Over the past decade, some vehicles have been linked to far more deadly crashes than others. Using the most recent data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), this analysis highlights the car models and manufacturers involved in the highest number of fatal crashes in the United States between 2014 and 2023.
The 10 Deadliest Cars Nationwide
When you look at the numbers, popularity plays a huge role. The vehicles that sell the most also tend to appear most often in fatal crash data.
Top 10 Deadliest Cars in the U.S. (2014–2023):
- Chevrolet Silverado – 10,340 deaths
- Ford F-Series – 10,277 deaths
- Honda Accord – 7,088 deaths
- Honda Civic – 6,564 deaths
- Toyota Camry – 6,174 deaths
- Dodge Ram – 5,273 deaths
- Toyota Corolla – 4,826 deaths
- Nissan Altima – 4,787 deaths
- Chevrolet Impala – 3,835 deaths
- Ford Explorer – 3,705 deaths
Pickups like the Silverado and F-Series dominate the top of the list. They are among the most common vehicles in the country, used for everything from family travel to construction work, so they appear most often in fatal crash data.
The Deadliest Car Manufacturers
When you group fatalities by manufacturer, a few names stand out.
Top 5 Deadliest Car Manufacturers (2014–2023):
- Chevrolet – 41,245 deaths
- Ford – 40,254 deaths
- Honda – 22,737 deaths
- Toyota – 21,285 deaths
- Dodge – 13,927 deaths
Chevrolet and Ford together are linked to more than 80,000 deaths in the last decade, far more than any other brands. Honda and Toyota follow, largely because of the high number of Accords, Civics, Camrys, and Corollas on the road. Dodge rounds out the top five, led by the Ram pickup and its performance models.
State by State: Which Cars Are Deadliest?
When the data is broken down by state, regional patterns become clear.
Pickups dominate in the South, Midwest, and Plains, where they are part of daily life. Along the coasts and in major cities, smaller sedans rise to the top.
Regional patterns at a glance:
- South and Midwest: Pickup trucks rule the road. The Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-Series are the deadliest vehicles in most of these states, including Texas, Kentucky, Iowa, and the Dakotas.
- West Coast and Northeast: Compact sedans take the lead. The Honda Civic ranks first in California, New York, and New Jersey, while the Honda Accord tops Massachusetts and Connecticut.
- Southeast and Sun Belt: The Toyota Corolla leads in places like Florida and Vermont, reflecting its popularity as an affordable commuter car.
- Rust Belt: In Michigan and Ohio, older domestic models like the Chevrolet Impala and Malibu appear most often in fatal crashes, reflecting regional brand loyalty and local manufacturing history.
Each state’s deadliest car mirrors what its residents drive most. In states where trucks are part of work and culture, pickups top the list. In urban states where smaller cars dominate, sedans appear more often. It is a reminder that the cars we see in fatal crash data are often just the ones we see most on the road.
What the Data Shows
Across all 50 states, the same themes repeat:
- Popularity matters. The Silverado and F-Series are not inherently unsafe, but with millions on the road, they appear more often in fatal crashes.
- Where you drive shapes the risk. Rural states see more truck-related fatalities, while urban centers report more deaths involving compact sedans.
- Driving habits matter most. The top vehicles in each region reflect what people own and how they drive, not necessarily which models are dangerous.
Methodology
This analysis uses data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The study covers fatal crashes across all 50 states between 2014 and 2023.
For each record, researchers identified:
- Vehicle model and manufacturer
- State of the crash
- Number of fatalities linked to each model
Totals were aggregated nationally and by state. The “deadliest” model or brand in each state is the one associated with the highest number of fatalities during the study period.
Final Takeaway
The deadliest cars in America are not necessarily unsafe. They are simply the vehicles most people drive. Geography, population, and driving behavior all shape these outcomes. Whether you are in a truck-heavy rural state or a city full of compact cars, the same rule applies everywhere: safety depends more on the driver than the car.