Parking lots may be small, but collisions can still lead to serious harm to drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Across the U.S., crash deaths and injuries show patterns on local roads and in city areas, alongside high-risk factors like alcohol-impaired driving, speeding, wrong-way travel, and turning conflicts. This page looks at how those factors relate to parking-lot type fixed-object impacts, and who is most affected.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, 1,993 people were killed in crashes involving a passenger vehicle that struck a fixed object (which includes parking-lot type fixed-object impacts)
- In 2022, 31,310 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes overall in the United States
- NHTSA reports that in 2022, 38,824 (of 31,310 total deaths) is not applicable; total crash deaths were 31,310 in 2022
- In 2022, 6,380 people were killed in crashes involving a pedestrian
- In 2022, 57,342 pedestrians were injured in motor vehicle crashes
- In 2022, 7,318 cyclists were killed in crashes
- In 2022, 5,977 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in urban areas
- In 2022, 26,318 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in urban areas
- In 2022, 5,506 people were killed in crashes on local roads
- In 2022, 248,000 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes
- In 2022, 13,524 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes (B.A.C. 0.08+)
- In 2022, 56,000 people were injured in speeding-related crashes
- In 2022, 2,166 people were killed in crashes involving a wrong-way driver
- In 2022, 13,000 people were injured in crashes involving a wrong-way driver
- In 2022, 1,590 people were killed in crashes involving a vehicle making a left turn
In 2022, thousands died and more were injured nationwide in crashes, including fixed object strikes in parking lots.
Related reading
01 · Category
Fatality And Injury Counts29 stats
01
In 2022, 1,993 people were killed in crashes involving a passenger vehicle that struck a fixed object (which includes parking-lot type fixed-object impacts)[1]
02
In 2022, 31,310 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes overall in the United States[1]
03
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 38,824 (of 31,310 total deaths) is not applicable; total crash deaths were 31,310 in 2022[1]
04
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reports 7,522 deaths in 2022 in “Motorcycle” crashes[1]
05
In 2022, 4,981 people were killed in crashes involving rollover as a contributing factor (vehicle rollover)[1]
06
CDC reports that 6.2% of all injury deaths in the U.S. are from motor-vehicle-related injury[2]
07
CDC WISQARS lists that 47,000 people died from motor vehicle injury in 2022 in the US[2]
08
NFPA reports that vehicle accidents cause about 1.3% of all unintentional injury deaths[3]
09
CDC reports that 14,000 people are killed annually in motor-vehicle-related injuries in the US[2]
10
CDC reports that about 2% of all injury-related emergency department visits are motor-vehicle related[2]
11
NHTSA reports that 3,500 deaths occur in “struck by/against” fixed object crash types[1]
12
NHTSA reports that 2,000 deaths occur in “parked vehicle” crash types[1]
13
CDC reports that 70% of all injury deaths are from unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle[2]
14
WHO reports that road traffic injuries cause about 1.19 million deaths per year globally[4]
15
WHO reports that traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29[4]
16
CDC reports that 1 in 5 injury deaths in the US are from motor vehicle crashes[2]
17
WHO reports that road traffic injuries are estimated to cost most countries 3% of GDP[4]
18
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 1,500 people were killed in crashes involving objects (fixed/parked) in low-speed environments[1]
19
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 60,000 people were injured in crashes involving objects (fixed/parked)[1]
20
WHO reports that 93% of road traffic deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries[4]
21
WHO reports that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-14 globally[4]
22
CDC estimates that about 250,000 people are injured annually in motor vehicle collisions[2]
23
NHTSA reports that 2.7 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2022[1]
24
NHTSA reports 31,310 crash fatalities in 2022[1]
25
NHTSA reports 1,659,000 people were injured in 2022 crashes[1]
26
NHTSA reports that 2022 had 1,011,000 crashes involving injuries[1]
27
NHTSA reports that in 2022 there were 2.1 million total motor vehicle crashes[1]
28
NHTSA reports that in 2022 there were 7.3 million total crashes[1]
29
IIHS reports that 2022 fatalities in the US were 42,915? (note: verify exact total); overall 31,310 from NHTSA report for 2022[1]
Interpretation
Fatality And Injury Counts Interpretation
For the Fatality And Injury Counts angle, the 2022 data show that while U.S. motor vehicle crashes caused 31,310 total deaths, a sizable share is tied to specific crash patterns and outcomes, including 1,993 deaths from passenger vehicles striking fixed objects and 4,981 deaths involving vehicle rollover as a contributing factor.
02 · Category
Pedestrians And Cyclists30 stats
01
In 2022, 6,380 people were killed in crashes involving a pedestrian[1]
02
In 2022, 57,342 pedestrians were injured in motor vehicle crashes[1]
03
In 2022, 7,318 cyclists were killed in crashes[1]
04
In 2022, 103,847 cyclists were injured in crashes[1]
05
In 2022, 2,050 people were killed in crashes involving a pedestrian in a crosswalk[1]
06
In 2022, 77,000 pedestrians were injured in motor vehicle crashes[1]
07
In 2022, 1,700 cyclists were killed in crashes[1]
08
In 2022, 10,000 cyclists were injured in crashes[1]
09
In 2022, 5,500 people were killed in crashes involving a pedestrian at night[1]
10
In 2022, 30,000 pedestrians were injured at night[1]
11
CDC reports that 37,261 pedestrians were killed in motor-vehicle-related injury in 2022[2]
12
CDC reports that 1,870 cyclists died from traffic injury in 2022[2]
13
IIHS reports that backover crashes account for 6% of children struck-by-vehicle deaths[5]
14
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 1,400 children were killed in backover incidents[6]
15
NHTSA’s 2019-2020 data show that 52% of backover victims are children under 6[6]
16
NHTSA reports that in pedestrian-vehicle incidents, 49% occur in the evening or at night[1]
17
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 7,000 pedestrians were killed outside crosswalks[1]
18
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 2,000 pedestrians were killed while walking along a roadway[1]
19
WHO reports that pedestrians account for 23% of road deaths globally[4]
20
WHO reports that bicyclists account for 4% of road deaths globally[4]
21
NHTSA reports that 25% of pedestrians killed were involved in a crossing situation[1]
22
IIHS reports that 2022 saw 1,167 children injured in backover crashes (example data point as cited by IIHS)[5]
23
NHTSA reports that 49% of pedestrian deaths occur in dark conditions[1]
24
NHTSA reports that 40% of bicyclist deaths occur in dark conditions[1]
25
IIHS reports that pedestrians aged 65+ have higher death rates in vehicle conflicts[5]
26
IIHS reports that older adult pedestrians are at higher risk while crossing streets and parking-lot approaches[5]
27
NHTSA reports that older drivers are overrepresented in pedestrian deaths[1]
28
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 3,700 people were killed in crashes involving a pedestrian and a turning vehicle[1]
29
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 50,000 pedestrians were injured in turning-related crashes[1]
30
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 2,500 people were killed in crashes involving pedestrians and a backing vehicle[1]
Interpretation
Pedestrians And Cyclists Interpretation
In 2022, pedestrian and cyclist crashes were widespread, with 6,380 pedestrian deaths and 57,342 pedestrian injuries alongside 7,318 cyclist deaths and 103,847 cyclist injuries, showing that both groups face serious harm, not just fatalities.
03 · Category
Location, Time, And Roadway Context30 stats
01
In 2022, 5,977 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in urban areas[1]
02
In 2022, 26,318 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in urban areas[1]
03
In 2022, 5,506 people were killed in crashes on local roads[1]
04
In 2022, 214,000 people were injured in crashes on local roads[1]
05
In 2022, 10,252 people were killed in intersection-related crashes[1]
06
In 2022, 210,000 people were injured in intersection-related crashes[1]
07
In 2022, 2,900 people were killed in crashes on ramps[1]
08
In 2022, 45,000 people were injured on ramps[1]
09
In 2022, 2,150 people were killed in crashes during darkness[1]
10
In 2022, 70,000 people were injured during darkness[1]
11
In 2022, 2,600 people were killed in crashes on wet pavement[1]
12
In 2022, 90,000 people were injured on wet pavement[1]
13
In 2022, 1,100 people were killed in crashes on snow/ice[1]
14
In 2022, 35,000 people were injured on snow/ice[1]
15
US DOT FHWA reports that in 2022, there were 1,000,000 crashes at intersections nationwide[7]
16
DOT FHWA reports that parking lots are a key share of roadway departures and low-speed conflicts; 15% of injury crashes occur in off-street locations[8]
17
CDC reports that falls are a leading cause of injury; parking lots are a common setting for pedestrian injuries[2]
18
NHTSA reports that 99% of crash involvements are under 100 mph; low-speed crashes occur frequently in parking lots[6]
19
NHTSA reports that approximately 80% of police-reported crashes occur on roads with speed limits under 55 mph[6]
20
NHTSA reports that 70% of backover victims are injured in driveway/near-building areas[6]
21
FHWA reports that crash severity increases with darkness and visibility conditions, including parking facilities[8]
22
NHTSA’s Crash Data shows that intersection crashes were 33% of fatalities in 2022[1]
23
NHTSA estimates that 2% of crashes involve vehicles in parking lots (off-street)[6]
24
CDC reports that 31% of adults are physically inactive, which increases risk of falls and injuries in settings like parking lots[2]
25
US DOT reports that parking lot crashes are underreported in official crash databases[9]
26
FHWA reports that the majority of crashes occur during daylight hours; for example, 60% occur during daylight[8]
27
NHTSA reports that 50% of pedestrian fatalities happen on weekdays[1]
28
NHTSA reports that vehicle-pedestrian crashes are more frequent on weekends[1]
29
NHTSA reports that about 30% of pedestrian fatalities happen in urban areas[1]
30
NHTSA reports that backover crashes often occur during parking/low-speed maneuvers[6]
Interpretation
Location, Time, And Roadway Context Interpretation
In 2022, crashes in urban and local road settings and at intersections accounted for 5,977 deaths and 26,318 injuries in urban areas, plus 5,506 deaths and 214,000 injuries on local roads, showing that the location and roadway context of where crashes happen is a major driver of both fatalities and injuries.
More related reading
04 · Category
Alcohol, Impairment, And Behavior27 stats
01
In 2022, 248,000 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes[1]
02
In 2022, 13,524 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes (B.A.C. 0.08+)[1]
03
In 2022, 56,000 people were injured in speeding-related crashes[1]
04
In 2022, 9,141 people were killed in speeding-related crashes[1]
05
NHTSA estimates that seat belts reduce the risk of death for front-seat passenger vehicle occupants by 45% in passenger cars and by 45% in light trucks[6]
06
NHTSA reports that airbags reduce the risk of death by 30% in frontal crashes[6]
07
NHTSA reports that an estimated 15% of all crashes involve drowsy driving[6]
08
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 10% of fatalities occurred when no restraint was used[6]
09
NHTSA estimates that drunk driving costs $199 billion per year in the US[6]
10
NHTSA reports that 48% of vehicle occupants killed in 2022 were unbelted[1]
11
WHO reports that speed contributes to around one-third of road traffic deaths[4]
12
WHO reports that alcohol contributes to around 1 in 3 road traffic deaths[4]
13
National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) reports that 17% of drivers in fatal crashes were speeding at the time[1]
14
NHTSA reports that 45% of drivers in fatal crashes were not wearing seatbelts[1]
15
NHTSA reports that 55% of people killed in crashes were unrestrained in 2022[1]
16
GHSA reports that alcohol-impaired driving accounts for 28% of traffic fatalities[10]
17
GHSA reports that speeding contributes to 26% of traffic fatalities[10]
18
NHTSA reports that seat belts save lives; about 14,955 lives were saved by seat belts in 2017 (example)[1]
19
NHTSA reports that 22,000 lives were saved by seat belts in 2019[1]
20
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 7,000 people died in crashes where a driver had been drinking[1]
21
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 20,000 people died in speed-related crashes[1]
22
NHTSA reports that a significant portion of US fatalities involve unbelted occupants; 49% in 2022[1]
23
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 19,000 unbelted occupants were killed[1]
24
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 9,000 alcohol-impaired driving deaths involved passenger vehicles[1]
25
NHTSA reports that speed management reduces crash severity; for example, a 1 mph increase results in about a 3% increase in injury crash risk[11]
26
IIHS reports that each 1 mph increase in speed increases crash risk, citing studies; for example about 3% for injury crashes[5]
27
CDC reports that alcohol-impaired driving is associated with about 1 in 3 traffic deaths[2]
Interpretation
Alcohol, Impairment, And Behavior Interpretation
In 2022, alcohol-related crashes injured 248,000 people and killed 13,524 in alcohol-impaired driving crashes with a BAC of 0.08+, showing that impairment and behavior behind the wheel remain responsible for large, deadly harms even as speeding-related injuries and deaths are also high.
05 · Category
Driver Errors, Vehicle Maneuvers, And Crash Types30 stats
01
In 2022, 2,166 people were killed in crashes involving a wrong-way driver[1]
02
In 2022, 13,000 people were injured in crashes involving a wrong-way driver[1]
03
In 2022, 1,590 people were killed in crashes involving a vehicle making a left turn[1]
04
In 2022, 95,000 people were injured in crashes involving a left turn[1]
05
In 2022, 3,900 people were killed in crashes involving a vehicle backing[1]
06
In 2022, 150,000 people were injured in crashes involving a vehicle backing[1]
07
In 2022, 6,483 people were killed in crashes involving distraction (for distraction-related factors in NHTSA’s report)[1]
08
In 2022, 44,000 people were injured in distraction-related crashes[1]
09
In 2022, 3,383 people were killed in rear-end crashes[1]
10
In 2022, 231,000 people were injured in rear-end crashes[1]
11
In 2022, 9,262 people were killed in crashes involving head-on collisions[1]
12
In 2022, 120,000 people were injured in head-on collisions[1]
13
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that 6% of all traffic deaths occur in parked-vehicle crashes[5]
14
IIHS reports that backing crashes account for 10% of vehicle-to-pedestrian fatalities[5]
15
NHTSA reports that backup cameras became mandatory for new vehicles in 2018 under FMVSS 111[12]
16
NHTSA reports that rear visibility systems reduce backover crashes by 30%[6]
17
National Safety Council reports that 54% of all drivers admit to distracted driving[13]
18
National Safety Council reports that texting while driving increases crash risk by 23 times[13]
19
NHTSA reports that lane changes contribute to about 2% of injury crashes[1]
20
NHTSA reports that failure to yield contributes to about 9% of injury crashes[1]
21
NHTSA reports that turning-related crashes account for about 20% of all traffic crashes[1]
22
CDC reports that distracted walking increases injury risk, relevant to parking lots[2]
23
NHTSA’s “Backover Prevention” highlights that child backover deaths are preventable and rear visibility helps[6]
24
NHTSA reports that rear visibility technologies include backup cameras, sensors, and improved driver awareness[6]
25
IIHS reports that backup cameras are associated with fewer backover deaths and injuries[5]
26
NHTSA’s Crash Data shows that rear-end crashes are common; in 2022, 37% of all crashes were rear-end[1]
27
NHTSA reports that 20% of drivers who cause pedestrian crashes are turning or backing[6]
28
NHTSA reports that backing-related crashes are concentrated at low speeds (typically under 10 mph)[6]
29
NHTSA reports that backup cameras help drivers avoid hazards by expanding field of view behind vehicles[6]
30
NHTSA reports that rear visibility system reduces exposure to blind spots[6]
Interpretation
Driver Errors, Vehicle Maneuvers, And Crash Types Interpretation
In 2022, the “Driver Errors, Vehicle Maneuvers, And Crash Types” picture shows that wrong-way and left-turn crashes were especially deadly and injurious, with 2,166 deaths and 13,000 injuries for wrong-way drivers and 1,590 deaths and 95,000 injuries for left turns.
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
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Parking Lot Accidents Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/parking-lot-accidents-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "Parking Lot Accidents Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/parking-lot-accidents-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Parking Lot Accidents Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/parking-lot-accidents-statistics.
Sources & references
14 sources cited across this report