Traffic fatalities in Arizona dip for second year in a row

PHOENIX – Traffic fatalities in Arizona decreased for the second year in a row in 2024 but remain near all-time historical highs, according to the state’s annual report on motor vehicle crashes on all roads. 

There were 1,228 traffic fatalities across all Arizona roads, including local streets, in 2024, which represents a 6.12% drop in fatalities from 2023, according to the 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report. The total number of crashes also dropped from 123,256 in 2023 to 121,107 in 2024 — a 1.74% decrease.

“It’s encouraging to see fewer fatalities on Arizona’s roadways, but the numbers are still too high and affecting too many people,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “We work everyday to safely connect Arizonans and get motorists where they want to go, but we all need to make better decisions behind the wheel. There’s no such thing as accidents and everyone needs to choose not to speed, drive impaired or distracted because these crashes are preventable.”

The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, which is compiled from traffic crash reports provided by law enforcement agencies around the state. The document reflects reported crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, tribal roads and state highways. 

The data shows that crashes and fatalities are driven by driver behavior, involving impairment, speed and failure to use seatbelts. 

There were fewer alcohol-related crashes in 2024 compared to 2023, but the data showed crashes that involved alcohol impairment and speeding were a leading cause of injuries and death. 

“The continued decline in traffic fatalities is a positive sign, but these numbers still represent lives lost and families forever changed,” said Colonel Jeffrey Glover, Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety. “Too many of these crashes are the result of poor decisions — driving impaired, speeding, or not buckling up. At the Department of Public Safety, we remain committed to enforcement, education, and working with our safety partners to reduce preventable tragedies on Arizona’s roadways.”

Alcohol-related crashes account for 27.93% of all fatal crashes. But alcohol-related fatalities dipped from 358 in 2023 to 347 in 2024, a 3.07% decrease, and accounted for 28.26% of all traffic fatalities. Male drivers were involved in 71.08% of alcohol-related crashes. Drivers ages 25-34 accounted for 31.40% of drivers involved in alcohol-related crashes. In 2024, 2,407 alcohol-related crashes occurred on nights and weekends, which accounted for 43.6% of the total alcohol-related crashes. 

Among factors cited, speed that was too fast for conditions or exceeded the lawful speed limit was reported in crashes that led to 417 fatalities and 20,722 injuries, which accounted for 33.9% of the total fatalities and 38% of the total injuries in 2024.

“Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy, and one is too many," said Jesse Torrez, Director of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. "While we've seen progress in some areas, 2024 brought a five-year high in pedestrian and cyclist crashes. These aren't just numbers; they're individuals, families forever altered. Achieving zero fatalities demands our collective, everyday commitment to safety."

Fewer pedestrians were killed in 2024 and the number of bicyclist fatalities held steady. Despite improvements in some areas, there were 2,079 pedestrian crashes and 1,379 bicyclist crashes in 2024, the highest numbers recorded in the last five years.

The report shows that there were more fatalities on local roads (775) than there were on the state highway system (453) and that there were more traffic fatalities in urban areas (781) than in rural areas (447). 

• There were 219 motorcyclist fatalities from crashes in 2024, which is a 16.4% decrease from 262 fatalities in 2023. 
• Fatalities and injuries due to failure to use a safety device, such as a helmet or a seatbelt, were down from from 2023 to 2024. In 2023, there were 381 fatalities and 3,292 injuries and in 2024 there were 340 fatalities and 3,088 injuries in 2024. 
• According to the report, there were at least 8,289 drivers involved in collisions in 2024 who were engaged in some type of distracted driving behavior. These numbers are likely an undercount because drivers may not admit they were distracted or a distracted driver died in the crash.  

The 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report and reports for previous years are available at azdot.gov/CrashFacts.