A new study reveals California ranks 23rd in the nation in police pursuit fatalities between 2019 and 2023.
The research conducted by the Missouri-based personal injury law firm Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, analyzed fatal police pursuit crashes across all 50 states from 2019 to 2023. Rates were calculated per million residents using five-year averages to identify the states where drivers are most at risk during high-speed law enforcement pursuits.
California ranks 23rd with an annual average of 1.21 fatal police pursuit crashes per million residents, 5% lower than the national average of 1.28. Between 2019 and 2023, the Golden State averaged 47.4 fatalities per year, with the lowest at 42 in both 2019 and 2023 and the highest at 62 in 2021.
Looking at the study, a spokesperson from Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers commented,
“The results show a worrying reality for states like California, where fatal police pursuit crashes are high.
“High-speed pursuits put not only the suspects and officers at risk, but also bystanders and entire communities. Stronger pursuit policies, better training, and alternative intervention strategies remain key to preventing these tragedies.”
Table for Extended Results
| Top 50 U.S. States with the Highest Rates of Fatal Police Pursuit Crashes | ||
| State | Police Pursuit Fatalities per Million residents | Rank |
| Arkansas | 3.16 | 1 |
| Georgia | 3.11 | 2 |
| South Carolina | 3.02 | 3 |
| Alabama | 3.02 | 4 |
| Tennessee | 2.43 | 5 |
| Texas | 2.39 | 6 |
| Indiana | 2.32 | 7 |
| New Mexico | 2.27 | 8 |
| South Dakota | 2.22 | 9 |
| Oklahoma | 2.20 | 10 |
| Missouri | 2.14 | 11 |
| Virginia | 1.99 | 12 |
| Louisiana | 1.95 | 13 |
| Mississippi | 1.90 | 14 |
| West Virginia | 1.68 | 15 |
| North Carolina | 1.51 | 16 |
| Kansas | 1.50 | 17 |
| Iowa | 1.44 | 18 |
| Wisconsin | 1.39 | 19 |
| Illinois | 1.36 | 20 |
| Kentucky | 1.24 | 21 |
| Michigan | 1.22 | 22 |
| California | 1.21 | 23 |
| Colorado | 1.17 | 24 |
| Ohio | 1.09 | 25 |
| Montana | 1.09 | 26 |
| Arizona | 1.04 | 27 |
| Wyoming | 1.03 | 28 |
| Vermont | 0.94 | 29 |
| Oregon | 0.90 | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | 0.90 | 31 |
| Maine | 0.87 | 32 |
| Utah | 0.84 | 33 |
| Minnesota | 0.81 | 34 |
| Massachusetts | 0.63 | 35 |
| Nebraska | 0.61 | 36 |
| Delaware | 0.60 | 37 |
| New Hampshire | 0.58 | 38 |
| Rhode Island | 0.55 | 39 |
| Alaska | 0.55 | 40 |
| Idaho | 0.53 | 41 |
| Maryland | 0.52 | 42 |
| Nevada | 0.51 | 43 |
| Washington | 0.39 | 44 |
| Florida | 0.33 | 45 |
| New York | 0.30 | 46 |
| Connecticut | 0.28 | 47 |
| New Jersey | 0.26 | 48 |
| Hawaii | 0.00 | 49 |
| North Dakota | 0.00 | 50 |
The study was conducted by Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, an experienced law firm specializing in vehicle accident representation, handling everything from initial claim evaluation and medical care coordination to aggressive negotiations with insurance companies.
ENDS
P.S. If using this story, please credit and link to https://becklawmo.com/
Methodology
The study analyzed fatal police pursuit crashes across all 50 states from 2019 to 2023. Rates were calculated per million residents using five-year averages to identify the states where drivers are most at risk during high-speed law enforcement pursuits.
Data Sources
- Crash Data → https://cdan.dot.gov/query
- Research Dataset → https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j37c4g2h-3rbuqUxOrb4jin5NFs7zKvp92-hCZQOrAA/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- Study By → https://becklawmo.com/
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