Fatal crash profile · State

Traffic deaths in Massachusetts in 2023

Deaths, 2023: 342
Fatal crashes: 324
Population: 7.1M

In 2023, 342 people died in 324 fatal crashes in Massachusetts. That was 21.4% fewer than in 2022 (435) and the fewest since 2019. The death rate was 4.8 per 100,000 residents, compared with 12.2 in the United States. Massachusetts had the 34th most traffic deaths of the 51 states and DC and the 51st-highest death rate. Pedestrians accounted for 20% of deaths, and 38% of fatal crashes were speeding-related.

Deaths

Traffic deaths

4.8

deaths per 100,000 residents in 2023

About 40 percent of the rate in the United States: 12.2

-21%

change in deaths from 2022 to 2023

435 deaths in 2022, 342 in 2023

The United States: -4%

Massachusetts traffic deaths by year goes back to 1975.

Profile by year: 2024 · 2023 · 2022 · 2021 · 2020

Road users

Who died

20%

of deaths were pedestrians

About the same as the share in the United States: 18%

Who died in 2023

Category	Deaths
Vehicle occupants and others	206
Pedestrians	67
Motorcyclists	60
Cyclists	9

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Deaths by type, 2023
Type	Deaths	Share in Massachusetts	Share in the US
Pedestrians	67	20%	18%
Motorcyclists	60	18%	16%
Cyclists	9	3%	3%
Alcohol-impaired driving crashes	112	33%	30%
Speeding-related crashes	130	38%	29%

Alcohol-impaired and speeding-related count everyone killed in those crashes, so a death can appear in more than one row.

Crash factors

Speeding, alcohol, night and weekend crashes

38%

of fatal crashes were speeding-related

About 1.3 times the share in the United States: 28%

31%

of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver

About 1.2 times the share in the United States: 26%

Crash factors in 2023

Category	Massachusetts	United States
Speeding-related	31.5%	25.6%
Alcohol-involved	37.7%	28.2%
At night	54.3%	54.1%
At weekends	32.1%	33.5%

Share of fatal crashes. Alcohol-involved means a police-reported drinking driver.

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Timing

When crashes happen

54%

of fatal crashes happened at night

About the same as the share in the United States: 54%

32%

of fatal crashes happened at weekends

About the same as the share in the United States: 34%

Fatal crashes by hour of day

Category	Fatal crashes
12am	8
1am	19
2am	8
3am	12
4am	8
5am	8
6am	9
7am	13
8am	7
9am	13
10am	10
11am	8
12pm	5
1pm	16
2pm	15
3pm	12
4pm	19
5pm	21
6pm	15
7pm	18
8pm	19
9pm	24
10pm	18
11pm	19

All crashes 2023.

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Fatal crashes by day of week

Category	Fatal crashes
Sun	57
Mon	37
Tue	40
Wed	41
Thu	48
Fri	54
Sat	47

All crashes 2023.

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Fatal crashes by month

Category	Fatal crashes
Jan	20
Feb	29
Mar	27
Apr	25
May	32
Jun	19
Jul	31
Aug	32
Sep	30
Oct	32
Nov	18
Dec	29

All crashes 2023.

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Conditions

Weather and light

Weather at the time of the crash

Category	Fatal crashes
Clear	215
Cloudy	70
Rain	30
Fog, Smog, Smoke	3
Snow	2
Severe Crosswinds	2

All crashes 2023. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.

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Light conditions at the time of the crash

Category	Fatal crashes
Daylight	141
Dark - Lighted	99
Dark - Not Lighted	68
Dusk	10
Dawn	6

All crashes 2023. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.

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Roads and vehicles

Where and what, 2023

Roads with the most fatal crashes

I-49511
I-909
SR-249
I-957
MAIN ST6
I-935
WASHINGTON ST4
SR-1403
I-913
PARKER ST3

Road names as recorded in police reports.

Vehicles involved, by type

Category	Vehicles
Cars	187
SUVs	138
Motorcycles	62
Pickup trucks	46
Medium and heavy trucks	28
Vans	13
Buses	3

All crashes 2023.

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Vehicles most often involved

Reflects how common a vehicle is as well as crash involvement; not a safety rating.

Crashes

Fatal crashes

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Fatal crashes in 2023. Crashes without reported coordinates are not shown.

Filter crashes

Who died Time of day Day Weather Lighting Vehicle type involved Make involved

Alcohol-involved Speeding-related Distracted driver

Date	Location	Road	Deaths
Dec 30, 2023	Andover, Essex County	I-495	2
Dec 30, 2023	Brockton, Plymouth County	SR-123 WARREN AVE	1
Dec 29, 2023	New Bedford, Bristol County	SR-140	1
Dec 28, 2023	Littleton, Middlesex County	I-495	1
Dec 25, 2023	Somerset, Bristol County	US-6	3
Dec 22, 2023	New Bedford, Bristol County	SR-18 ASHLEY BLVD	1
Dec 22, 2023	Boston, Suffolk County	BAKER ST	1
Dec 22, 2023	East Longmeadow, Hampden County	PARKER ST	1
Dec 20, 2023	Haverhill, Essex County	ELLIOTT ST	1
Dec 19, 2023	Boston, Suffolk County	CAMBRIDGE ST	1
Dec 18, 2023	Boston, Suffolk County	SR-99 ALFORD ST	1
Dec 17, 2023	Charlton City, Worcester County	STAFFORD ST	1
Dec 17, 2023	Boston, Suffolk County	CHELSEA ST	1
Dec 17, 2023	Milton, Norfolk County	I-93	1
Dec 15, 2023	Townsend, Middlesex County	HIGHLAND ST	1
Dec 14, 2023	Charlton Depot, Worcester County	SR-131 MAIN ST	1
Dec 13, 2023	Stoneham, Middlesex County	I-93	1
Dec 13, 2023	West Boylston, Worcester County	I-190	1
Dec 13, 2023	Somerset, Bristol County	BRAYTON POINT RD	1
Dec 12, 2023	Easthampton, Hampshire County	POMEROY MEADOWS RD	1
Dec 9, 2023	Waltham, Middlesex County	MOODY ST	1
Dec 7, 2023	Orange, Franklin County	TULLY RD	1
Dec 6, 2023	Waltham, Middlesex County	TOTTEN POND RD	2
Dec 6, 2023	Middleton, Essex County	N LIBERTY ST	1
Dec 6, 2023	Middleton, Essex County	SR-114 EB NORTH MAIN ST	1

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Explore

Nearby and related

Counties in Massachusetts in 2023

Area	Deaths, 2023	Per 100,000
Barnstable County	12	5.1
Berkshire County	9	7.0
Bristol County	42	7.2
Dukes County	1	4.7
Essex County	37	4.5
Franklin County	7	9.9
Hampden County	42	9.1
Hampshire County	9	5.4
Middlesex County	43	2.6
Nantucket County	0	—
Norfolk County	37	5.1
Plymouth County	36	6.7
Suffolk County	22	2.8
Worcester County	45	5.1

Rankings

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Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2023. A fatal crash is one in which at least one person died within 30 days. Population: US Census Bureau estimates.

Category	Fatal crashes
Jan	20
Feb	29
Mar	27
Apr	25
May	32
Jun	19
Jul	31
Aug	32
Sep	30
Oct	32
Nov	18
Dec	29

Category	Fatal crashes
Jan	20
Feb	29
Mar	27
Apr	25
May	32
Jun	19
Jul	31
Aug	32
Sep	30
Oct	32
Nov	18
Dec	29

Category	Fatal crashes
Jan	20
Feb	29
Mar	27
Apr	25
May	32
Jun	19
Jul	31
Aug	32
Sep	30
Oct	32
Nov	18
Dec	29