Fatal crash profile · Model

Volkswagen Beetle

Vehicles, 2020–2024: 242
Fatal crashes: 242
Deaths inside: 176
Other deaths: 90

Between 2020 and 2024, 242 vehicles described as Volkswagen Beetle were involved in 242 fatal crashes in the United States. 176 people died inside these vehicles and 90 people outside them (occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists) died in the same crashes.

Counts show how often this vehicle appears in fatal crashes. They also reflect how many are on the road, so they are not a safety rating. See how it compares with other cars or with all vehicles.

Overview

Vehicles in fatal crashes

Vehicles in fatal crashes by year

Category	Vehicles
2020	38
2021	65
2022	44
2023	53
2024	42

Reflects how many of these vehicles are on the road as well as crash involvement; not a safety rating.

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Deaths

Who died in these crashes

66%

of deaths in these crashes were people inside these vehicles

About 1.4 times the share for Volkswagen: 47%
About 1.3 times the share for all vehicles: 51%

Deaths in these crashes by year

Category	Inside these vehicles	Other road users
2020	33	9
2021	55	20
2022	28	21
2023	35	22
2024	25	18

Other road users are occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists killed in the same crashes.

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Crash factors

Speeding, drinking and night-time crashes

21%

of these vehicles had a driver recorded as speeding

About the same as the share for Volkswagen: 20%
About the same as the share for all vehicles: 19%

21%

of these vehicles had a driver recorded as drinking

About the same as the share for Volkswagen: 20%
About 1.2 times the share for all vehicles: 18%

47%

of these vehicles crashed at night (6pm–6am)

About 85 percent of the share for Volkswagen: 56%
About the same as the share for all vehicles: 49%

Crash factors compared

Category	Volkswagen Beetle	Volkswagen	All vehicles
Driver speeding	20.7%	19.9%	19.0%
Driver drinking	21.5%	19.8%	17.7%
At night	47.1%	56.1%	49.3%

Share of vehicles in fatal crashes. Speeding and drinking are as recorded for the driver in police reports.

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Conditions

Weather and light

Weather at the time of the crash

Category	Fatal crashes
Clear	174
Cloudy	27
Rain	16
Fog, Smog, Smoke	2
Snow	2

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	118
Dark - Not Lighted	74
Dark - Lighted	35
Dusk	8
Dawn	5

Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.

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Where

States with the most crashes

States with the most of these vehicles in fatal crashes

Category	Vehicles
Texas	23
California	20
Florida	16
Georgia	13
Indiana	11
Virginia	11
North Carolina	11
Michigan	11
Tennessee	10
Pennsylvania	10

Larger states have more vehicles on the road.

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Explore

Volkswagen Beetle by model year

2014 13 crashes
2013 18 crashes
2012 14 crashes
2008 10 crashes
2007 14 crashes
2006 15 crashes
2003 18 crashes
2002 16 crashes
2001 17 crashes
2000 15 crashes

Models and model years with fewer than 10 fatal crashes have no page of their own.

Crashes

Fatal crashes involving this vehicle

Date	Location	Road	Deaths
Dec 27, 2024	Ocean County, New Jersey	SR-70	1
Dec 26, 2024	Grand Junction, Mesa County, Colorado	SR-70 BUSN RT	1
Dec 20, 2024	Winston Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina	NS-94104 POPE RD	1
Dec 15, 2024	Louisville, Boulder County, Colorado	W DILLON RD	1
Dec 7, 2024	Nampa, Canyon County, Idaho	RAILROAD ST	1
Dec 4, 2024	Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee	US-41/70S SR-1 NW BROAD ST	1
Dec 2, 2024	Van Buren County, Michigan	I-94	1
Nov 16, 2024	Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California	US-101 VENTURA FWY	1
Nov 15, 2024	Beaverton, Washington County, Oregon	SR-10 ODOT 40	1
Nov 13, 2024	Carroll County, Maryland	I-70 BALT NATIONAL PK	1
Nov 13, 2024	Escambia County, Florida	US-90 SR-10	1
Oct 25, 2024	Tippecanoe County, Indiana	CR-725	1
Oct 16, 2024	Linn County, Iowa	CR-W36/COVINGTON RD	1
Oct 8, 2024	Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana	MU-MADISON ST	1
Sep 18, 2024	San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas	I-410/CONNALLY LP	1
Sep 15, 2024	Gallatin County, Montana	KELLY CANYON RD	1
Sep 12, 2024	Orange County, Florida	LANDSTAR BOULEVARD	1
Aug 31, 2024	Christiansburg, Montgomery County, Virginia	US-11 RADFORD ST	1
Aug 21, 2024	Stevens County, Washington	CR-ALADDIN RD	1
Aug 3, 2024	Berks County, Pennsylvania	FISHER DAM RD	1
Aug 1, 2024	Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin	MILWAUKEE ST	1
Jul 19, 2024	Oakland County, Michigan	WHITE LAKE RD	1
Jul 17, 2024	Tyler, Smith County, Texas	SR-323 LP	1
Jul 17, 2024	Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee	MU-E RAINES RD	1
Jun 18, 2024	Clinton, Hunterdon County, New Jersey	SR-31	1

Compare Volkswagen Beetle with another vehicle

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020–2024. Vehicle make and model as decoded by NHTSA's vPIC service. "All vehicles" covers every vehicle with a known make.