A report published in the December 2000 Annals of Emergency Medicine found that Hispanics are 75% more likely to die in an automobile accident than non-Hispanic whites. The study also found that Hispanics are twice as likely to be drunk while driving and twice as likely to drive without a license. Additionally, Hispanic drivers often do not use seatbelts and speed more than others. Hispanic drivers killed in car crashes tend to be younger than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Hispanic vehicles tend to be older than non-Hispanic whites, averaging just over 10 years.

The researchers believe that their study may have actually underestimated the number of Hispanic deaths caused by automobile accidents. "Since Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority population in the United States, motor vehicle injuries will disproportionately affect this population compared with the population as a whole," notes Dr. Ricardo Martinez, former administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The data may be used to develop new auto safety programs targeted towards Hispanic drivers.