| Data years | 2020-2024[1][2][3][4][5] |
|---|---|
| Deaths in car accidents, 2020-2024 | 226[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Deaths in car accidents, 2024 | 51[5] |
| Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents | 3.9[1][2][3][4][5][6] |
| Population, July 1, 2024 (estimate) | 1,159,806[6] |
| 2024 data file | FARS Annual Report File[5] |
Fairfax County, Virginia recorded 226 car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, including 51 in 2024 alone, which made up 89.5% of all traffic deaths that year. Across the full five-year span, car accidents accounted for 89.7% of the 252 traffic deaths recorded in the county.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
On this page a car accident is a fatal crash involving at least one passenger 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. Anyone researching these figures, including a car accident lawyer, should note that the totals are grouped this way rather than by individual vehicle type. The figures come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System and from Census Bureau population estimates.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Contents
Car accident deaths in Fairfax County by year
Car accident deaths in Fairfax County moved across a range over the five years shown in the table. The count stood at 33 in 2020, rose to 48 in 2021, and reached 56 in 2022, the highest year in the span. It then fell to 38 in 2023 before rising again to 51 in 2024. The lowest year was 2020, with 33 deaths. Between 2020 and 2024, the yearly count was 18 deaths higher, moving from 33 to 51.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Year | Deaths in car accidents | All traffic deaths | Share in car accidents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 33 | 39 | 84.6% |
| 2021 | 48 | 52 | 92.3% |
| 2022 | 56 | 62 | 90.3% |
| 2023 | 38 | 42 | 90.5% |
| 2024 | 51 | 57 | 89.5% |
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 Fairfax County car accidents
Of the 226 car accident deaths recorded in Fairfax County from 2020 through 2024, people in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans made up the largest share, with 121 deaths, or 53.5%, a majority of the total. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 83 deaths, or 36.7%. People in other vehicles made up the smallest share, with 22 deaths, or 9.7%.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
How the fatal car crashes happened
Among collisions between motor vehicles in transport recorded for car accident deaths in Fairfax County from 2020 through 2024, angle or side-impact collisions led with 43 deaths, or 19.0%, followed by rear-end collisions with 20 deaths, or 8.8%, head-on collisions with 16 deaths, or 7.1%, and sideswipe collisions with 9 deaths, or 4.0%. The largest category, at 138 deaths and 61.1%, was Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, a label covering crashes whose 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.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
Time of day and setting
Of the 226 car accident deaths recorded in Fairfax County from 2020 through 2024, nighttime hours accounted for 149 deaths, or 65.9%, a majority of the total, while daytime hours accounted for 77 deaths, or 34.1%. Urban land use accounted for 214 deaths, or 94.7%, also a majority, compared with 12 deaths, or 5.3%, in rural areas. Crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 23 deaths, or 10.2% of the county's car accident deaths over the period.[1][2][3][4][5]
Car accident death rate compared with Virginia and the United States
Fairfax County's average annual rate of car accident deaths was 3.9 per 100,000 residents from 2020 through 2024, a rate lower than both Virginia's 9.5 and the national rate of 10.5. Among the listed neighboring counties, Charles County, Maryland had the highest rate at 12.8, followed by Prince George's County, Maryland at 10.8, while Montgomery County, Maryland matched Fairfax County at 3.9, the lowest among the listed neighbors. Prince William County, Virginia had a rate of 4.8. This rate reflects average annual deaths per 100,000 residents and does not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
| Area | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County, Virginia | 226 | 3.9 |
| Virginia | 4,135 | 9.5 |
| United States | 176,219 | 10.5 |
| Prince George's County, Maryland (neighbor) | 520 | 10.8 |
| Montgomery County, Maryland (neighbor) | 206 | 3.9 |
| Prince William County, Virginia (neighbor) | 118 | 4.8 |
| Charles County, Maryland (neighbor) | 109 | 12.8 |
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
Across all fatal crashes in Fairfax County from 2020 through 2024, regardless of vehicle type, speeding-related crashes were recorded in 97 deaths, or 38.5% of all traffic deaths, the largest share among the characteristics listed. Roadway departure and pedestrian involvement were each recorded in 87 deaths, or 34.5%, and intersection crashes in 81 deaths, or 32.1%. Motorcycle involvement accounted for 36 deaths, or 14.3%, hit-and-run crashes for 28 deaths, or 11.1%, driver distraction for 19 deaths, or 7.5%, and work zone crashes for 16 deaths, or 6.3%, the smallest share listed. Because a single crash can carry several characteristics, these shares 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 | 97 | 38.5% |
| Roadway departure | 87 | 34.5% |
| At an intersection | 81 | 32.1% |
| Pedestrian involved | 87 | 34.5% |
| Motorcycle involved | 36 | 14.3% |
| Hit-and-run | 28 | 11.1% |
| Driver distraction reported | 19 | 7.5% |
| In a work zone | 16 | 6.3% |
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, a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes in which a crash is counted when it occurs on a trafficway open to the public and a vehicle occupant or a nonoccupant dies within 30 days. Deaths are grouped by the county where the crash occurred, not 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 divide deaths by summed annual population estimates rather than by miles driven, and this page covers fatal crashes only, leaving nonfatal crashes and injuries outside its scope.[8][6][7]
See also
- Car accident statistics for Montgomery County, Maryland (2020-2024)
- Car accident statistics for Prince George's County, Maryland (2020-2024)
- Virginia car accident statistics (2020-2024)
On related publications
- Truck accident statistics for Fairfax County, Virginia (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