When Was the First Car Crash?

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You’re cruising down the highway, playlist on, elbow out the window — and you probably don’t think much about the first car crash or how its history has impacted driver safety today. Ever since cars hit the road, crashes have followed. 

The first car crash may not have been the 120-mile-per-hour impact of modern vehicles, but it was a wakeup call for people. It made them realize that high-speed metal might be unsafe for travel and that steps were needed to ensure drivers and passengers remained safe in their “horseless carriages.” 

The First Car Crashes and Fatalities 

The dubious record as the first automobile accident victim and fatality belongs to Irish scientist Mary Ward, who took her cousin’s steam-mobile for a spin on August 31, 1896. Vehicles in that time were quite basic, without power steering, doors and other features that made for safer driving, and when the car rounded a bend, Mary was flung from the cabin onto the road. The wheels — which probably lacked newly invented tread and traction — skidded like modern drifters do and crushed her, and she passed soon after.   

The first recorded accident and car-related fatality on U.S. soil was Mr. HH Bliss, who was struck by an electric cab on September 14, 1899, crushing his head and chest. 

Numerous other fatalities followed, and the world’s car manufacturers began to take note. For starters, some early automobiles were built without doors, which meant that any jostling or sudden turning could easily throw an occupant out onto the road. The earliest Ford model with front and rear doors was only available in 1914. 

How Many Car Accidents Happen in the U.S. Today? 

Modern vehicles are loaded with safety features, but manufacturers still haven’t cracked the code to keep everyone safe. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 42,795 people died on U.S. roads in 2022, which is an average of 117 people per day. Not all accidents are reported, and not all crashes are fatal, so the number of actual vehicle collisions is likely much higher. 

Vehicle safety is not always the culprit, with alcohol playing a significant role. In 2023, 30% of all U.S. traffic fatalities involved a drunk driver. No amount of safety features can fix an inebriated driver’s error. 

Different makes also display unique crash rates, with Tesla topping at 5.6 incidents per billion miles and Kia just behind that with 5.5 incidents per billion miles. 

The Road to Vehicle Safety

Early production vehicles left the lines without doors, windshields, safety belts and most modern safety features that people depend on today. These features began appearing because of fatalities and accidents, so the story of car safety devices is the story of vehicle accidents. 

Car Doors

Early cars didn’t have doors, and when they appeared, they were initially quite flimsy and prone to flying open during accidents. Reinforced latches and crumple-resistant materials only became the standard decades later. Let’s not even speak of side-impact bars that most vehicles have as standard today. 

Windshields

Laminated glass only appeared in automotive design after WWII, and its first design was for gas mask eyepieces. Before this, windshields used to shatter upon impact, often harming drivers and occupants during crashes. Despite the poor quality glass in early designs, windshield wipers were invented in 1903, though windshield cleaning devices and fillable reservoirs only came much later. 

Traffic Laws

Nobody thought to regulate traffic, and early drivers could drive as fast as they wanted and on any side of the road. Speed limits, stop signs, lane markings and driver’s licenses were nonexistent. Only in the early 20th century did authorities start to issue these for roadways. 

The earliest patent for a traffic light’s design was for an invention by Garret Augustus Morgan in 1923, showing how little regard drivers had for right of way or traffic regulation.  

Safety Belts

The earliest safety belt wasn’t even for cars. Mr EJ Claghorn patented the idea for building safety. He designed a system for securing people in pulleys in 1885, and the idea spilled over to aeronautical design, and planes had seatbelts before cars did. In fact, the notion of seatbelts was so unpopular that some early buyers paid dealers to remove them. Racing car driver, Barney Oldfield, fitted it to his Indy 500 car as a safety measure in 1922. In 1961, Wisconsin made seatbelts mandatory, but wearing them wasn’t. 

Headlights

In the 1900s, the early gas lamps on cars gave way to electric headlights, which were safer. And by adding mirrors behind the lights, it was possible to direct the illumination for better and further projection. Today’s cars have LED matrix lights that follow your turns and dim automatically — thank goodness for technology! Ensure you check your bulbs if they’re flickering or dim for continued visibility.

Brake Lights and Turn Signals

Brake lights weren’t standard until the early 1920s, and the first patent for turn signals dates to 1903, though it only made it to production years later. 

The Future of Driver Safety 

So where are drivers headed now? Technology is pushing driver safety into sci-fi territory, and that’s not bad. 

These three innovations are shaping tomorrow’s driving experiences: 

1. Autonomous Emergency Steering

This system doesn’t just slam on the brakes — it automatically steers autonomous vehicles around obstacles when a crash is predicted. The onboard computer reads the road and makes decisions in milliseconds. 

2. AI-Based Driver Monitoring

Cameras and sensors now track your eye movement, steering behavior and even posture to determine your alertness levels. If you’re dozing off or driving erratically, your car can warn you or take action. This tech is critical in semi-autonomous systems.

3. Vehicle-to-Everything Communication 

Cars that talk to each other? It’s happening. The latest technology allows vehicles to share data with other cars, infrastructure, emergency services and pedestrians’ phones. The goal is to eliminate blind spots and reduce collisions at intersections. Cars may also share information when an accident happens, so emergency responders are notified. 

FAQ

When Was the First Fatal Car Accident in the World?

August 31st, 1869, Mary Ward fell under the wheels of her steam mobile and died soon after. 

When Did the U.S. See Its First Car Crash Fatality? 

Henry Hale Bliss died after being struck by an electric cab in 1899 in New York City. 

How Common Are Car Crashes Today? 

Vehicle accidents and crashes are very common and often fatal. The U.S. sees over 117 people die in deadly collisions each day. Today, driving accidents are usually due to driver error, not vehicle safety devices or systems.

Why Automotive Safety Matters

You inherit over 150 years of trial, error and tragic lessons when you get in a car. Safety features you barely notice — seat belts, side air bags and stability bars — exist because someone somewhere paid the price for their absence. 

Next time you roll through an intersection or glance in your rearview mirror, remember that you’re not just driving a car — you’re part of a long, complicated legacy of innovation, failure and relentless pursuit of safety.