Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics: News & Updates (March 2025)

We’ve gathered essential statistics and insights about motor vehicle safety to keep you in the know

Keeping informed is essential as vehicle usage, technology advancements, and safety regulations constantly emerge and change. Read on to discover the freshest US data on road safety and industry news for March 2025.

Featured ConsumerShield MVA Statistics

Self-Driving Vehicle Accidents 2025 - Technology Updates and Safety Data

The latest statistics from March 2025 reveal a mixed picture of progress and challenges for self-driving vehicles. Generally, since 2021, crashes of cars equipped with ADS (Automated Driving Systems) have been going up, although the numbers fluctuate from month to month.

September to December 2024 saw a spike in self-driving vehicle accidents. Much of the increase in accidents can be attributed to the ever-increasing number of ADS-assisted vehicles on our roads. While numbers may be trending down for January 2025, we will have to wait for the release of the NHTSA’s latest data to draw conclusions. Here are some of the main trends for March 2025:

Latest Autonomous Vehicle Safety Statistics

According to the NHTSA, car makers of automated vehicles keep improving technology to make driving safer than ever before. However, a lack of updated safety statistics for the first months of 2025 makes it challenging to observe trends up to March 2025.

What we know is that autonomous vehicle safety statistics show promising improvements, and self-driving cars have faster reaction times than human-driven cars, which should help to drive down accident numbers in the future. A recent study published in Nature Communications reveals that self-driving cars generally have fewer accidents than human drivers in most similar driving situations.

Recent Technological Developments

Self-driving technology is constantly evolving. Some recent technological improvements include:

• 5G Network Integration. 5G technology is enhancing real-time data processing and communication between autonomous vehicles, improving their ability to navigate more safely.
• Sensor Improvements. Improvements in radar, cameras, and LiDAR technology have allowed self-driving cars to understand their surroundings better and, as a result, make better driving decisions.
• AI Learning. Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms constantly improve the decision-making capabilities of autonomous vehicles.

Current Testing Data and Incident Reports

AV testing tends to be limited and designated to specific locations and conditions. The NHTSA’s Automated Vehicle Tracking Tool provides information on testing locations and vehicles. The tool is updated frequently.

As of March 2025, NHTSA’s latest available data from 2024 reveals monthly self-driving vehicle incidents fluctuated throughout the year, ranging from as few as 22 to as many as 80 crashes per month.

Explore our in-depth analysis of self-driving car accident trends →

Truck Accidents 2025 - Latest Statistics and Trends

As of March 2025, the ConsumerShield data highlights a slight decrease in both the number of incidents and fatalities since a spike in truck accidents in 2021. This decline likely stems from improved truck safety features, stricter driving regulations, and truck drivers becoming more safety-conscious.

Latest Truck Accident Figures

• The latest figures available show 5,820 truck crashes in January 2025 alone.
• 2024 saw a total of 148,000 truck accidents, with 4,260 crashes involving fatalities.

Current Year-Over-Year Comparison Data

After a significant increase in 2021, truck accidents have steadily declined for three consecutive years.

Fatal truck crashes have followed their own patterns in recent years:

• 2021: 5,610 fatal crashes
• 2022: 5,800 fatal crashes (peak)
• 2023: 4,860 fatal crashes
• 2024: 4,260 fatal crashes
• 2025: 102 fatal crashes (as of January 31)

It’s too early to predict how 2025 will look since we only have one month of data. However, the good news is that deadly truck accidents have dropped significantly over the last two years. This improvement may be due to constantly evolving truck safety features and improved training for truck drivers.

Recent Safety Trend Information

Trucks are getting safer due to numerous recent technology innovations and safety trends, including:

• Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). A recent NHTSA study shows that systems, including automatic emergency braking (AEB) and forward-collision warnings, reduce crash frequency by approximately 50%.
• Rear-View Cameras. Adding rear-view cameras to trucks and other large commercial vehicles reduces blind spots and improves overall safety.
• Forward Collision Warning Systems. These systems alert drivers if they are too close to another vehicle, helping to prevent rear-end collisions.

Unfortunately, despite these technological developments, truck crashes still occur due to negligent driver conduct, such as speeding and distracted driving, and for other reasons.

Read our complete analysis of truck accident statistics →

Key Findings This Month

Our analysis of this month's data reveals several significant trends affecting motor vehicle safety:

• Self-driving car crashes have generally increased since 2021, with a notable spike from September to December 2024.
• Truck accidents have declined for three consecutive years after peaking in 2021.
• Fatal truck crashes dropped significantly from 5,800 in 2022 to 4,260 in 2024.
• Advanced Driver Assistance Systems in trucks reduce crash frequency by approximately 50% according to NHTSA data.

Learn More: Explore our comprehensive research on annual accident statistics, vehicle fatalities, and other specialized accident data.

Motor Vehicle News and Updates

Recent Safety Developments

• Recalls of self-driving vehicles during 2024 have affected companies Cruise and Waymo.
• 5G Network Integration provides enhanced real-time data processing and communication between self-driving vehicles, improving navigation capabilities.
• A recent study in Nature Communications shows that self-driving cars typically have fewer crashes than human drivers in most similar driving situations.

Regulatory and Legal Updates

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed new rules for self-driving cars in December 2024. These rules aim to establish a voluntary national framework for the evaluation and oversight of vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS).
• One of the largest verdicts ($462 million) was rendered by a jury in 2024 in a truck accident case in St. Louis City. The jury found trailer manufacturer Wabash National Corporation responsible for the deaths of two young fathers killed when their car went underneath the rear of a trailer.

Emerging Trends

• Truck accidents and particularly fatal incidents are trending downward and have dropped from 5,800 in 2022 to 4,260 in 2024.
• The emerging integration of multiple safety systems in self-driving vehicles combining technologies like 5G connectivity, improved sensors, and AI learning algorithms create safer autonomous driving systems.

Related Research and Resources

Settlement Information

Understanding potential compensation is crucial for accident victims. Explore our research:

• Average Car Accident Settlement
• Average Settlement for Minor Car Accidents
• Pain and Suffering Settlements
• Broken Bone Settlements
• Whiplash Settlement Averages
• Soft Tissue Injury Settlements

Accident Types and Statistics

Learn more about specific accident scenarios:

• T-Bone Accident Payouts
• Truck Accident Settlements
• Motorcycle Accident Settlements
• Pedestrian Accident Payouts
• Drunk Driving Accident Settlements
• Bus Accident Settlements

Accident Statistics and Trends

Explore our comprehensive accident data:

• Car Accidents Per Year
• Car Accidents Per Day
• Annual Traffic Fatalities
• Motorcycle Deaths Each Year
• Bicycle Deaths Per Year
• E-Bike and E-Scooter Accidents
• Vehicle Fires Per Year

Vehicle and Driver Information

Learn about the current state of vehicles on American roads:

• How Many Cars in the U.S.
• Average Cars Per Household
• How Many Truck Drivers
• How Many Electric Cars in U.S.
• Average Miles Driven Per Year
• Most Dangerous Cars
• How Many New Cars Are Sold Each Year

Risk Factors and Prevention

Understand the leading causes of accidents:

• Leading Causes of Vehicle Accidents
• Texting and Driving Statistics
• Distracted Driving Statistics
• Drunk Driving Deaths Each Year

About Our Data

This report compiles data from multiple authoritative sources, including:

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
• State departments of transportation
• Automotive industry reports
• ConsumerShield's proprietary database

Data is collected, analyzed, and verified by our team of safety researchers and legal experts. While we strive for accuracy, statistics may be subject to revision as more information becomes available.

Our next report will be published on April 7, 2025