The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that approximately 1.19 million people die because of road traffic accidents every year.
Accidents can be caused by a multitude of reasons – from drunk or rash driving to flouting traffic rules like wearing a helmet or keeping eyes on the road at all times.
Here are 19 countries with the highest number of road accidents globally, according to the latest available data.
1. United States
- Population: 328,329,953 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 1,949,000
The United States has one of the largest numbers of drivers since it has a very extensive road network. So, it’s no surprise that the United States leads the list when it comes to the number of car accidents—1,949,000 accidents occurred in 2019.
2. Japan
- Population: 126,811,000 (2018 est.)
- Accidents: 499,232
According to the latest estimate (in 2018), Japan reported 499,232 road accidents, which caused 4,698 deaths. This makes Japan the country with the second-highest number of road accidents.
3. India
- Population: 1,369,003,310 (2018 est.)
- Accidents: 480,652
It is difficult to determine the exact number of road accidents in India. In 2018, an estimated 150,785 people lost their lives, and the number went up to 215,765 the following year.
With the world’s second most extensive road network, India saw 480,652 accidents. Notably, India registered a 15% increase in road traffic fatalities even as the numbers fell by 5% (according to data from 108 United Nations members).
4. Germany
- Population: 83,092,962 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 300,000
In 2023, Germany produced approximately 4.1 million vehicles, making it Europe’s largest automobile producer.
It is also fourth in the list of most road accidents, with more than 300,000 accidents in 2019. 3,612 deaths and more than 390,000 injuries were reported.
5. Iran
- Population: 85,617,562 (2018 est.)
- Accidents: 293,305
Citing a UNICEF report, in 2019, a research paper reported that every 19 minutes, one person dies on the roads of Iran. Furthermore, every 2 minutes, a person finds out that someone in their family has suffered a severe injury from a road accident.
In 2018, the number of road accidents in Iran was 293,305, with close to 16,000 deaths.
6. Turkey
- Population: 82,579,440 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 174,896
Next on the list is Turkey. In 2018, 185,128 road accidents occurred in the country, with about 7,300 deaths, and in 2019, the number fell to 174,896 – still a substantial amount.
7. Italy
- Population: 59,729,081 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 172,183
As of 2024, 0.00293 car accidents have happened in Italy per capita. The statistics from 2019 reveal that 172,183 road accidents occurred in Italy, leading to 3,173 deaths and more than 240,000 injuries.
And this is the count after accidents have reduced over the past couple of years.
8. United Kingdom
- Population: 66,836,327 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 123,212
While Britain showed impressive improvement in road safety in the late 1990s, progress seems to have stagnated since then.
While the United Kingdom is host to some of the safest roads, the number of road accidents is still higher than most, with 1,808 deaths recorded in 2019 and 123,212 injuries.
9. Canada
- Population: 38,226,498 (2021 est.)
- Accidents: 108,018
In 2021, 108,018 injuries occurred on Canada’s roads, and 1,630 of all collisions were fatal. This is, however, a decrease from 2018, when 149,065 injuries occurred.
10. Spain
- Population: 47,134,837 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 104,080
Regarding crashes that caused injury, Spain saw 104,080 crashes in 2019, which reduced to 72,959 in 2020 (during the global pandemic when fewer vehicles were on the roads). In 2019, 1,755 fatalities were reported.
11. Colombia
- Population: 51,874,024 (2022 est.)
- Accidents (Injury crashes): 71,524
Colombia has seen a significant rise in the number of motorcycles on its roads in the past, which has contributed to a high fatality rate.
In 2022, of the 17.8 million motor vehicles in Colombia, 62% were motorcycles. In 2019, more than 6,500 people died because of road accidents in the country. In 2022, the number went up to 8,146.
12. France
- Population: 67,388,001 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 56,016
In 2019, there were 56,016 accidents in France. The death toll was 3,498. In 2022, according to figures recorded by the police, an estimated 237,000 people were injured on the roads in France; 16,000 of those injuries were severe.
13. Belgium
- Population: 11,488,980 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 37,699
Belgium had 37,699 accidents with 47,147 injuries in 2019. However, Belgium has seen a steady decline in road fatalities. In 2022, 37,643 accidents resulted in injuries, with 540 deaths.
14. Portugal
- Population: 10,286,263 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 37,213
It’s important to note that Portugal’s road accident figure for 2019 (37,213 accidents) is a UNICEF estimate based on a 3-year trend. The death toll in the same year was 688, which is why Portugal precedes Austria in this list.
15. Austria
- Population: 8,879,920 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 35,736
From 2009 to 2019, the number of road accidents in Austria went from 37,925 to 35,736, with a spike in 2012 (40,831). As of 2023, road-related accidents in the country stand at 35,809.
16. Romania
- Population: 19,371,648 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 31,146
Romania has seen an 8.9% increase in road accidents between 2009 and 2019. In 2019, the country had 31,146 road traffic accidents with 1,864 deaths. In the following year, the number of deaths fell to 1,644.
Still, Romania had the highest number of fatalities per 1,000,000 inhabitants in the European Union.
17. Ukraine
- Population: 44,386,203 (2019 est.)
- Accidents: 26,052
Ukraine reported 26,052 road accidents with victims in 2019 and has shown a considerably stable decline in accidents over the past decade.
In 2009, there were 37,049 accidents in Ukraine, with more than 5,000. In contrast, the death toll in 2019 was 3,454.
18. Poland
- Population: 37,747,124 (2021 est.)
- Accidents: 19,110
In 2021 (till October), the Polish police registered 19,110 accidents. The death toll reached 1,864, which is still a decrease from 2020 when 2,046 people died due to accidents.
In 2019, approximately 30,000 accidents occurred, and more than 35,477 people were injured.
19. Taiwan
- Population: 23,375,314 (2021 est.)
- Accidents: ~2961.65
When we sort countries by the size of their road network, Taiwan falls low on the list. However, the country’s road accidents are higher than expected because Taiwan is notorious for its dangerous roads.
In 2021, Taiwan saw 12.67 deaths per 100,000 people, five times higher than Japan’s ratio.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.