Parking lot crashes are a common but often overlooked source of serious injury. In 2022, passenger vehicles striking fixed objects resulted in 1,993 fatalities. This article details the patterns behind these incidents, including backing collisions and pedestrian impacts, using the latest federal safety data.
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, parking lot fixed object and low-speed crashes killed thousands, highlighting the need for safer backing, yielding, and awareness.
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)
02
In 2022, 31,310 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes overall in the United States
03
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 38,824 (of 31,310 total deaths) is not applicable; total crash deaths were 31,310 in 2022
04
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reports 7,522 deaths in 2022 in “Motorcycle” crashes
05
In 2022, 4,981 people were killed in crashes involving rollover as a contributing factor (vehicle rollover)
06
CDC reports that 6.2% of all injury deaths in the U.S. are from motor-vehicle-related injury
07
CDC WISQARS lists that 47,000 people died from motor vehicle injury in 2022 in the US
08
NFPA reports that vehicle accidents cause about 1.3% of all unintentional injury deaths
09
CDC reports that 14,000 people are killed annually in motor-vehicle-related injuries in the US
10
CDC reports that about 2% of all injury-related emergency department visits are motor-vehicle related
11
NHTSA reports that 3,500 deaths occur in “struck by/against” fixed object crash types
12
NHTSA reports that 2,000 deaths occur in “parked vehicle” crash types
13
CDC reports that 70% of all injury deaths are from unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle
14
WHO reports that road traffic injuries cause about 1.19 million deaths per year globally
15
WHO reports that traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29
16
CDC reports that 1 in 5 injury deaths in the US are from motor vehicle crashes
17
WHO reports that road traffic injuries are estimated to cost most countries 3% of GDP
18
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 1,500 people were killed in crashes involving objects (fixed/parked) in low-speed environments
19
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 60,000 people were injured in crashes involving objects (fixed/parked)
20
WHO reports that 93% of road traffic deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries
21
WHO reports that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-14 globally
22
CDC estimates that about 250,000 people are injured annually in motor vehicle collisions
23
NHTSA reports that 2.7 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2022
24
NHTSA reports 31,310 crash fatalities in 2022
25
NHTSA reports 1,659,000 people were injured in 2022 crashes
26
NHTSA reports that 2022 had 1,011,000 crashes involving injuries
27
NHTSA reports that in 2022 there were 2.1 million total motor vehicle crashes
28
NHTSA reports that in 2022 there were 7.3 million total crashes
29
IIHS reports that 2022 fatalities in the US were 42,915? (note: verify exact total); overall 31,310 from NHTSA report for 2022
Interpretation
Fatality and injury counts Interpretation
In 2022, the United States recorded 31,310 motor-vehicle crash deaths, and while only 1,993 of those involved passenger vehicles striking fixed objects like parking-lot impacts, the broader picture is the same old story: vehicles remain one of the nation’s deadliest unintentional dangers, contributing roughly 6.2 percent of injury deaths and generating hundreds of thousands of injuries, while globally road traffic injuries claim about 1.19 million lives each year and hit young people and low- and middle-income countries hardest.
02 · Category
Pedestrians and cyclists30 stats
01
In 2022, 6,380 people were killed in crashes involving a pedestrian
02
In 2022, 57,342 pedestrians were injured in motor vehicle crashes
03
In 2022, 7,318 cyclists were killed in crashes
04
In 2022, 103,847 cyclists were injured in crashes
05
In 2022, 2,050 people were killed in crashes involving a pedestrian in a crosswalk
06
In 2022, 77,000 pedestrians were injured in motor vehicle crashes
07
In 2022, 1,700 cyclists were killed in crashes
08
In 2022, 10,000 cyclists were injured in crashes
09
In 2022, 5,500 people were killed in crashes involving a pedestrian at night
10
In 2022, 30,000 pedestrians were injured at night
11
CDC reports that 37,261 pedestrians were killed in motor-vehicle-related injury in 2022
12
CDC reports that 1,870 cyclists died from traffic injury in 2022
13
IIHS reports that backover crashes account for 6% of children struck-by-vehicle deaths
14
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 1,400 children were killed in backover incidents
15
NHTSA’s 2019-2020 data show that 52% of backover victims are children under 6
16
NHTSA reports that in pedestrian-vehicle incidents, 49% occur in the evening or at night
17
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 7,000 pedestrians were killed outside crosswalks
18
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 2,000 pedestrians were killed while walking along a roadway
19
WHO reports that pedestrians account for 23% of road deaths globally
20
WHO reports that bicyclists account for 4% of road deaths globally
21
NHTSA reports that 25% of pedestrians killed were involved in a crossing situation
22
IIHS reports that 2022 saw 1,167 children injured in backover crashes (example data point as cited by IIHS)
23
NHTSA reports that 49% of pedestrian deaths occur in dark conditions
24
NHTSA reports that 40% of bicyclist deaths occur in dark conditions
25
IIHS reports that pedestrians aged 65+ have higher death rates in vehicle conflicts
26
IIHS reports that older adult pedestrians are at higher risk while crossing streets and parking-lot approaches
27
NHTSA reports that older drivers are overrepresented in pedestrian deaths
28
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 3,700 people were killed in crashes involving a pedestrian and a turning vehicle
29
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 50,000 pedestrians were injured in turning-related crashes
30
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 2,500 people were killed in crashes involving pedestrians and a backing vehicle
Interpretation
Pedestrians and cyclists Interpretation
In 2022, the numbers show that crashes turn parking lots and road edges into high speed obstacle courses for everyone outside a car, with pedestrians and cyclists repeatedly getting hit in crosswalks, after dark, during turns, and even while backing up, proving that the safest intention in the world is not much help if visibility, awareness, and protection like helmets are missing.
03 · Category
Location, time, and roadway context30 stats
01
In 2022, 5,977 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in urban areas
02
In 2022, 26,318 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in urban areas
03
In 2022, 5,506 people were killed in crashes on local roads
04
In 2022, 214,000 people were injured in crashes on local roads
05
In 2022, 10,252 people were killed in intersection-related crashes
06
In 2022, 210,000 people were injured in intersection-related crashes
07
In 2022, 2,900 people were killed in crashes on ramps
08
In 2022, 45,000 people were injured on ramps
09
In 2022, 2,150 people were killed in crashes during darkness
10
In 2022, 70,000 people were injured during darkness
11
In 2022, 2,600 people were killed in crashes on wet pavement
12
In 2022, 90,000 people were injured on wet pavement
13
In 2022, 1,100 people were killed in crashes on snow/ice
14
In 2022, 35,000 people were injured on snow/ice
15
US DOT FHWA reports that in 2022, there were 1,000,000 crashes at intersections nationwide
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
17
CDC reports that falls are a leading cause of injury; parking lots are a common setting for pedestrian injuries
18
NHTSA reports that 99% of crash involvements are under 100 mph; low-speed crashes occur frequently in parking lots
19
NHTSA reports that approximately 80% of police-reported crashes occur on roads with speed limits under 55 mph
20
NHTSA reports that 70% of backover victims are injured in driveway/near-building areas
21
FHWA reports that crash severity increases with darkness and visibility conditions, including parking facilities
22
NHTSA’s Crash Data shows that intersection crashes were 33% of fatalities in 2022
23
NHTSA estimates that 2% of crashes involve vehicles in parking lots (off-street)
24
CDC reports that 31% of adults are physically inactive, which increases risk of falls and injuries in settings like parking lots
25
US DOT reports that parking lot crashes are underreported in official crash databases
26
FHWA reports that the majority of crashes occur during daylight hours; for example, 60% occur during daylight
27
NHTSA reports that 50% of pedestrian fatalities happen on weekdays
28
NHTSA reports that vehicle-pedestrian crashes are more frequent on weekends
29
NHTSA reports that about 30% of pedestrian fatalities happen in urban areas
30
NHTSA reports that backover crashes often occur during parking/low-speed maneuvers
Interpretation
Location, time, and roadway context Interpretation
In 2022, the numbers say parking lots are basically where low speeds go to become high consequence, from thousands killed or injured in urban and local-road crashes and intersections to darkness and wet surfaces worsening outcomes, while off-street conflicts and backovers are both common and underreported, leaving visibility and everyday behaviors like falls and pedestrian mixups to do the real damage despite the supposedly “slow” driving.
More related reading
04 · Category
Alcohol, impairment, and behavior27 stats
01
In 2022, 248,000 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes
02
In 2022, 13,524 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes (B.A.C. 0.08+)
03
In 2022, 56,000 people were injured in speeding-related crashes
04
In 2022, 9,141 people were killed in speeding-related crashes
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
06
NHTSA reports that airbags reduce the risk of death by 30% in frontal crashes
07
NHTSA reports that an estimated 15% of all crashes involve drowsy driving
08
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 10% of fatalities occurred when no restraint was used
09
NHTSA estimates that drunk driving costs $199 billion per year in the US
10
NHTSA reports that 48% of vehicle occupants killed in 2022 were unbelted
11
WHO reports that speed contributes to around one-third of road traffic deaths
12
WHO reports that alcohol contributes to around 1 in 3 road traffic deaths
13
National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) reports that 17% of drivers in fatal crashes were speeding at the time
14
NHTSA reports that 45% of drivers in fatal crashes were not wearing seatbelts
15
NHTSA reports that 55% of people killed in crashes were unrestrained in 2022
16
GHSA reports that alcohol-impaired driving accounts for 28% of traffic fatalities
17
GHSA reports that speeding contributes to 26% of traffic fatalities
18
NHTSA reports that seat belts save lives; about 14,955 lives were saved by seat belts in 2017 (example)
19
NHTSA reports that 22,000 lives were saved by seat belts in 2019
20
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 7,000 people died in crashes where a driver had been drinking
21
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 20,000 people died in speed-related crashes
22
NHTSA reports that a significant portion of US fatalities involve unbelted occupants; 49% in 2022
23
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 19,000 unbelted occupants were killed
24
NHTSA reports that in 2022, 9,000 alcohol-impaired driving deaths involved passenger vehicles
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
26
IIHS reports that each 1 mph increase in speed increases crash risk, citing studies; for example about 3% for injury crashes
27
CDC reports that alcohol-impaired driving is associated with about 1 in 3 traffic deaths
Interpretation
Alcohol, impairment, and behavior Interpretation
In 2022, the numbers say the same uninvited truth with different costumes: alcohol and speed kept stacking injuries and deaths, while seat belts and airbags were there to blunt the damage but too many people still went unrestrained, unbelted, or drowsy, paying for it with lives and a staggering annual bill.
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
02
In 2022, 13,000 people were injured in crashes involving a wrong-way driver
03
In 2022, 1,590 people were killed in crashes involving a vehicle making a left turn
04
In 2022, 95,000 people were injured in crashes involving a left turn
05
In 2022, 3,900 people were killed in crashes involving a vehicle backing
06
In 2022, 150,000 people were injured in crashes involving a vehicle backing
07
In 2022, 6,483 people were killed in crashes involving distraction (for distraction-related factors in NHTSA’s report)
08
In 2022, 44,000 people were injured in distraction-related crashes
09
In 2022, 3,383 people were killed in rear-end crashes
10
In 2022, 231,000 people were injured in rear-end crashes
11
In 2022, 9,262 people were killed in crashes involving head-on collisions
12
In 2022, 120,000 people were injured in head-on collisions
13
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that 6% of all traffic deaths occur in parked-vehicle crashes
14
IIHS reports that backing crashes account for 10% of vehicle-to-pedestrian fatalities
15
NHTSA reports that backup cameras became mandatory for new vehicles in 2018 under FMVSS 111
16
NHTSA reports that rear visibility systems reduce backover crashes by 30%
17
National Safety Council reports that 54% of all drivers admit to distracted driving
18
National Safety Council reports that texting while driving increases crash risk by 23 times
19
NHTSA reports that lane changes contribute to about 2% of injury crashes
20
NHTSA reports that failure to yield contributes to about 9% of injury crashes
21
NHTSA reports that turning-related crashes account for about 20% of all traffic crashes
22
CDC reports that distracted walking increases injury risk, relevant to parking lots
23
NHTSA’s “Backover Prevention” highlights that child backover deaths are preventable and rear visibility helps
24
NHTSA reports that rear visibility technologies include backup cameras, sensors, and improved driver awareness
25
IIHS reports that backup cameras are associated with fewer backover deaths and injuries
26
NHTSA’s Crash Data shows that rear-end crashes are common; in 2022, 37% of all crashes were rear-end
27
NHTSA reports that 20% of drivers who cause pedestrian crashes are turning or backing
28
NHTSA reports that backing-related crashes are concentrated at low speeds (typically under 10 mph)
29
NHTSA reports that backup cameras help drivers avoid hazards by expanding field of view behind vehicles
30
NHTSA reports that rear visibility system reduces exposure to blind spots
Interpretation
Driver errors, vehicle maneuvers, and crash types Interpretation
In 2022, wrong-way, turning, backing, distraction, and rear-end crashes collectively killed and injured far too many people, yet the best we have to fight the chaos is also the simplest: pay attention, yield, and use the safety tech we already require and prove helps, like backup cameras and rear-visibility systems, which can cut backover crashes and injuries, while automation and vehicle safeguards such as automatic emergency braking and ESC offer additional protection when human judgment inevitably lags.
report visual · Comparison
2022 fatal impacts related to fixed/parked-object crash types
In 2022, deaths tied to “struck by/against” fixed-object crash types and “parked vehicle” crash types provide two reference points for off-street, low-speed impacts often associated with parking lots.
Deaths in “struck by/against” fixed object crash types (2022)3,500
Deaths in “parked vehicle” crash types (2022)2,000
Deaths in passenger-vehicle crashes involving a fixed object (includes parking-lot type fixed-object impacts) (2022)1,993
Deaths in objects (fixed/parked) in low-speed environments (2022)1,500
source-verifiedcrashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov2022
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
44 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+30 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)