | 86 | 94 | 91.5% |
| 2023 | 53 | 68 | 77.9% |
| 2024 | 64 | 73 | 87.7% |
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 Salt Lake County car accidents
Among the 333 car accident deaths recorded in Salt Lake County from 2020 through 2024, People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans account for 195 deaths, a 58.6% share, which is the majority of the total. People in other vehicles account for 43 deaths, a 12.9% share. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping), which covers FARS person types 3 to 5, account for 95 deaths, a 28.5% share.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
How the fatal car crashes happened
Manner of collision data for Salt Lake County shows 171 deaths, a 51.4% share, classified as Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, meaning the 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. Among collisions that did involve another motor vehicle in transport, Angle (side impact) crashes recorded 87 deaths (26.1%), Head-on crashes recorded 38 deaths (11.4%), Rear-end crashes recorded 27 deaths (8.1%) and Sideswipe crashes recorded 9 deaths (2.7%). One death, 0.3%, falls under Unknown.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
Time of day and setting
Of the 333 car accident deaths recorded in Salt Lake County from 2020 through 2024, Nighttime hours (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) account for 187 deaths, a 56.2% share, which is the majority, while Daytime hours (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) account for 145 deaths, a 43.5% share. One death is listed as Unknown. By land use, Urban areas account for 314 deaths, a 94.3% share, compared with 19 deaths, 5.7%, in Rural areas. Crashes that also involved a large truck account for 31 of the 333 deaths, a 9.3% share.[1][2][3][4][5]
Car accident death rate compared with Utah and the United States
Salt Lake County's average annual rate of car accident deaths is 5.6 per 100,000 residents, based on 333 deaths from 2020 through 2024. That figure is lower than the Utah rate of 7.3 and lower than the national rate of 10.5. Among the listed neighboring counties, Utah County, Utah records a rate of 4.6, meaning Salt Lake County's rate of 5.6 is higher than Utah County's. Among the areas compared on this page, the United States rate of 10.5 is the highest and Utah County's rate of 4.6 is the lowest. These rates reflect average annual deaths per 100,000 residents and do 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County, Utah | 333 | 5.6 |
| Utah | 1,245 | 7.3 |
| United States | 176,219 | 10.5 |
| Utah County, Utah (neighbor) | 161 | 4.6 |
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 recorded characteristics across all fatal crashes in Salt Lake County, of any vehicle type, as shares of all traffic deaths, At an intersection appears in 164 deaths, a 42.3% share, the largest share among the characteristics listed, while In a work zone appears in 9 deaths, 2.3%, the smallest. Roadway departure is recorded in 132 deaths (34.0%), Speeding-related in 130 deaths (33.5%), Pedestrian involved in 96 deaths (24.7%), Motorcycle involved in 66 deaths (17.0%), Hit-and-run in 41 deaths (10.6%) and Driver distraction reported in 23 deaths (5.9%). A single crash can carry several of these characteristics, so 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 | 130 | 33.5% |
| Roadway departure | 132 | 34.0% |
| At an intersection | 164 | 42.3% |
| Pedestrian involved | 96 | 24.7% |
| Motorcycle involved | 66 | 17.0% |
| Hit-and-run | 41 | 10.6% |
| Driver distraction reported | 23 | 5.9% |
| In a work zone | 9 | 2.3% |
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 (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on trafficways customarily open to the public where a vehicle occupant or a nonoccupant dies within 30 days of the crash. Deaths are grouped by the county where the crash occurred rather than by where the people killed lived. Data for 2020 through 2023 come 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 on this page divide deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates for 2020 through 2024, producing an average annual rate per 100,000 residents. FARS covers fatal crashes only, so nonfatal crashes and injuries are not part of these statistics.[8][6][7]
See also
On related publications
- Truck accident statistics for Salt Lake County, Utah (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