Fatal crash profile · State

Traffic deaths in Massachusetts in 2023

State in United States

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

  1. I-49511
  2. I-909
  3. SR-249
  4. I-957
  5. MAIN ST6
  6. I-935
  7. WASHINGTON ST4
  8. SR-1403
  9. I-913
  10. 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

  1. Honda Accord17
  2. Toyota RAV414
  3. Toyota Camry13
  4. Toyota Corolla13
  5. Chevrolet Silverado11
  6. Honda Civic11
  7. Ford Escape8
  8. Ford F-1508
  9. Hyundai Elantra8
  10. Jeep Grand Cherokee8

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
Crash factors
Date Location Deaths
Jul 19, 2023 New Salem, Franklin County 1
Jul 18, 2023 Boston, Suffolk County 1
Jul 18, 2023 Brimfield, Hampden County 1
Jul 18, 2023 Randolph, Norfolk County 2
Jul 17, 2023 Winchester, Middlesex County 1
Jul 16, 2023 Wilmington, Middlesex County 1
Jul 16, 2023 Boston, Suffolk County 1
Jul 15, 2023 Wareham, Plymouth County 2
Jul 13, 2023 West Newbury, Essex County 1
Jul 13, 2023 Brockton, Plymouth County 1
Jul 11, 2023 Plympton, Plymouth County 1
Jul 11, 2023 Boston, Suffolk County 1
Jul 9, 2023 North Dartmouth, Bristol County 1
Jul 8, 2023 Bristol County 1
Jul 7, 2023 Springfield, Hampden County 1
Jul 7, 2023 Norfolk, Norfolk County 1
Jul 6, 2023 Gardner, Worcester County 1
Jul 4, 2023 Falmouth, Barnstable County 1
Jul 3, 2023 Boston, Suffolk County 1
Jul 2, 2023 Town of Dighton, Bristol County 1
Jul 1, 2023 Essex, Essex County 1
Jul 1, 2023 Granby, Hampshire County 1
Jun 30, 2023 Gill, Franklin County 1
Jun 24, 2023 Newburyport, Essex County 1
Jun 24, 2023 Lynn, Essex County 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

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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.