The short answer
Yes, NHTSA has a Crash API for FARS fatal crash data, hosted at crashviewer.nhtsa.dot.gov/CrashAPI/. It's free, no key required. It returns JSON, XML, or CSV. It exposes most of the FARS database from 2010 forward.
But it has known limits. A hard 5,000-record cap per request. No radius or intersection queries — only state + county filtering. Numeric codes you have to decode yourself with NHTSA's Coding Manual (DOT HS 813 798). No aggregate statistics endpoints. Schema drifts year over year — fields rename, codes change, columns disappear (the DRUNK_DR field was removed from ACCIDENT.csv starting 2021).
farsapi.com is a modern REST wrapper around the same NHTSA FARS data that fixes those limits. Radius search, decoded labels, multi-year schema normalization, intersection reports, and pre-joined FHWA traffic volume (AADT). Free tier covers statistics and previews; $19/month unlocks full crash records, $9 per intersection report.
NHTSA Crash API vs farsapi.com — head to head
| Capability | NHTSA Crash API | farsapi.com |
|---|---|---|
| Source dataset | FARS | FARS |
| Years available | 2010-2023 (14 years) | 2017-2023 (7 years) |
| Authentication | None required | API key for raw records ($19/mo); free for stats + previews |
| Response format | JSON / XML / CSV | JSON, decoded human-readable labels |
| Per-request cap | 5,000 records | 200 records/page, paginated, no total cap |
| Geographic filtering | State + county only | Radius search around any lat/lng |
| Intersection lookup | Not supported | Yes, with rendered HTML report |
| Vehicle make/model search | Numeric codes (make=12) | By name ("Ford F-150") |
| Aggregate statistics | Not supported | /v1/statistics/* endpoints |
| Year-over-year normalization | You handle schema drift | Pre-normalized across years |
| FHWA traffic volume (AADT) | Not joined | Spatially joined to HPMS road segments |
| NHTSA recall context | Separate API (recalls) | Pre-joined per vehicle in each crash |
| AI-generated narrative | No | Per intersection report ($9) |
When to use each
Use NHTSA's official Crash API if you
- Need data before 2017 (NHTSA goes back to 2010)
- Are doing a one-off academic project and don't need a key
- Are comfortable joining 20+ tables and decoding codes manually
- Don't need geographic queries, aggregates, or AADT
- Want JSON/XML/CSV output choice
Use farsapi.com if you
- Need radius or intersection queries (the killer feature attorneys and engineers ask for)
- Want JSON with decoded labels, not numeric codes
- Need fatal crash data joined to FHWA traffic volume for per-VMT rate analysis
- Want aggregate statistics (state ranking, hotspots, year-over-year trends)
- Are building a product where you can't afford to maintain a year-by-year schema-drift handler
- Want pre-joined NHTSA recall context per vehicle in each crash
Try farsapi.com in 30 seconds
No signup needed for the free preview. Pull crash data for any US location:
Try it: free preview for downtown Atlanta
Frequently asked
What's the URL of the NHTSA Crash API?
https://crashviewer.nhtsa.dot.gov/CrashAPI/ — note the /crashviewer/ prefix, which isn't obvious from NHTSA's docs landing page.
Is the NHTSA Crash API free?
Yes. No authentication required. Rate-limited but no key. farsapi.com is also free for statistics and intersection previews; the paid tiers are $9 per full intersection report and $19/month for raw crash records.
How is FARS different from CRSS?
FARS is the census of fatal crashes (every fatality, all 50 states). CRSS is a probability sample of all crashes (fatal + injury + property-damage), weighted to national estimates. NHTSA's Crash API exposes both. farsapi.com currently covers FARS only.
How do I download FARS data without an API?
NHTSA publishes annual CSV/SAS/DBF dumps at nhtsa.gov/file-downloads. Each year is ~50-150MB compressed. Decode codes with NHTSA's Coding Manual (DOT HS 813 798).
Can I use FARS data commercially?
Yes. NHTSA FARS data is in the public domain (US government work). Both NHTSA's Crash API and farsapi.com are usable in commercial products with the standard caveats — see our terms.
Related: FARS API vs NHTSA CrashAPI — full feature comparison · FARS API vs state crash data APIs · Working with NHTSA FARS data: schema gotchas