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
Nov 22, 2023	Copiah County, Mississippi	I-55 RAMP	1
Nov 14, 2023	Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois	N PERRYVILLED RD	1
Nov 7, 2023	Payne County, Oklahoma	SR-18 N LITTLE RD	1
Nov 2, 2023	Dallas, Dallas County, Texas	MU-EASTON RD	1
Nov 1, 2023	Riverside County, California	SR-243	1
Oct 18, 2023	Warren, Macomb County, Michigan	SR-53 VAN DYKE AVE	1
Oct 15, 2023	Coos Bay, Coos County, Oregon	US-101 ODOT 9	1
Oct 15, 2023	Oakland, Alameda County, California	I-580	1
Oct 7, 2023	Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas	MU-MC CART AVE	1
Oct 7, 2023	Benton County, Missouri	US-65	2
Oct 5, 2023	Wise County, Texas	FM 51	2
Oct 5, 2023	Henry County, Tennessee	CR-BEN SMITH RD	1
Sep 27, 2023	Romulus, Seneca County, New York	SR-96	1
Sep 21, 2023	Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California	I-405	1
Sep 13, 2023	Madison County, Tennessee	US-70 SR-1	1
Sep 6, 2023	Homewood, Cook County, Illinois	183RD ST	1
Sep 5, 2023	Winnsboro, Fairfield County, South Carolina	US-321 HWY 321 BYPASS	1
Aug 29, 2023	Wheat Ridge, Jefferson County, Colorado	SR-121 WADSWORTH BLVD	1
Aug 28, 2023	Cherry Hill, Camden County, New Jersey	SR-70	1
Aug 26, 2023	St. Clair County, Illinois	ST CLAIR AVE	1
Aug 16, 2023	Union County, Oregon	I-84	1
Aug 3, 2023	Boulder County, Colorado	US-287	1
Jul 18, 2023	Livingston Parish, Louisiana	SR-441	2
Jul 16, 2023	South Salt Lake, Salt Lake County, Utah	I-15	1
Jul 15, 2023	Mooresville, Morgan County, Indiana	SR-267	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.