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RI Car Accident Statistics: Most Common Injury Types, Causes, & Risks

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the US, but car accidents are still unfortunately common. Every year, too many people lose their lives or suffer serious car accident injuries on our highways, from concussions and soft tissue injuries, like whiplash, to possibly debilitating spinal cord injuries. What’s worse, the vast majority of crashes and injuries are completely preventable. Below, learn more about the common causes of RI car accidents and see recent car accident statistics, courtesy of a Rhode Island personal injury lawyer.

Rhode Island Car Accident Statistics at a Glance

Factors like impaired driving, speeding, and distracted driving can all play a role in RI crashes. Vulnerable individuals, such as bicyclists or pedestrians, also face a higher risk. Here’s a breakdown of key car accident stats across the state.

• Rhode Island has nearly one million registered drivers, not counting out-of-state visitors or commuters.
• Rhode Island’s number of fatalities increased sharply post-pandemic, with an 18% increase in fatalities between 2019 and 2022.
• In 2023, Rhode Island car crashes caused 243 serious injuries.
• Around 70 people died in traffic accidents in 2023, up nearly 40% from 52 fatalities in 2022.
• Fatal crashes trended downward in 2024, dropping back down to 52.

What are the Top Causes of Car Accidents in Rhode Island?

Every injury and death represents more than just a number on a report: it’s a family changed forever. While fatalities have decreased in recent years, even one death is too many.  Understanding how and why accidents happen is the first step toward prevention. Causes of car accident statistics range from impaired drivers to purely coincidental events

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s 2023 highway safety plan identified several key areas of concern to reduce deaths and serious injuries. Based on their findings and other recent data, some of the most significant reasons for car accidents in Rhode Island include the following.

Driving Under the Influence

DUIs have caused some of our state’s most heartbreaking crashes, but they’re completely preventable through safeguards, like designated drivers and rideshare services.

• Nationally, impaired driving accounts for 30% of all traffic-related deaths. But Rhode Island’s percentage of DUI-related deaths is around 13% higher than the national average.
• Impaired driving accounts for 43% of all traffic-related deaths in Rhode Island.
• Around 3,000 drivers are arrested annually for DUI-related charges, with approximately 70% refusing a breathalyzer.
• While the majority of drivers arrested on DUI charges refused a breathalyzer, those who accepted had an average blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of double the legal limit.
• Alcohol isn’t the only concern: Nationally, around 7% of adults drive under the influence of cannabis every year, which can cause impaired reaction times and judgment problems.

Distracted Driving

While the RI DOT doesn’t keep specific stats on distracted driving, it causes 12% of all crash-related injuries and 8% of deaths across the United States. Common examples of distracted driving include:

• Talking on cell phones or texting
• Eating or drinking
• Adjusting the radio or A/C
• Talking with passengers
• Applying makeup

To combat distracted driving, Rhode Island has a hands-free law that requires drivers to only use hands-free tech for cell phones, like Bluetooth headsets or phone stands.

Speeding Car Accident Statistics

Speeding is an issue nationwide. Rhode Island’s heavy rains and snow are big factors in speed-related crashes, since many people drive too fast for the weather conditions. Car accident statistics that involve speeding include the following:

• Nationally, speeding is responsible for 30% of all traffic deaths.
• Speed-related fatalities in Rhode Island have been on the rise in the last decade, with a high of 41 in 2017.
• Speeding was a likely factor in 45% of all Rhode Island accidents between 2017 and 2018.
• Speeding in the US increased post-pandemic, though it’s dipped from highs in 2020.

The Most Common Auto Accident Injuries

You can suffer a wide variety of injuries and consequences after getting hit by a car. Injuries from getting hit by a car can include broken legs and arms, knee injuries, lumbar sprains, whiplash, and back injuries, just to name a few. The consequences of a severe crash can be unexpected and unpredictable. But some of the most common auto accident injuries may fit into one of the following categories:

• Head injuries: Hitting your head can cause car crash injuries ranging from a concussion to a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
• Fractures: Bones in your arms and legs can snap or shatter if a car crash slams into them with enough force. More dangerously, your ribs or spine may also suffer fractures.
• Soft tissue injuries: Any damage to your muscles, tendons, and ligaments can occur when a car crash stretches or tears them. Whiplash is a well-known example, but sprains and strains are also common.
• Burns: Car accidents can result in burns if your skin comes in contact with leaking chemicals or your vehicle catches on fire. They can vary from minor concerns to severe auto accident injuries that require skin grafts.
• Internal injuries: Impacts or cuts to your torso can damage your internal organs. Organs like the liver, kidneys, and lungs might be bruised or ruptured. Or, your body might bleed internally, requiring immediate medical treatment.
• Spinal cord injuries: Car accident spinal injuries can lead to dangerous and severe aftereffects. From a painful herniated disc from a car accident to a fracture that causes pain, numbness, or even paralysis. Neck injuries from car accidents are no joke, and you must be treated immediately

Car accident statistics – Injuries by accident type

Your likelihood of suffering a particular auto accident injury depends on where you’re sitting in a vehicle and the type of crash. Pressure travels through your body differently, based on the source of impact, which can result in anything from a minor whiplash headache to serious internal injuries or spinal cord damage.

Car accident statistics for rear-end crashes

Head and spinal injuries most commonly happen in rear-end collisions. When another vehicle rams yours from behind, the car and seat jerk forward, but your body wants to stay where it is.

The force of impact pushes the seat against your body, causing pressure to move through your torso. Pressure starts in your pelvis, where it travels up through your back, shoulders, and head. Your spine can actually straighten out or even flex backward, potentially causing lumbar sprains, herniated discs, or spinal cord injuries.

Head-on crashes

According to a 2012 study on crash data, head-on collisions and crashes with frontal damage are most likely to result in damage to the lower body. Leg, knee, foot and ankle injuries are common car crash injuries from this accident type.

The force of a head-on collision puts strain on your hips and can drive your lower body forward, which can increase the risk of hip fractures. If you’re in the driver’s seat with your foot on the brake, the pressure can strain or break your ankle. Your legs can also slam into the dashboard or even get trapped, possibly resulting in a broken leg or a knee injury.

Side Impacts (T-Boning)

For drivers, side impacts commonly cause head injuries, like concussions, regardless of which side of the car is struck. Crashes that strike the driver’s side can also cause lower-body and leg injuries similar to those seen in head-on crashes. For passengers, the risk of torso damage increases in side impacts, like internal injuries in the chest or lungs.

Rollover crashes

Crashes that roll your vehicle are some of the most dangerous of all accident types. For drivers, the risk of head, neck, and chest injuries is much higher, especially among drivers aged 65 and older. Passengers can suffer injuries anywhere in their body, but the arms and legs are the most commonly affected body parts in a rollover crash.

Who’s at Risk? Car Accident Statistics by Age & Type

While a car accident or severe car accident injury can happen to anyone, some people may face a higher risk of crashes, including those in the following categories.

Young Drivers

Young drivers, especially teens, face a higher risk of crashes than middle-aged adults, often due to the following factors:

• Inexperience can cause teens to underestimate or make critical errors.
• Teens and young adults may also be more at risk of riding with impaired drivers. Over 50% of Rhode Island’s young adults reported riding with a driver under the influence of cannabis.
• 14% of Rhode Island teens reported driving with someone who was drinking.
• Drivers under 30 are more likely to engage in distracted driving.

Older Drivers

Drivers aged 70 and older are more likely to die in car accidents, both as a driver and a passenger. The following factors play a role:

• Age-related changes in eyesight, reasoning, and memory can increase the risk of crashes when driving.
• Older adults also face higher rates of crash-related injuries and deaths as passengers, pedestrians, or cyclists.
• Between 2012 and 2022, the number of older adults who died in crashes rose by 40%.

Cyclists & Pedestrians

Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are especially vulnerable to injuries and deaths, but some years statistically have more fatalities.

• Rhode Island motorcyclist deaths have fluctuated in the last decade, from a high of 18 in 2018 to a low of 4 in 2016.
• Accidents and deaths involving bicyclists and pedestrians are spiking in 2025, with six crashes and two deaths in June alone.

Car Accident Statistics by Gender

Any driver can make a mistake or have lapses in judgment. But some data suggest that male and female drivers have differing risk factors.

Male Drivers

• According to a 2021 Australian study, men were more likely to crash than women, even across age ranges.
• Crashes involving male drivers are typically more severe and more likely to cause fatalities.
• Men are more likely to speed or have higher BACs in fatal crashes.

Female Drivers

• Women are more likely to be injured or killed in crashes.
• Some research suggests that women are more likely to talk on the phone while driving.

When Do Crashes Occur?

While crashes occur all year long, some times of the year are more dangerous than others, including:

• Summer: Teens out of school and drivers traveling for vacation can put more traffic on the roads. According to AAA, around 30% of traffic deaths involving teens happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
• Holidays: The holiday season can cause an influx of drinking and driving. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day are some of the most dangerous days to drive.

An RI Car Accident Lawyer

No matter when or how a car crash strikes, the fallout can be devastating. Serious injuries can rob you of your quality of life and leave you feeling isolated and scared. Not to mention the hassle of dealing with insurance companies.

Petrarca Law understands how difficult and stressful this time can be, and we’re here to make your life easier. We can negotiate with insurance companies, file personal injury claims, and help you obtain the settlement you need to move forward. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.