California fatal crashes in 2020
FARS records 3,980 deaths in 3,673 fatal crashes in California in 2020.
In 2019 it records 3,719 deaths in 3,427 fatal crashes.
In 2020 the rate is 10.1 deaths for each 100,000 residents in California and 11.8 in the United States.
By deaths for each 100,000 residents in 2020, California was number 34 of 51, the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Deaths in California rose by 7.0% from 2019 to 2020. In the United States they rose by 7.3%.
In 2020, a driver was recorded as drinking in 27.9% of fatal crashes in California and 26.7% in the United States.
To qualify as a FARS case, the crash had to involve a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and must have resulted in the death of a motorist or a non-motorist within 30 days of the crash.
The set of first files, known as the Annual Report File (ARF), is released following the crash year. The ARF is replaced about a year later with a final file, which contains additional cases or updates to cases that had become available after the ARF was released.
NHTSA's words. Source: NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System Analytical User's Manual, 1975-2024 (DOT HS 813 794, April 2026), copied on .
NHTSA released the final file of 2020 on 3 Apr 2023. Release dates
2020 beside 2019
| Figure | California, 2020 | California, 2019 | United States, 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 3,980 | 3,719 | 39,007 |
| Fatal crashes | 3,673 | 3,427 | 35,935 |
| Deaths for each 100,000 residents | 10.1 | 9.4 | 11.8 |
| Fatal crashes with a driver recorded as drinking | 1,026 | 898 | 9,586 |
Note: FARS records a driver as drinking when police reported alcohol involvement or a test of the driver was positive for alcohol. It is not NHTSA's alcohol-impaired measure. NHTSA's definitions
Counties in 2020
Note: a county with no fatal crash in 2020 is not in the table. A count of 1 or 2 is written "1 or 2".
Time of day and weekday
| Time of day | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Midnight to 6 a.m. | 830 | 23.1% |
| 6 a.m. to noon | 560 | 15.6% |
| Noon to 6 p.m. | 880 | 24.4% |
| 6 p.m. to midnight | 1,330 | 36.9% |
| Weekday | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 630 | 17.2% |
| Monday | 451 | 12.3% |
| Tuesday | 472 | 12.9% |
| Wednesday | 440 | 12.0% |
| Thursday | 507 | 13.8% |
| Friday | 561 | 15.3% |
| Saturday | 612 | 16.7% |
Note: the tables have the fatal crashes with a known hour or weekday.
Road function class
| Road function class | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interstate | 502 | 13.7% |
| Other freeways and expressways | 386 | 10.5% |
| Other principal arterial | 1,142 | 31.1% |
| Minor arterial | 838 | 22.8% |
| Major collector | 423 | 11.5% |
| Minor collector | 127 | 3.5% |
| Local | 255 | 6.9% |
| Not reported | 0 | n/a |
Note: the shares are of the crashes with a reported class. Road function classes
Cite this page
Fatal Roads. California fatal crashes in 2020. https://fatalroads.com/state/california/2020/. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, FARS 2024 annual file. Data to .
The address of this page does not change.
Source of the figures
Counts: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, national file of 2020. NHTSA released the final file of 2020 on 3 Apr 2023. Residents: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, vintage 2025. Data to .
How the figures are made. Data sources and licences. Corrections.
Questions
Which file does the 2020 page use?
NHTSA released the final file of 2020 on 3 Apr 2023.
What part of the deaths in the United States in 2020 was in California?
California had 3,980 of the 39,007 deaths in the United States in 2020. That is 10.2 percent.
In how many counties of California did FARS record a fatal crash in 2020?
FARS records one or more fatal crashes in 58 counties of California in 2020.
How many fatal crashes in California in 2020 had a driver recorded as drinking?
FARS records a driver as drinking in 1,026 of 3,673 fatal crashes in 2020.