Auto Insurance
Fatal Crashes Involving Speeding Up More Than 28% Over 3 Years
Speeding is the leading cause of fatal crashes for drivers in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To determine who’s most likely to be involved in these types of crashes, we analyzed NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data from the past 10 years.
One major finding: The number of fatal speeding-related crashes has risen for three years, starting the year before the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s what else we found.
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Key findings
- The number of fatal crashes involving speeding has increased three years in a row. Fatal speeding-related crashes jumped 28.1% from 8,632 in 2018 to 11,057 in 2021 — the latest year for which data was available. Looking wider, these crashes jumped 19.2% over the 10 years between 2012 and 2021.
- The District of Columbia had the highest rate of deadly crashes involving speeding over 10 years. Between 2012 and 2021, 47.5% of fatal crashes in D.C. involved speeding, ahead of New Hampshire (45.2%) and Hawaii (44.2%). On the other end of the list were Florida (10.3%), Mississippi (14.2%) and Nebraska (16.9%).
- Men were more likely to be drivers in fatal speeding-related crashes than women. Over the 10 years, speeding was involved in 29.0% of fatal crashes in which the driver was a man, versus 23.5% in which the driver was a woman.
- Speeding was far more common in fatal motorcycle crashes than other vehicle body types. Speeding was reported in 35.9% of fatal crashes involving motorcycles, ahead of ones involving passenger cars (29.4%) and light utility trucks (25.8%).
- Speeding was more common during the major holidays over the past 10 years. While speeding was reported in 27.3% of fatal crashes, that figure jumped to 30.9% during the Labor Day and 30.6% during the Memorial Day holiday periods in the same 10 years.
Fatal crashes involving speeding increased 3 years in a row
The number of fatal speeding-related crashes jumped 28.1% from 8,632 in 2018 to 11,057 in 2021 — the latest year for which data was available. That this continued after the onset of the pandemic isn’t inconsequential.
Fewer drivers hit the roads as the COVID-19 crisis overwhelmed the country, leading to a huge drop in the number of miles driven, says Divya Sangameshwar, ValuePenguin auto insurance expert.
However, traffic fatalities surged during the pandemic, with an increase in crashes involving speeding, hit-and-runs and drunken driving.
That said, the pandemic peak in fatal crashes involving speeding could prove to be an anomaly, Sangameshwar says.
According to an AAA report, drivers got behind the wheel less frequently during the pandemic. But a small proportion increased their driving, and they were more likely to admit to risky behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, running red lights and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
"Ultimately, the combination of risk-averse drivers staying home, empty roads and higher-risk drivers taking advantage of the lack of vehicles on the road led to the pandemic spike in crashes," Sangameshwar says.
Fatal crashes involving speeding, 2012 to 2021
Year | Fatal crashes that involved speeding | Fatal crashes that didn’t involve speeding | Total fatal crashes | % that involved speeding | YoY % change in number of fatal crashes that involved speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 9,274 | 21,732 | 31,006 | 29.9% | – |
| 2013 | 8,730 | 21,472 | 30,202 | 28.9% | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 8,289 | 21,767 | 30,056 | 27.6% | -5.1% |
| 2015 | 8,706 | 23,832 | 32,538 | 26.8% | 5.0% |
| 2016 | 9,262 | 25,486 | 34,748 | 26.7% | 6.4% |
| 2017 | 8,955 | 25,605 | 34,560 | 25.9% | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 8,632 | 25,287 | 33,919 | 25.4% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 8,650 | 24,837 | 33,487 | 25.8% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 10,286 | 25,649 | 35,935 | 28.6% | 18.9% |
| 2021 | 11,057 | 28,451 | 39,508 | 28.0% | 7.5% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data.
The longer-term data doesn’t provide much relief on this subject. Fatal car crashes involving speeding jumped a whopping 19.2% over the previous decade (2012 to 2021). And more than a quarter (27.3%) of fatal crashes involved speeding during that period.
"The end of the pandemic isn’t automatically going to reduce traffic fatalities," Sangameshwar says. "In 2023, we need to be extra cautious on the road, especially with more Americans opting to drive over taking public transit for their work commutes, and budget-conscious Americans opting for road trips to save money on vacations," Sangameshwar says. "The increase in the number of vehicles on the roads will put all drivers at more risk. Americans driving to work should be ready for longer commutes and watch out for aggressive and risky drivers."
D.C. had the highest rate of fatal crashes involving speeding over 10 years
At the state level, the District of Columbia had the highest overall rate of fatal speeding-related crashes over the 10 years we analyzed. Between 2012 and 2021, almost half (47.5%) of fatal crashes in the nation’s capital involved speeding. The next highest rates were in New Hampshire (45.2%) and Hawaii (44.2%).
Admittedly, it can be easier for these states to slot into the top spots: D.C. had the fewest total fatal crashes over the 10 years, while Hawaii had the fifth-fewest and New Hampshire the sixth-fewest. This means they don’t need as significant a number of fatal speeding-related crashes as other states to rise to the top, though this is a contributing factor.
From 2019 through 2021, travel was Hawaii’s leading employment sector, according to the U.S. Travel Association. It was the fourth-largest employment sector in D.C. in 2021 (after being the second-largest in 2019).
Of note, these states didn’t have the highest fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) during 2020 — the latest year for which data was available. In fact, 32 states had a higher fatality rate than the District of Columbia during that year. Instead, South Carolina (No. 6 with the highest rate of fatal crashes involving speeding) had the largest fatality rate per VMT for the year.
States where highest rate of fatal crashes involved speeding
Rank | State | Fatal crashes that involved speeding | Fatal crashes that didn’t involve speeding | Total fatal crashes | % that involved speeding | Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 123 | 136 | 259 | 47.5% | 1.19 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 485 | 588 | 1,073 | 45.2% | 0.87 |
| 3 | Hawaii | 432 | 546 | 978 | 44.2% | 0.97 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 243 | 334 | 577 | 42.1% | 0.98 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 4,633 | 6,383 | 11,016 | 42.1% | 1.28 |
| 6 | South Carolina | 3,666 | 5,364 | 9,030 | 40.6% | 1.97 |
| 7 | Illinois | 3,743 | 5,980 | 9,723 | 38.5% | 1.27 |
| 8 | Missouri | 3,073 | 5,120 | 8,193 | 37.5% | 1.36 |
| 9 | Vermont | 212 | 364 | 576 | 36.8% | 1.03 |
| 10 | New Mexico | 1,243 | 2,193 | 3,436 | 36.2% | 1.68 |
| 11 | Alaska | 224 | 403 | 627 | 35.7% | 1.21 |
| 12 | Colorado | 1,861 | 3,466 | 5,327 | 34.9% | 1.28 |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data. Note: The speeding-related data covers 2012 to 2021, while the fatality rate per vehicle miles traveled is from 2020 — both the latest available.
At the other end of the list were Florida (10.3%), Mississippi (14.2%), and Nebraska (16.9%), which had the lowest rate of fatal crashes involving speeding. Interestingly, each of these states had a higher fatality rate per VMT than those with a higher percentage of fatal speeding-related crashes.
Fatal crashes involving speeding by demographics, from gender to type of crash
Gender
Men were more likely to be the drivers in fatal speeding-related crashes than women, according to the data. In the 10 years we examined from 2012 to 2021, speeding was involved in 29.0% of deadly crashes in which the driver was a man. That’s compared with 23.5% that had a woman as the driver.
According to the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), men typically drive more miles than women — and exhibit more risky driving habits like speeding.
Drivers involved in fatal crashes, by gender
Gender | Fatal crashes that involved speeding | Fatal crashes that didn’t involve speeding | Total fatal crashes | % that involved speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 107,048 | 261,592 | 368,640 | 29.0% |
| Women | 30,134 | 98,243 | 128,377 | 23.5% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data. Notes: Covers 2012 through 2021. We excluded the 'reported as unknown' category.
Age
Young drivers (especially those 34 and younger) tend to have the largest proportion of drivers in fatal crashes that involve speeding.
Teen drivers certainly lack the extensive behind-the-wheel histories of older folks. And depending on where they live, many of these youngest drivers were not likely doing so legally. Drivers ages 15 to 24 were second most likely to be involved in fatal speeding-related crashes.
Drivers involved in fatal crashes, by age
Age | Fatal crashes that involved speeding | Fatal crashes that didn’t involve speeding | Total fatal crashes | % that involved speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younger than 15 | 245 | 400 | 645 | 38.0% |
| 15-20 | 15,416 | 27,953 | 43,369 | 35.5% |
| 21-24 | 17,364 | 31,955 | 49,319 | 35.2% |
| 25-34 | 34,323 | 71,065 | 105,388 | 32.6% |
| 35-44 | 23,371 | 58,172 | 81,543 | 28.7% |
| 45-54 | 19,842 | 58,750 | 78,592 | 25.2% |
| 55-64 | 15,078 | 53,617 | 68,695 | 21.9% |
| 65-74 | 7,262 | 32,335 | 39,597 | 16.5% |
| 75+ | 4,081 | 25,095 | 29,176 | 13.7% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data. Notes: Covers 2012 through 2021. We excluded the 'unknown' category.
Vehicle body type
Motorcycle riders were far more prevalent in fatal speeding-related crashes than other vehicle body types. In fact, speeding was reported in 35.9% of fatal crashes involving a motorcycle, compared with 29.4% involving a passenger car and 25.8% involving a light utility truck. (Keep in mind that these figures are based on the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes rather than the number of crashes, so the totals will appear higher.)
Motorcycles can accelerate faster than cars. Some states allow (or don’t disallow) motorcycle lane splitting — which lets motorcyclists pass other vehicles between lanes.
Drivers involved in fatal crashes, by vehicle body type
Vehicle body type | Fatal crashes that involved speeding | Fatal crashes that didn’t involve speeding | Total fatal crashes | % that involved speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger car | 57,574 | 138,180 | 195,754 | 29.4% |
| Light truck, pickup | 20,968 | 64,412 | 85,380 | 24.6% |
| Light truck, utility | 23,075 | 66,265 | 89,340 | 25.8% |
| Light truck, van | 4,436 | 16,752 | 21,188 | 20.9% |
| Light truck, other | 214 | 797 | 1,011 | 21.2% |
| Large truck | 9,985 | 34,830 | 44,815 | 22.3% |
| Motorcycle | 18,878 | 33,709 | 52,587 | 35.9% |
| Bus | 432 | 1,902 | 2,334 | 18.5% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data. Notes: Covers 2012 through 2021. We excluded the 'other/unknown' category.
Time of week, month, holiday
Another factor we examined was the timing of these fatal crashes. Based on the number of reported fatal crashes, weekends had a higher percentage of fatal crashes that involved speeding than weekdays.
Fatal crashes involving speeding, by time of week
Time of week | Fatal crashes that involved speeding | Fatal crashes that didn’t involve speeding | Total fatal crashes | % that involved speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | 49,640 | 148,273 | 197,913 | 25.1% |
| Weekend | 42,071 | 95,310 | 137,381 | 30.6% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data. Notes: Covers 2012 through 2021. We excluded the 'unknown' category.
When looking monthly, the percentage of fatal crashes that involved speeding tends to equalize. However, April had a slightly higher likelihood than the other months, while October appeared to be the safest, based on 10 years of data.
Fatal crashes involving speeding, by month
Month | Fatal crashes that involved speeding | Fatal crashes that didn’t involve speeding | Total fatal crashes | % that involved speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6,774 | 17,685 | 24,459 | 27.7% |
| February | 6,172 | 15,839 | 22,011 | 28.0% |
| March | 7,053 | 18,254 | 25,307 | 27.9% |
| April | 7,324 | 18,224 | 25,548 | 28.7% |
| May | 8,154 | 20,640 | 28,794 | 28.3% |
| June | 8,322 | 21,387 | 29,709 | 28.0% |
| July | 8,510 | 22,106 | 30,616 | 27.8% |
| August | 8,551 | 22,519 | 31,070 | 27.5% |
| September | 8,094 | 22,393 | 30,487 | 26.5% |
| October | 7,961 | 23,181 | 31,142 | 25.6% |
| November | 7,487 | 21,324 | 28,811 | 26.0% |
| December | 7,439 | 20,566 | 28,005 | 26.6% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data. Note: Covers 2012 through 2021.
However, speeding was more common during the major holidays over the past 10 years. While speeding was reported in 27.3% of fatal crashes that excluded holidays, that figure jumped to 30.9% and 30.6% during the Labor Day and Memorial Day holiday periods, respectively, in the same decade.
Fatal crashes involving speeding, by holiday
Holiday | Fatal crashes that involved speeding | Fatal crashes that didn’t involve speeding | Total fatal crashes | % that involved speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | 1,158 | 2,631 | 3,789 | 30.6% |
| Fourth of July | 1,198 | 2,735 | 3,933 | 30.5% |
| Labor Day | 1,257 | 2,813 | 4,070 | 30.9% |
| Thanksgiving | 1,253 | 2,983 | 4,236 | 29.6% |
| Christmas | 878 | 2,059 | 2,937 | 29.9% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data. Note: Covers 2012 through 2021.
For context, this data is based on the NHTSA’s definition for holiday periods. Those generally run from Friday to Tuesday of the holiday weekend, but will vary depending on when the holiday falls.
Type of crash, light conditions, road class
Finally, we examined the type of crash, light conditions at the time of these crashes and the associated road class. Speeding was more likely to be involved in fatal crashes involving more than two vehicles (32.1%) than ones involving a single vehicle (29.0%).
Fatal crashes involving speeding, by type of crash
Crash type | Fatal crashes that involved speeding | Fatal crashes that didn’t involve speeding | Total fatal crashes | % that involved speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-vehicle crash | 56,496 | 138,591 | 195,087 | 29.0% |
| 2-vehicle crash | 27,783 | 89,504 | 117,287 | 23.7% |
| More than 2-vehicle crash | 7,562 | 16,023 | 23,585 | 32.1% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS data. Note: Covers 2012 through 2021.
As for light conditions, speeding was involved in 30.1% of fatal crashes at dusk — though dark lighting conditions were also common. In fact, speeding was involved in 28.4% of deadly crashes accompanied by dark road conditions (meaning there was no street lighting or it was unknown), versus 29.9% in the dark with overhead street lighting.
Another interesting factor here is that local (34.1%) and collector (30.4%) roads were the most represented classes for fatal crashes involving speeding, while principal (22.0%) and minor arterial (25.9%) roads were less likely.
Local roads mainly function to feed out to larger systems, and typically have little to no through traffic. And collectors are typically designed to link counties in rural areas, or provide direct access to neighborhoods and arterials in urban areas. So it appears these fatal high-speed crashes tend to be more prevalent in proximity to neighborhoods.
Methodology
ValuePenguin researchers analyzed data on fatal crashes involving speeding between 2012 and 2021.
Data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
For demographics like gender and age, we analyzed data on drivers involved in fatal crashes because characteristics could differ. For demographics like type of crash and light conditions, we looked at the number of fatal crashes because the characteristics would be the same.