Car accident statistics for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Milwaukee County by year

Car accident deaths in Milwaukee County ranged from 93 in 2020 to 74 in 2021 across the five years studied. Deaths rose to 90 in 2022, fell to 81 in 2023, then rose again to 87 in 2024. The highest year in the period was 2020 with 93 deaths, and the lowest was 2021 with 74 deaths. Comparing the start and end of the period, 2024 deaths were 6 lower than in 2020. The share of all traffic deaths attributed to car accidents moved from 93.0% in 2020 to 93.5% in 2024, with a low of 83.3% recorded in 2022.^{[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 Milwaukee County car accidents

Among the 425 car accident deaths recorded in Milwaukee County from 2020 through 2024, People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans made up the largest share at 291 deaths, or 68.5% of the total, a majority of all car accident deaths in the period. People in other vehicles accounted for 37 deaths, or 8.7%. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) totaled 97 deaths, representing 22.8% of the county's car accident deaths over the five years.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Manner of collision data for Milwaukee County show that Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 221 deaths, or 52.0% of car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, a majority of the total. This category covers crashes whose first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport, such as striking a nonoccupant, a parked vehicle, or a fixed object, or a rollover. Among collisions involving another motor vehicle in transport, Angle (side impact) crashes were largest at 149 deaths (35.1%), followed by Rear-end at 21 deaths (4.9%), Head-on at 17 deaths (4.0%), and Sideswipe at 10 deaths (2.4%). Other and Unknown manners accounted for 4 and 3 deaths respectively.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Of the 425 car accident deaths recorded in Milwaukee County between 2020 and 2024, Nighttime hours (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 271 deaths, or 63.8%, a majority of the total, while Daytime hours (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) accounted for 153 deaths, or 36.0%. Urban land use accounted for 422 deaths, or 99.3%, also a majority, compared with 1 death recorded in a rural setting. Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck totaled 18 over the five years, representing 4.2% of all car accident deaths in the county.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Wisconsin and the United States

Milwaukee County's average annual rate of car accident deaths was 9.2 per 100,000 residents from 2020 through 2024, calculated from 425 deaths divided by the county's summed population estimates for those years. This rate is higher than the Wisconsin state rate of 8.3 per 100,000 residents but lower than the national rate of 10.5 per 100,000 residents. Among the areas compared, the United States recorded the highest rate at 10.5 and Wisconsin the lowest at 8.3. This figure reflects average annual deaths per 100,000 residents and does not adjust for miles driven or for visitors to the county.^{[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

Across all fatal crashes recorded in Milwaukee County from 2020 through 2024, regardless of vehicle type, Speeding-related crashes were linked to 236 deaths, or 49.4% of all traffic deaths, the largest share among the characteristics listed. At an intersection was recorded in 228 deaths (47.7%), Roadway departure in 170 deaths (35.6%), Pedestrian involved in 111 deaths (23.2%), Hit-and-run in 99 deaths (20.7%), and Motorcycle involved in 59 deaths (12.3%). Driver distraction reported appeared in 11 deaths (2.3%) and In a work zone in 7 deaths (1.5%), the smallest share listed. Because a single crash can carry more than one characteristic, these shares overlap rather than add to a total.^{[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

These figures come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on public trafficways where a death occurs within 30 days. Deaths are grouped by the county where the crash took place rather than where the people killed resided, so a car accident lawyer reviewing this page should note the counts reflect crash location only. Data for 2020 through 2023 come from FARS Final Files, while the 2024 figures are drawn from the FARS Annual Report File and may be revised once NHTSA issues the Final File. Rates were built using Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates summed across the five years. FARS covers fatal crashes exclusively, so nonfatal crashes and injuries are not part of these statistics.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Wisconsin car accident statistics (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Truck accident statistics for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)