At Stephenson Rife, we handle a wide range of vehicle and personal injury cases, so we’re always seeking out relevant facts and statistics to stay educated on the latest trends. Here are some national and Indiana-specific accident and injury stats we’ve come across that offer some insights into recent patterns.
National Accident and Injury Data
Before we explore Indiana accident stats, it’s worth reviewing national trends to get a sense of how the state compares.
- The number of doctor’s visits for accidental injuries in the U.S. has been reported as 24.8 million per year (CDC).
- The number of visits to hospital emergency rooms for accidental injuries is 26.2 million (CDC).
- In 2023, the number of all unintentional injury deaths in the U.S. was 222,698. This equates to 66.5 deaths for every 100,000 people and stands as the third highest cause of death nationally (CDC).
- The number of unintentional fall deaths in 2023 was 47,026, equating to 14 deaths for every 100,000 people (CDC).
- The number of vehicle traffic deaths in 2023 was 43,273, equating to 12.9 deaths for every 100,000 people (CDC).
- The number of all injury deaths in 2023 was 300,900, equating to 89.8 deaths for every 100,000 people (CDC).
- The number of motor vehicle deaths in 2023 was 43,273, equating to 12.9 deaths for every 100,000 people (CDC).
- 59% of fatal car accidents occurred in urban areas in 2022, with the remaining 41% happening in exurban, suburban, and rural communities (IIHS.org).
General Indiana Accident Statistics and Facts
- Injury-related incidents are the leading cause of death for Indiana residents aged 1 to 44 (IN.gov).
- In 2023, the state recorded 6,474 injury deaths, which equates to 94.3 deaths for every 100,000 people (IN.gov).
- Along with deaths, other notable Indiana injury data for 2023 includes 30,390 hospitalizations and 597,395 emergency room visits (IN.gov).
- Adults aged 85 and older had the highest rates of emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths connected to injuries (IN.gov).
- About two-thirds of fatal injury incidents in Indiana were experienced by men, though women had more injury-related hospitalizations and emergency room visits (IN.gov).
- Injury deaths in the state peaked in 2021 and decreased through 2023 due to a reduction in overdose incidents (IN.gov).
- The leading causes of injury deaths in Indiana include poisoning and drug overdoses for adults aged 25 to 64, and falls for those aged 65 and older (IN.gov).
- Following heart disease and cancer, accidents rank third among causes of death for Indiana residents (CDC).
- In terms of ethnicity, Indiana accident statistics show that injury deaths were highest among non-Hispanic Black or African American individuals, followed by non-Hispanic White and Hispanic individuals (IN.gov).
- In 2023, the leading causes of injury deaths by age group were: suffocation for children ages 0–14, vehicular accidents for young adults 15–24, poisoning (drug and non-drug related) for adults 25–64, and falls for ages 65 and older (IN.gov).
Indiana Injury Data for Vehicular Accidents
- The number of large trucks and buses involved in fatal crashes in Indiana totaled 188 for 2021, 180 for 2022, 151 for 2023, and 139 for 2024 (DOT.gov).
- The number of fatalities for these incidents totaled 173 for 2021, 178 for 2022, 126 for 2023, and 135 for 2024 (DOT.gov).
- The number of large trucks and buses involved in non-fatal crashes in Indiana totaled 6,359 for 2021, 6,384 for 2022, 5,596 for 2023, and 5,755 for 2024 (DOT.gov).
- The number of injuries for these incidents totaled 2,004 for 2021, 1,889 for 2022, 1,800 for 2023, and 1,861 for 2024 (DOT.gov).
- Seat belt use in Indiana was fairly consistent between the years 2017 and 2024, ranging from 92.9% to 94.9% (NHTSA).
- Indiana’s total number of traffic collisions dropped from 208,800 in 2021 to 206,936 in 2022, but the number of fatalities in these incidents increased (IN.gov).
- The peak time of day for fatal and nonfatal car accidents throughout the year in Indiana was 4 p.m. to 7:59 p.m. on weekdays, with Friday being the riskiest day (NSC).
- This time frame shifted during spring and summer, with fatal crashes peaking between 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. (NSC).
- The nonfatal crash peak during summer occurred from 12 p.m. to 3:59 p.m. (NSC).
- More than half of all vehicle collisions in 2020 in Indiana happened on local and city roads, but U.S. routes and county roads had the highest rates of fatal accidents (IN.gov).
- Out of the 989 motor vehicle deaths in Indiana in 2023, 52% were single-vehicle crashes and 48% were multi-vehicle crashes (IIHS.org).
- Single-vehicle incidents led to 463 deaths in 2023 and multiple-vehicle incidents led to 435 deaths (IIHS.org).
- Of the motor vehicle crash deaths in Indiana in 2023, 313 people were in cars, 245 were in pickups or SUVs, 245 were in large trucks, 24 were on motorcycles, 96 were pedestrians, and 31 were bicyclists (IIHS.org).
Indiana Accident Statistics for Falls
- In 2023, Indiana saw 685 deaths, 13,359 hospitalizations, and 75,687 emergency room visits for adults aged 65 and older due to falls (IN.gov).
- For those aged 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries (IN.gov).
- Indiana’s fall death rate for older adults is aligned with national figures, being 58.2 deaths for every 100,000 people (CDC).
- Women in Indiana are more likely to be hospitalized or visit the emergency room due to a fall than men, making up approximately two-thirds of such cases (IN.gov).
Have You Been Injured? Make Sure Your Rights Are Being Protected
If you’ve been injured in a vehicle collision, in a workplace incident, or under other circumstances, don’t become another Indiana accident statistic and let undue financial burdens add to your pain and suffering. Contact the team at Stephenson Rife today and we can review your case and let you know what your options are. We’re ready to assist you.