California’s extensive network of highways, congested city streets, and diverse driving environments, particularly the issues of distracted driving, drunk driving, and reckless driving, contribute to thousands of traffic accidents every year, resulting in around 2 million injuries and 4,000 deaths. Car accidents have become a serious public safety concern in California.
In March this year, the then California Department of Transportation Director Tony Tavares presented a 20-year chart of traffic accident fatalities from 2003 to 2022 at a hearing of the State Senate Transportation Committee. In the initial four years, the death toll remained at or above 4,000 each year. From 2005 to 2010, over a six-year period, the fatalities decreased annually, reaching just over 2,700 in 2010. From 2010 to 2022, over the span of 13 years, the death toll showed an upward trend with fluctuations. The peak was in 2021 and 2022, each recording around 4,500 deaths.
Comparing the figures of 2023 with 2022, the traffic fatalities in 2023 decreased by 10.5% from 4,539 to 4,061 people. The major causes of death were drunk driving and pedestrian fatalities, the latter accounting for about 24% of the total fatalities. Between these two years, drunk driving fatalities decreased by about 4.5% (from 1,419 to 1,355), unrestrained occupants reduced by 8.6% (from 853 to 780), motorcycle fatalities declined by 10.2% (from 649 to 583), fatal accidents caused by teenage drivers dropped by 10% (from 476 to 428), bicycle fatalities decreased by 20.8% (from 183 to 145), and pedestrian deaths decreased by 8.8% (from 1,213 to 1,106).
In 2024, California saw nearly 4,000 fatal traffic accidents, a slight decrease from 2023, making California the second-highest state in the United States for traffic accident fatalities, after Texas.
As of May 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, the number of motor vehicle fatalities in California decreased by 49%, saving approximately 916 lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data for September, the first half of 2025 witnessed a significant 8.2% decrease in motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States, dropping from 18,680 to 17,140.
California, with a population of over 39 million and more than 28 million registered vehicles, has been experiencing a high number of traffic accidents over the past decade. Many of these accidents are preventable. Distracted driving remains a leading cause of fatal accidents, including activities like texting, calling, eating, and adjusting the radio which severely impairs a driver’s ability to respond to changing road conditions.
Speeding increases the impact force of collisions, shortens driver reaction time, and leads to severe traffic accidents. Drunk driving (DUI) contributes to nearly 30% of fatal accidents in California, where illegal driving after drinking or drug use results in a significant number of fatal accidents. Additionally, running red lights, disregarding stop signs, and unsafe lane-changing behaviors contribute to hazardous road conditions and subsequent traffic accidents.
State regulations require judges to mandate in-vehicle alcohol testing for repeat DUI offenders. However, only one-third of sentencing orders statewide require drivers to install alcohol detection devices, and in 14 counties including Alameda, Sacramento, and Los Angeles, such orders are only present in one-tenth of cases.
Metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, due to traffic congestion and high population density, are major hotspots for traffic accidents in California. Los Angeles records the highest number of traffic accidents, including hit-and-runs, across the state. California’s highways are essential for commuting, but their high speeds and heavy traffic volumes contribute to frequent severe accidents. In rural areas, the overall rate of traffic accidents is lower, but emergency response times are longer, leading to a higher proportion of fatal accidents.
To reduce traffic accidents, measures such as promoting safe driving practices, enhancing legislation, restricting unsafe driving behaviors, and increasing penalties remain crucial strategies.
California’s DUI regulations are among the most lenient in the U.S., allowing individuals with DUI records to continue driving. In the past two years, California implemented laws requiring the installation of road speed cameras in six cities including Los Angeles for testing purposes. However, a proposal in California to require vehicles to alert drivers when exceeding speed limits was rejected last year. This fall, a proposal to increase penalties for drunk driving was rejected at the last minute.
While the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) wields significant authority, it does not prohibit dangerous drivers from being on the road and often permits drivers with serious driving violation records to continue driving.