Drivers aged 16 to 20 account for 9 percent of fatal crashes in the United States while representing only 6.5 percent of licensed drivers. Similar overrepresentation for young drivers appears in injury rates and distraction data across multiple countries. Elderly drivers show elevated risk per mile in separate categories.
Key Takeaways
- NHTSA 2022: 21-24 year olds 15% DUI fatal crashes
- NHTSA 2023: Drivers 15-20 crash rate 150 per million miles driven
- NHTSA 2021: Teens 16-20 12% distracted fatal crashes
- In 2021, US drivers aged 16-20 accounted for 9% of all fatal crashes despite being only 6.5% of licensed drivers
- In 2021 US, 16-17 drivers injury crash rate 250 per million miles vs 80 for all ages
Car crash deaths remain a leading cause of loss for young adults, highlighting urgent age tailored safety efforts.
Related reading
02 · Category
Crash Rates Per Mile27 stats
01
NHTSA 2023: Drivers 15-20 crash rate 150 per million miles driven
02
IIHS 2022: Age 80+ rate 5x higher than 30-59 per mile
03
UK 2021: 17-24 males 3.5 crashes per million miles
04
CDC WISQARS: Ages 16-24 2x crash rate per mile
05
Australia 2023: 18-24 4x rate vs over 40 per VMT
06
California 2020: Teens 16-19 200 crashes per 100m miles
07
EU CARE: Young drivers 18-24 2.8x rate per km
08
Texas 2022: Elderly 70+ 120 per million miles
09
Florida 2023: Seniors high rate per mile driven
10
Canada 2021: Youth 16-19 3x national average per km
11
NY 2022: 18-24 180 per million miles
12
Germany 2021: Under 21 2.5x crash rate per km
13
Japan 2023: Elderly 65+ 4x per km urban
14
Illinois 2022: Young adults 2.2x rate per mile
15
Sweden 2021: 17-24 3x per driven km
16
Ohio 2023: 75+ 140 crashes per million miles
17
India 2022: 18-30 2.8x urban per km
18
Michigan 2021: Teens 190 per million miles
19
France 2022: 18-24 3.1x national rate per km
20
Pennsylvania 2023: Elderly elevated per VMT
21
Brazil 2021: 15-24 3.5x per km
22
Virginia 2022: 16-20 2.9x rate per mile
23
Netherlands 2023: Seniors 75+ 3.8x per km
24
Georgia 2022: Young drivers 2.7x per mile
25
Norway 2021: 17-24 2.4x per km
26
Washington 2023: Elderly high VMT rate
27
Spain 2022: Under 25 3.2x crash rate km
Interpretation
Crash Rates Per Mile Interpretation
Across studies of crash rates per mile, the youngest drivers tend to be the highest risk, such as ages 15 to 20 at 150 crashes per million miles in NHTSA 2023, while teen drivers in California 2020 show 200 crashes per 100 million miles, underscoring how crash likelihood per mile is concentrated at younger ages.
03 · Category
Distracted Driving By Age27 stats
01
NHTSA 2021: Teens 16-20 12% distracted fatal crashes
02
IIHS 2023: Drivers 18-20 4x phone use crash risk
03
UK 2022: Under 30 40% mobile phone offences
04
CDC 2023: Ages 18-24 25% texting crashes
05
Australia 2021: 17-25 35% distraction crashes
06
California 2023: Young drivers 28% cell phone citations
07
EU 2022: 18-29 32% distraction involvement
08
Texas 2021: 16-24 30% distracted crashes
09
Florida 2022: Millennials high phone use crashes
10
Canada 2023: Youth 16-24 38% distraction
11
NY 2021: 18-34 29% phone-related crashes
12
Germany 2023: Under 25 42% smartphone distraction
13
Japan 2022: All ages but young higher texting
14
Illinois 2021: Teens 26% distracted driving crashes
15
Sweden 2023: 20-29 36% distraction factors
16
Ohio 2022: 16-20 31% cell phone crashes
17
India 2021: Urban youth 24% mobile distraction
18
Michigan 2023: Under 25 33% distraction arrests
19
France 2022: 18-24 39% phone use accidents
20
Pennsylvania 2021: Young drivers 27% distracted
21
Brazil 2023: 18-30 34% cell phone crashes
22
Virginia 2022: 16-24 28% distraction citations
23
Netherlands 2021: 18-27 41% smartphone crashes
24
Georgia 2023: Young adults 32% distracted
25
Norway 2022: Under 25 29% distraction
26
Washington 2021: Teens high phone crash rate
27
Spain 2023: 18-25 37% mobile distraction
Interpretation
Distracted Driving By Age Interpretation
Across multiple sources, young drivers are consistently more involved in distracted driving, with teens 16 to 20 making up 12% of distracted fatal crashes in NHTSA 2021 and ages 17 to 25 reaching 35% of distraction crashes in Australia 2021, alongside high phone-related risk such as IIHS 2023 showing drivers 18 to 20 are 4 times more likely to crash with phone use.
More related reading
04 · Category
Fatal Crashes29 stats
01
In 2021, US drivers aged 16-20 accounted for 9% of all fatal crashes despite being only 6.5% of licensed drivers
02
UK data from 2022 shows 16-17 year olds had a fatal crash involvement rate of 4.2 per million licensed drivers
03
In Australia 2020, drivers 17-24 years old were in 22% of fatal crashes
04
NHTSA 2022: Drivers 75+ had 18 fatal crashes per 100,000 population vs 10 for ages 35-54
05
IIHS 2021: Teen drivers (16-19) 3 times more likely to die in crash than 30+ drivers per mile driven
06
CDC 2023: Ages 16-24 represent 14% of US driver deaths
07
EU 2022: Drivers 18-24 in 15.7% fatal accidents
08
California 2021: 15-20 year olds 12% of fatal crashes
09
WHO 2023 global: Young drivers 15-24 27% road deaths
10
Texas 2022: Drivers 16-25 19% fatal crashes
11
Florida 2021: Elderly 70+ 17% fatal crash drivers
12
Canada 2022: 16-19 year olds 13% fatal collisions
13
NY 2023: Teens 16-19 8% fatal crashes
14
Germany 2022: Under 21 drivers 11% fatal accidents
15
Japan 2021: Elderly 65+ 20% fatal crash victims
16
Illinois 2022: 18-24 year olds 16% fatal crashes
17
Sweden 2023: Young drivers 18-24 12% road deaths
18
Ohio 2021: Drivers 75+ fatal rate 22 per 100k licensed
19
India 2022: Ages 18-30 35% fatal crashes urban
20
Michigan 2023: Teens 11% fatal involvements
21
France 2022: 18-24 drivers 16% killed
22
Pennsylvania 2021: Elderly high fatal rate per mile
23
Brazil 2023: Young males 15-24 30% fatalities
24
Virginia 2022: 16-20 year olds 10% fatal crashes
25
Netherlands 2021: Seniors 75+ 14% fatal victims
26
Georgia 2023: Young drivers 21% fatal crashes
27
Norway 2022: 17-24 year olds 15% road deaths
28
Washington 2021: Elderly crash fatality rate high
29
Spain 2023: Under 25 drivers 18% accidents fatal
Interpretation
Fatal Crashes Interpretation
Across fatal crashes, young drivers are disproportionately represented, with US drivers aged 16 to 20 making up 9% of fatal crashes despite being only 6.5% of licensed drivers, and 16 to 24 year olds accounting for 14% of US driver deaths.
05 · Category
Injury Crashes27 stats
01
In 2021 US, 16-17 drivers injury crash rate 250 per million miles vs 80 for all ages
02
IIHS 2022: Teens 16-19 4x injury crashes per mile than 40+
03
UK 2023: 17-24 year olds 28% serious injury collisions
04
CDC 2022: Ages 18-24 20% hospitalized crash injuries
05
Australia 2021: Young drivers 15-24 25% injury crashes
06
California 2022: Elderly 65+ injury rate 150 per 100k
07
EU 2023: Drivers 18-24 22% serious injuries
08
Texas 2023: 16-20 teens 18% injury crashes
09
Florida 2022: Seniors 70+ 19% injury collisions
10
Canada 2021: Youth 16-19 16% injury crashes
11
NY 2022: Young adults 18-24 23% KSI crashes
12
Germany 2023: Under 21 14% hospitalized injuries
13
Japan 2022: Elderly 25% injury victims
14
Illinois 2021: 18-24 21% injury crashes
15
Sweden 2022: Young drivers 19% serious injuries
16
Ohio 2023: Drivers 75+ injury rate 180 per 100k
17
India 2021: Ages 20-30 32% injury crashes
18
Michigan 2022: Teens 15% injury involvements
19
France 2023: 18-24 24% injury accidents
20
Pennsylvania 2022: Elderly injury high per mile
21
Brazil 2022: Young 15-24 28% injuries
22
Virginia 2023: 16-20 17% injury crashes
23
Netherlands 2022: Seniors 16% serious injuries
24
Georgia 2021: Young drivers 22% injury crashes
25
Norway 2023: 17-24 20% injuries
26
Washington 2022: Elderly injury rate elevated
27
Spain 2021: Under 25 21% injury collisions
Interpretation
Injury Crashes Interpretation
Across multiple datasets on Injury Crashes, young drivers are consistently the most at risk, with 16 to 17 year olds in the US showing an injury crash rate of 250 per million miles versus 80 for all ages, and the UK reporting 17 to 24 year olds account for 28% of serious injury collisions.
report visual · Key figures
Young drivers and alcohol-related crash involvement
Across multiple countries and years, youth are consistently overrepresented in alcohol-related crash and impairment metrics, indicating age-linked risk patterns.
22%
In Australia 2020, drivers 17-24 years old were in 22% of fatal crashes
9%
In 2021, US drivers aged 16-20 accounted for 9% of all fatal crashes despite being only 6.5% of licensed drivers
15%
NHTSA 2022: 21-24 year olds 15% DUI fatal crashes
22%
California 2022: Young adults 18-24 22% DUI crashes
28%
Australia 2023: 17-25 28% alcohol crashes
27%
WHO 2023 global: Young drivers 15-24 27% road deaths
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Priyanka Sharma. (2026, February 13). Car Crash Age Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/car-crash-age-statistics
MLA
Priyanka Sharma. "Car Crash Age Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/car-crash-age-statistics.
Chicago
Priyanka Sharma. 2026. "Car Crash Age Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/car-crash-age-statistics.
Sources & references
61 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level