According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), accidents are the fourth leading cause of death among Tennessee residents. It’s ranked third in the U.S. for traffic fatalities.
Car accidents can happen in an instant and drastically change (or end) your life. One of the main ways the state of Tennessee tries to reduce the number of car accidents and fatalities is through driver education. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) puts out information with accident statistics from the previous year, detailing the different types of accidents and who was involved in them.
Below, I’ve compiled the latest statistics so you can see what types of car accidents are most common in Tennessee and what are the biggest areas of concern while driving.
How many car accidents were there in 2023 (and how many were fatal)?
According to TDOT, there were 178,154 car accidents in 2023. Of those accidents, 4,968 resulted in serious injuries and 1,322 accidents resulted in fatalities. As of May 2024, there have been 397 fatal accidents in Tennessee (down 18% from this time last year).
November saw the highest total number of car accidents at 16, 315, but September was the worst month for fatal and serious injury crashes with 617.
In comparison, the total number of car accidents in 2022 was higher (200,036), but there were fewer fatalities.
2023 traffic accident demographics and causes
Are teen drivers and seniors more likely to get into a car accident than middle-aged drivers? According to the 2023 data from TDOT, the age range with the most accidents was the 16-25 with a total of 61,699.
What probably won’t come as a surprise is the fact that most accidents happen during peak traffic times (i.e. “rush hour” after work (between 3 and 5 pm), closely followed by the morning commute (between 7-8 am).
The list of auto accident causes in 2023 is long, but some are more common than others. One of the most common causes of car accidents was distracted driving. According to TDOT, 11% of car accidents in the state involve a distracted driver.
The highest percentage of fatal car accidents involved pedestrians (11.52%) and drivers using drugs (11.23%).
Be a defensive Tennessee driver
Accidents can happen at any moment. Sometimes you can’t avoid them, but if you can look out for and avoid potentially bad situations, you may save your life and the lives of others. Continue to educate yourself on current Tennessee traffic statistics and become a defensive driver who is able to handle the dangers of driving with confidence.
If you are a victim of a car accident, hire an experienced Tennessee car accident lawyer to help you navigate your case.
