Dauphin County Vehicle Accidents in 2020

In 2020, Pennsylvania had a total of 104,493 traffic accidents. Being the 9th most populated state in America, it is no surprise that many accidents occur. This number is down considerably compared to 2019’s vehicle accident report. But because of the COVID-19 shutdown and more people working from home, it is not surprising that 2020’s numbers are lower.

How does Dauphin County factor into these traffic accident statistics? What Dauphin County road has the most accidents? What age group is the most accident-prone? Every year, PennDOT provides vehicle accident reports and statistics, where information such as time of day, location, and more are recorded. By looking at the latest PennDOT data, we can find out this information.

Dauphin County Crash Statistics

Dauphin County is Pennsylvania’s 14th most populated county. As a result, it is natural that Dauphin County is prone to traffic accidents. Especially with Harrisburg, and the Capital Beltway, being in this county. In 2020, there were a total of 2,531 vehicle crashes in Dauphin County. This represented 2.42% of the total Pennsylvania road vehicle crashes.

Accidents By Location

Harrisburg city, along with major highways of Route 22 and Route 83, represented many vehicle accidents in Dauphin County. Harrisburg is a populated municipality with heavy daily traffic volume. This municipality will sit atop the rankings yearly.

Municipalities with the Most Accidents

  • Harrisburg City – 520 (20.55%)
  • Lower Paxton Twp – 324 (12.80%)
  • Swatara Twp – 313 (12.37%)
  • Derry Twp – 230 (9.09%)
  • Susquehanna Twp – 185 (7.31%)
  • Lower Swatara Twp – 120 (4.74%)
  • West Hanover Twp – 114 (4.50%)
  • Londonderry Twp – 95 (3.75%)

Most Accident Prone Roadways

  • Route 22 – 278 (10.98%)
  • Route 83 – 204 (8.06%)
  • Route 81 – 159 (6.28%)
  • Route 230 – 111 (4.39%)
  • Route 39 – 108 (4.27%)

Accidents By Month

The colder month of October and January lead the way of months with the most traffic accidents. This can be due to the colder weather. Road become slick when there is cold precipitation, causing more traffic accidents.

  • October – 271 (10.71%)
  • January – 260 (10.27%)
  • July – 252 (9.96%)
  • August – 244 (9.64%)
  • December – 239 (9.44%)
  • September – 228 (9.01%)

Accidents By Time of Day

Friday afternoon rush hour traffic between the hours of 3 pm and 6pm saw the most traffic accidents. With people leaving work and anticipating the weekend, it is a frequent time when accidents can occur.

Accidents by Day of the Week

  • Friday – 433 (17.11%)
  • Wednesday – 389 (15.37%)
  • Thursday – 371 (14.66%)
  • Monday – 364 (14.38%)
  • Saturday – 358 (14.14%)
  • Tuesday – 320 (12.64%)
  • Sunday – 298 (11.77%)

Time of Day with the Most Accidents

  • 3-4 pm – 215 (8.49%)
  • 5-6 pm – 209 (8.26%)
  • 4-5 pm – 181 (7.15%)
  • 6-7 pm – 180 (7.11%)

Accidents By Involvement

Accidents Involving Teens

Out of all the accidents in Dauphin County in 2020, 13.16% of them involved a teenage driver.

  • 19 year olds – 124 (4.90%)
  • 18 year olds – 104 (4.11%)
  • 17 year olds – 71 (2.81%)
  • 16 year olds – 34 (1.34%)

Accidents Involving Senior Citizens

16.28% of all accidents in Dauphin County involved at least one driver that was 65 or older, and 5.81% of all accidents involved a driver 75 or older.

  • 65-74 years old – 265 (10.47%)
  • 75+ years old – 147 (5.81%)