How Many Car Accidents Happen in California and Los Angeles?
California recorded 4,061 traffic deaths in 2023 — about 11 a day statewide — down nearly 11% from 4,539 in 2022, with a mileage death rate of 1.26 per 100 million miles traveled. Los Angeles County consistently records more crashes, deaths, and injuries than any other California county.
Behind one of these numbers? We’re here — 24/7.
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How many people die in California traffic crashes each year?
4,061 people were killed in California traffic crashes in 2023 — roughly 11 deaths per day — down nearly 11% from 4,539 in 2022, per the California Office of Traffic Safety. The state’s mileage death rate was 1.26 deaths per 100 million miles traveled, down from 1.34 the year before.
The underlying data comes from the CHP’s SWITRS (Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System), the official record of every reported California collision, and from NHTSA’s FARS at the federal level.
Who is dying on California roads?
The 2023 OTS figures break down starkly: 1,106 pedestrians (down from 1,213), 583 motorcyclists (down from 649), 145 bicyclists (down from 183), 428 teen drivers and passengers ages 15–20, and 780 people who weren’t wearing seat belts. Alcohol-impaired crashes killed 1,355 people — a third of all deaths — down about 4.5% from 2022.
How does Los Angeles compare?
Los Angeles County consistently leads every California county in total crashes, injuries, and deaths in SWITRS rankings — a function of having a quarter of the state’s population and the heaviest traffic volumes in the country. County- and city-level figures for any year can be pulled directly from SWITRS and UC Berkeley’s Transportation Injury Mapping System, which maps every reported LA collision.
Are crashes going up or down?
Deaths fell meaningfully in 2023 after pandemic-era spikes — total fatalities down ~11%, pedestrian deaths down ~9%, motorcycle deaths down ~10%. One year is not a trend, and California’s totals remain far above their mid-2010s levels. We update this page as OTS releases each new annual scorecard.
What do these numbers mean for an injured person?
Two practical things. First, the same records systems that produce these statistics produce your crash’s official record — the traffic collision report — and getting it is step one of any claim. Second, the volume explains the system you’re up against: insurers in LA County process enormous numbers of claims with software and playbooks. Knowing the rules of that system — deadlines, medical billing, offer tactics — is what levels it.
Sources: California OTS Annual Scorecard (2023 data, latest published); CHP SWITRS; NHTSA FARS; UC Berkeley TIMS. Figures are statewide unless noted; this page is reviewed against each new OTS release.
Statistics end where your case begins.
Se habla español — Llama Me. No out-of-pocket fees — we work on contingency.
