Oklahoma City sees thousands of car crashes every year. The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office logged 256 fatal crashes in 2019, up from 204 in 2018, plus over 11,000 injury crashes that year. Driver inattention, following too closely, failure to yield, and speeding cause most of them, and alcohol was a factor in about 40% of the fatal ones.
Fatal Crashes
Fatal crashes occur far too often in Oklahoma City. According to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office’s crash data, there were 256 fatal car crashes in Oklahoma City in 2019, a significant increase from the 204 fatal crashes reported in 2018.
Most of these crashes involved only one vehicle, and most people killed were male. Alcohol use contributed to 40% of fatal crashes, and nearly half of those killed were not wearing a seat belt, even though Oklahoma law requires most drivers and front-seat passengers to wear one (47 O.S. § 12-417), a gap that shapes seat belt injury claims after a crash.
Injury Crashes
According to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (ODPS), over 11,000 injury crashes were reported in Oklahoma City in 2019, an increase of more than 4% over 2018.
The average number of people injured in these crashes was 12 per incident. ODPS found that most injury crashes occurred on weekdays, with the highest numbers on Thursday and Friday.
Most injury crashes were caused by driver errors, such as failing to yield the right-of-way, following too closely, and making unsafe lane changes. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists were also more likely to be injured in a crash than occupants of motor vehicles.
The most common crash injuries were lacerations, followed by contusions and fractures, a pattern in line with the injury types we see most often in these cases. ODPS recommends that drivers obey the speed limit and other traffic laws, stay aware of their surroundings, and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists. Motorcyclists should wear proper safety gear, and pedestrians should cross at designated crosswalks.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Oklahoma City
Knowing the common car accident causes in Oklahoma City can help you stay safer on the road. According to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the most common causes are driver inattention, following too closely, failure to yield, and speeding.
Driver inattention is the single most common cause, factoring into almost one-third of all crashes. It usually happens when something inside or outside the vehicle pulls a driver’s attention off the road.
Following too closely is the second most common cause, typically the result of not leaving enough distance between vehicles.
Failure to yield and speeding round out the top four causes, together making up about 12% of accidents in Oklahoma City.
Practicing defensive driving and staying aware of these common causes is one of the best ways to lower your risk of a crash.
Driver Demographics
Knowing which drivers are statistically more likely to be in an accident can help you drive more defensively. According to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the following patterns hold in Oklahoma City:
Age:
- Drivers aged 16 to 20 are more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than any other age group. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s research on teen drivers attributes this to inexperience behind the wheel.
- Drivers aged 21 to 29 are the most likely to be involved in an injury crash.
- Drivers aged 30 to 59 are most likely to cause a property-damage-only crash.
Gender:
- Male drivers are more likely than female drivers to be involved in a fatal crash.
- Female drivers are more likely than male drivers to be involved in an injury crash.
- There is no significant difference between male and female drivers in property-damage-only crashes.
Timing shifts these patterns too. See Time of Day below for how crash type changes by hour.
Time of Day
According to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, fatal crashes are most likely between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., injury crashes peak between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., and property-damage-only crashes are most common between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
| Time Window | Crash Type Most Likely |
|---|---|
| 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. | Fatal crashes |
| 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Injury crashes |
| 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Property damage crashes |
Roadway Type
Roadway type matters too. According to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, most Oklahoma City car accidents in 2018 happened on major state highways and city streets. Over 35% occurred on state highways, and more than 28% happened on city streets. Interstates, U.S. highways, and county roads together accounted for another 26%, and just over 8% happened on other roadways, such as private roads and parking lots.
This pattern makes sense: most crashes on Oklahoma City’s busiest roads happen simply because that is where the traffic is.
Vehicle Type
Vehicle type plays a role in accident data too. Between 2015 and 2019, passenger vehicles such as cars, vans, and SUVs accounted for the large majority of Oklahoma City car accidents, nearly two-thirds of the total. Pickup trucks and motorcycles were involved in far fewer accidents, but motorcyclists were disproportionately likely to be killed.
| Vehicle Type | Car Accidents, 2015-2019 |
|---|---|
| Passenger vehicles | 44,847 |
| Pickup trucks | 12,965 |
| Motorcycles | 2,777 |
| Bicycles | 672 |
| Other | 514 |
Drunk Driving
Alcohol-impaired driving remains a major cause of collisions in Oklahoma City, with thousands of incidents every year despite ongoing efforts to curb the problem. Here is a breakdown of those collisions:
By vehicle type:
- Cars: over 1,000 collisions in the most recent year on record
- Trucks: over 500 collisions
- Motorcycles: over 300 collisions
By location:
- Intersections: over 600 collisions
- Non-intersections: over 900 collisions
By driver gender:
- Male drivers: over 800 collisions
- Female drivers: over 400 collisions
These figures show the scope of the problem and why avoiding alcohol behind the wheel matters. Anyone hurt by a drunk driver in Oklahoma City can pursue compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other losses caused by the crash.
Driver Distractions
Avoiding distractions while driving is just as important as avoiding alcohol, since even a moment’s inattention can have devastating results.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, Oklahoma City saw 11,698 motor vehicle crashes in 2017, and driver distraction caused 5,898 of them, nearly half. Distraction ranks second only to speeding among crash causes in the city.
Oklahoma law makes it illegal to compose, send, or read a text message while driving (47 O.S. § 11-901d). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s research on distracted driving confirms that texting is one of the riskiest forms of distraction, since it pulls a driver’s eyes, hands, and attention off the road at the same time.
Avoiding phone use, conversations, and other distractions behind the wheel is one of the simplest ways to help reduce the number of Oklahoma City crashes caused by driver distraction.
Talk to an Oklahoma City Car Accident Lawyer
These numbers make one thing clear: car accidents in Oklahoma City are common, and the causes are largely predictable and preventable. If you were hurt in a crash caused by another driver’s inattention, impairment, or a moment of distraction, an Oklahoma City car accident lawyer at Hasbrook & Hasbrook can review what happened and explain your options at no cost. Ask us how these crash trends might apply to your case to get started.
