Fatality Facts 2022Collisions with fixed objects and animals
Overview
About 20% of motor vehicle crash deaths result from a vehicle leaving the roadway and hitting a fixed object alongside the road. Trees, utility poles, and traffic barriers are the most common objects struck. Almost half of the deaths in fixed-object crashes occur at night. Alcohol is a frequent contributing factor. Motorists also run off the road because of excessive speeds, falling asleep, inattention or poor visibility.
From 1975 to the mid-2000s there was a general upward trend in deaths from collisions with animals, but this trend has leveled off over the past decade. In 2022, these deaths occurred most often during July-September.
The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
The information on fixed-object crashes is based on fatal crashes in which the most harmful event coded was a collision with a fixed object, regardless of whether the first harmful event also was a collision with a fixed object or was instead another type of crash, such as a collision between two motor vehicles, that in turn led to a collision with a fixed object. Information on the most harmful event became available in FARS in 1979.
The information on collisions with animals is based on fatal crashes in which the first harmful event coded was a collision with an animal. Many of these collisions involve secondary impacts that are more severe, such as colliding with another vehicle or a tree. Information on the first harmful event has been available since FARS was established in 1975. FARS does not track the type of animal involved in the collision. However, according to a review of 147 fatal animal crashes during 2000-02 in nine states, 77% of the struck animals were deer, and a variety of other animals were involved including cattle, horses, dogs, bears, cats and opossums (Williams & Wells, 2005).
Posted June 2024.
Trends
A total of 8,697 people died in fixed-object crashes in 2022, 2% fewer than in 2021 and 18% fewer than in 1979. The proportion of motor vehicle crash deaths involving collisions with fixed objects has remained between 19% and 23% since 1979.
Deaths in fixed-object crashes as a percentage of all motor vehicle crash deaths, 1979-2022
Year
Fixed object crash deaths
Other deaths
All deaths
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
1979
10,550
21
40,543
79
51,093
100
1980
10,968
21
40,123
79
51,091
100
1981
9,464
19
39,837
81
49,301
100
1982
8,417
19
35,528
81
43,945
100
1983
8,333
20
34,256
80
42,589
100
1984
8,796
20
35,461
80
44,257
100
1985
9,319
21
34,506
79
43,825
100
1986
9,851
21
36,236
79
46,087
100
1987
9,662
21
36,728
79
46,390
100
1988
9,865
21
37,222
79
47,087
100
1989
9,537
21
36,045
79
45,582
100
1990
9,355
21
35,244
79
44,599
100
1991
8,894
21
32,614
79
41,508
100
1992
8,221
21
31,029
79
39,250
100
1993
8,256
21
31,894
79
40,150
100
1994
8,142
20
32,574
80
40,716
100
1995
8,524
20
33,293
80
41,817
100
1996
8,442
20
33,623
80
42,065
100
1997
8,381
20
33,632
80
42,013
100
1998
8,401
20
33,100
80
41,501
100
1999
8,431
20
33,286
80
41,717
100
2000
8,899
21
33,046
79
41,945
100
2001
9,011
21
33,185
79
42,196
100
2002
9,580
22
33,425
78
43,005
100
2003
9,433
22
33,451
78
42,884
100
2004
9,242
22
33,594
78
42,836
100
2005
9,176
21
34,334
79
43,510
100
2006
9,303
22
33,405
78
42,708
100
2007
9,289
23
31,970
77
41,259
100
2008
8,792
23
28,631
77
37,423
100
2009
7,928
23
25,955
77
33,883
100
2010
7,529
23
25,470
77
32,999
100
2011
7,378
23
25,101
77
32,479
100
2012
7,697
23
26,085
77
33,782
100
2013
7,553
23
25,341
77
32,894
100
2014
7,518
23
25,226
77
32,744
100
2015
7,700
22
27,785
78
35,485
100
2016
8,039
21
29,767
79
37,806
100
2017
7,875
21
29,598
79
37,473
100
2018
7,465
20
29,370
80
36,835
100
2019
7,308
20
29,047
80
36,355
100
2020
8,622
22
30,385
78
39,007
100
2021
8,904
21
34,326
79
43,230
100
2022
8,697
20
33,817
80
42,514
100
Deaths in fixed-object crashes as a percentage of all motor vehicle crash deaths, 1979-2022
Year
Fixed object crash deaths
Other deaths
All deaths
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
Trees are the most common fixed object struck in fatal crashes. Forty-four percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2022 involved a vehicle striking a tree. Utility poles and traffic barriers were the next most common objects struck, accounting for 12% and 10% of deaths, respectively.
Distribution of fixed-object crash deaths by object struck, 2022
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by object struck, 2022
Object struck
Number
%
Tree
3,836
44
Utility pole
1,027
12
Traffic barrier
844
10
Embankment
425
5
Ditch
355
4
Culvert
238
3
Fence
204
2
Wall
182
2
Traffic sign support
179
2
Building
169
2
Bridge pier
169
2
Guardrail end
128
1
Other
941
11
Total
8,697
100
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by object struck, 2022
Object struck
Number
%
Alcohol
Forty-two percent of drivers killed in fixed-object crashes in 2022 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08%. By comparison, 25% of drivers killed in other types of fatal crashes had BACs this high. The percentage of drivers killed in fixed-object crashes with BACs at or above 0.08% declined from 66% in 1982 to 42% in 2022, a reduction of 36%.
Percent of fatally injured drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08% by crash type, 1982-2022
Estimated number and percent of fatally injured drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08% by crash type, 1982-2022
Year
Fixed object crashes
Other crashes
All crashes
Driver deaths
Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08
Driver deaths
Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08
Driver deaths
Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08
Number
Number
%
Number
Number
%
Number
Number
%
1982
6,089
3,991
66
18,601
8,148
44
24,690
12,139
49
1983
6,074
3,925
65
18,064
7,618
42
24,138
11,543
48
1984
6,496
4,027
62
19,093
7,472
39
25,589
11,499
45
1985
6,927
4,078
59
18,410
6,608
36
25,337
10,685
42
1986
7,121
4,209
59
19,509
7,201
37
26,630
11,409
43
1987
6,974
3,965
57
19,859
7,093
36
26,833
11,058
41
1988
7,239
3,987
55
20,014
7,116
36
27,253
11,103
41
1989
6,962
3,926
56
19,427
6,711
35
26,389
10,637
40
1990
6,786
3,897
57
18,964
6,498
34
25,750
10,395
40
1991
6,398
3,538
55
17,532
5,947
34
23,930
9,485
40
1992
5,979
3,151
53
16,605
5,301
32
22,584
8,452
37
1993
5,957
3,079
52
17,185
5,243
31
23,142
8,322
36
1994
5,943
2,885
49
17,748
5,028
28
23,691
7,913
33
1995
6,197
3,018
49
18,193
5,289
29
24,390
8,307
34
1996
6,077
2,917
48
18,457
5,258
28
24,534
8,175
33
1997
6,081
2,881
47
18,586
4,962
27
24,667
7,843
32
1998
6,280
2,964
47
18,463
4,870
26
24,743
7,834
32
1999
6,249
2,908
47
19,008
5,010
26
25,257
7,918
31
2000
6,595
3,080
47
18,972
5,086
27
25,567
8,166
32
2001
6,685
3,050
46
19,184
5,203
27
25,869
8,252
32
2002
7,218
3,292
46
19,441
5,224
27
26,659
8,515
32
2003
7,083
3,163
45
19,696
5,191
26
26,779
8,354
31
2004
6,987
3,083
44
19,884
5,072
26
26,871
8,155
30
2005
7,033
3,096
44
20,458
5,393
26
27,491
8,489
31
2006
7,273
3,190
44
20,075
5,388
27
27,348
8,578
31
2007
7,202
3,293
46
19,368
5,324
27
26,570
8,617
32
2008
6,955
3,128
45
17,299
4,833
28
24,254
7,961
33
2009
6,242
2,773
44
15,593
4,440
28
21,835
7,213
33
2010
5,925
2,599
44
15,147
3,980
26
21,072
6,579
31
2011
5,897
2,566
44
14,918
3,959
27
20,815
6,524
31
2012
6,163
2,634
43
15,327
4,100
27
21,490
6,735
31
2013
6,052
2,655
44
14,892
3,893
26
20,944
6,548
31
2014
6,044
2,603
43
14,744
3,783
26
20,788
6,387
31
2015
6,162
2,501
41
16,186
3,875
24
22,348
6,376
29
2016
6,506
2,576
40
17,209
4,105
24
23,715
6,681
28
2017
6,424
2,617
41
17,333
4,047
23
23,757
6,664
28
2018
6,129
2,347
38
16,916
4,002
24
23,045
6,349
28
2019
5,985
2,468
41
16,762
3,928
23
22,747
6,396
28
2020
7,045
2,796
40
17,815
4,425
25
24,860
7,221
29
2021
7,353
3,054
42
20,202
5,136
25
27,555
8,189
30
2022
7,229
3,040
42
19,613
4,972
25
26,842
8,012
30
Estimated number and percent of fatally injured drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08% by crash type, 1982-2022
Year
Fixed object crashes
Other crashes
All crashes
Driver deaths
Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08
Driver deaths
Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08
Driver deaths
Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08
Number
Number
%
Number
Number
%
Number
Number
%
Age and sex
Twenty-three percent of drivers killed in fixed-object crashes in 2022 were males younger than 30. Overall, males accounted for 82% of drivers killed in these crashes.
Driver deaths in fixed-object crashes by age and sex, 2022
Age
Male
Female
*Total
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
<16
12
<1
7
<1
19
<1
16-19
355
5
88
1
443
6
20-24
683
9
133
2
817
11
25-29
648
9
143
2
791
11
30-34
616
9
149
2
768
11
35-39
531
7
101
1
633
9
40-44
469
6
81
1
550
8
45-49
419
6
94
1
513
7
50-54
437
6
95
1
532
7
55-59
410
6
75
1
485
7
60-64
440
6
78
1
518
7
65-69
293
4
61
1
354
5
≥70
629
9
163
2
792
11
Total*
5,951
82
1,270
18
7,229
100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Driver deaths in fixed-object crashes by age and sex, 2022
Age
Male
Female
*Total
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
Crash types
Ninety-five percent of fixed-object crash deaths in 2022 occurred in single-vehicle crashes.
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by crash type, 2022
Crash type
Deaths
%
Single-vehicle crashes
8,220
95
Multiple-vehicle crashes
477
5
All crashes
8,697
100
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by crash type, 2022
Crash type
Deaths
%
Eighteen percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2022 involved vehicles rolling over.
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by rollover occurrence, 2022
Rollover occurrence
Deaths
%
Rollover
1,554
18
No rollover
5,650
65
Total*
8,697
100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by rollover occurrence, 2022
Rollover occurrence
Deaths
%
Eighteen percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2022 involved ejection; 14% of the occupants killed were fully ejected, and 4% were partially ejected.
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in fixed-object crashes by occupant ejection status, 2022
Ejection status
Deaths
%
Not ejected
5,505
81
Fully ejected
968
14
Partially ejected
296
4
Total*
6,838
100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in fixed-object crashes by occupant ejection status, 2022
Ejection status
Deaths
%
When and where crashes occur
Eighteen percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2022 occurred on interstates and freeways, 38% occurred on other major roads, and 43% occurred on minor roads.
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by road type, 2022
Road type
Deaths
%
Interstates and freeways
1,576
18
Other major roads
3,302
38
Minor roads
3,755
43
All road types*
8,697
100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by road type, 2022
Road type
Deaths
%
Fifty-five percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2022 occurred on urban roads.
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by land use, 2022
Land use
Deaths
%
Urban
4,772
55
Rural
3,897
45
Total*
8,697
100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by land use, 2022
Land use
Deaths
%
Forty-three percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2022 occurred on roads with speed limits of 55 mph or higher.
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by speed limit, 2022
Speed limit
Deaths
%
≤35 mph
2,271
26
40-50 mph
2,362
27
55+ mph
3,765
43
Total*
8,697
100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by speed limit, 2022
Speed limit
Deaths
%
Forty-three percent of deaths in fixed-object crashes in 2022 occurred at night (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.), with the highest proportion occurring between midnight and 3 a.m. (17%).
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by time of day, 2022
Hour of day
Deaths
%
Midnight - 3 a.m.
1,486
17
3 a.m. - 6 a.m.
874
10
6 a.m. - 9 a.m.
782
9
9 a.m. - noon
738
8
Noon - 3 p.m.
1,006
12
3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
1,173
13
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
1,188
14
9 p.m. - midnight
1,350
16
Total*
8,697
100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Deaths in fixed-object crashes by time of day, 2022
Hour of day
Deaths
%
Collisions with animals
From 1975 to the mid-2000s there was a general upward trend in deaths from collisions with animals, but this trend has since leveled off. These deaths increased from 89 in 1975 to 223 in 2007 and then declined to 184 in 2022. In 2022, the highest number of deaths in collisions with animals occurred during July-September.
Motor vehicle crash deaths involving collisions with animals, 1975-2022
Motor vehicle crash deaths in collisions with animals by quarter of the year, 1975-2022
Year
Months
Total
Jan-Mar
Apr-Jun
Jul-Sep
Oct-Dec
1975
14
15
28
32
89
1976
15
25
34
25
99
1977
13
15
27
24
79
1978
7
19
34
20
80
1979
16
21
30
35
102
1980
14
22
33
25
94
1981
14
19
43
29
105
1982
10
18
27
27
82
1983
11
28
32
24
95
1984
11
25
33
23
92
1985
12
24
44
24
104
1986
21
29
26
35
111
1987
15
30
35
31
111
1988
14
23
44
37
118
1989
20
33
42
36
131
1990
14
17
39
36
106
1991
23
34
31
34
122
1992
20
27
34
39
120
1993
16
22
27
36
101
1994
20
41
27
43
131
1995
17
29
36
41
123
1996
14
59
38
42
153
1997
17
35
39
45
136
1998
17
36
59
53
165
1999
18
35
46
53
152
2000
29
30
45
46
150
2001
24
51
43
59
177
2002
21
42
57
50
170
2003
23
57
72
60
212
2004
26
55
62
61
204
2005
18
47
57
58
180
2006
26
67
63
66
222
2007
15
64
82
62
223
2008
25
58
70
57
210
2009
24
52
67
41
184
2010
20
62
87
44
213
2011
19
44
71
65
199
2012
20
50
62
44
176
2013
15
54
74
49
192
2014
18
50
60
38
166
2015
15
47
59
68
189
2016
20
55
58
56
189
2017
20
64
65
63
212
2018
20
60
67
43
190
2019
14
64
67
41
186
2020
21
46
78
57
202
2021
12
45
42
65
164
2022
22
49
65
48
184
Motor vehicle crash deaths in collisions with animals by quarter of the year, 1975-2022
Year
Months
Total
Jan-Mar
Apr-Jun
Jul-Sep
Oct-Dec
Over the past 10 years, Texas had the highest numbers of deaths from collisions with animals. The numbers reflect the size of the driving population, the size of the animal population and the percentage of rural roads.
Motor vehicle crash deaths in collisions with animals by state, 2013-2022
State
Year
Total
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Alabama
1
9
2
3
1
3
3
3
2
3
30
Alaska
3
0
3
0
2
3
1
0
1
4
17
Arizona
2
0
3
1
4
2
4
2
3
4
25
Arkansas
3
4
4
7
1
2
2
2
2
4
31
California
4
4
2
5
9
4
3
4
4
3
42
Colorado
7
6
7
4
5
2
2
5
2
5
45
Connecticut
2
0
0
1
2
0
0
1
1
0
7
Delaware
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
3
Florida
6
1
4
4
5
6
6
9
7
8
56
Georgia
2
5
5
4
3
7
9
9
5
5
54
Hawaii
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Idaho
3
1
2
1
2
0
0
0
1
1
11
Illinois
5
4
8
7
4
8
4
10
2
4
56
Indiana
3
2
5
5
7
7
7
5
2
5
48
Iowa
4
3
0
2
2
5
1
4
6
5
32
Kansas
7
2
4
7
7
3
5
5
4
5
49
Kentucky
3
4
4
4
3
6
6
8
6
4
48
Louisiana
3
2
0
1
2
1
4
2
1
1
17
Maine
0
3
4
2
1
1
0
4
0
0
15
Maryland
4
0
1
1
1
2
0
1
0
1
11
Massachusetts
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
5
Michigan
9
8
7
15
17
14
12
2
9
10
103
Minnesota
8
3
8
3
6
9
5
4
3
9
58
Mississippi
1
3
5
3
4
2
3
2
1
2
26
Missouri
2
3
4
6
7
6
9
6
4
5
52
Montana
10
1
4
6
3
3
7
12
7
1
54
Nebraska
2
1
4
1
3
2
1
3
0
1
18
Nevada
2
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
2
1
11
New Hampshire
0
0
4
0
1
1
0
2
0
0
8
New Jersey
3
3
2
1
3
2
4
0
6
3
27
New Mexico
4
2
2
6
5
1
3
2
3
2
30
New York
4
4
9
4
5
6
10
4
4
2
52
North Carolina
4
2
8
5
1
3
3
2
5
2
35
North Dakota
1
4
1
1
1
2
2
2
0
1
15
Ohio
8
4
4
6
10
3
4
3
10
8
60
Oklahoma
3
6
8
4
3
6
6
3
5
9
53
Oregon
1
2
2
0
0
7
3
3
5
0
23
Pennsylvania
15
10
8
13
15
11
8
15
12
6
113
Rhode Island
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
South Carolina
5
8
7
4
3
6
10
2
4
4
53
South Dakota
2
1
0
3
3
3
0
4
0
2
18
Tennessee
8
4
2
2
4
6
4
2
1
5
38
Texas
18
25
22
19
27
16
16
21
18
19
201
Utah
1
1
1
1
3
2
2
1
0
4
16
Vermont
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
Virginia
4
3
1
3
5
5
1
6
3
6
37
Washington
3
2
1
3
4
1
0
7
0
4
25
West Virginia
2
2
3
3
2
2
0
2
1
2
19
Wisconsin
7
13
7
13
13
7
14
15
12
6
107
Wyoming
1
0
3
2
1
1
1
2
0
2
13
U.S. Total
192
166
189
189
212
190
186
202
164
184
1874
Motor vehicle crash deaths in collisions with animals by state, 2013-2022
State
Year
Total
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Among animal-involved crash deaths in 2022, 65% occurred in crashes in which the most harmful event was a collision with an animal. Collisions in which the most harmful evet was a rollover accounted for 11%, and those in which the most harmful event was a collision with a fixed object accounted for 10%.
Percent distribution of animal-involved crash deaths by the most harmful event, 2022
Motor vehicle crash deaths in collisions with animals by the most harmful event, 2022
Most harmful event
Deaths
%
Collision with an animal
120
65
Rollover
20
11
Collision with a fixed object
19
10
Collision with a vehicle in transport
12
7
Fire
1
1
Other
12
7
Total
184
100
Motor vehicle crash deaths in collisions with animals by the most harmful event, 2022