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# How Many Cars Are Scrapped Each Year in the US
- URL: https://www.verydriver.com/how-many-cars-are-scrapped-each-year-in-the-us/
- Published: 2026-08-16T23:31:29.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-22T03:48:03.000Z
- Author: Very Driver
- Tags: Driving Data, 🔥 Trending Now 🔥

## Scrapped VS Totaled

A scrapped vehicle has reached the end of its life and goes to a recycler. A totaled vehicle is an insurance call made when repairs cost more than the car is worth. Not every totaled car gets scrapped since some are rebuilt with a salvage title. [CCC Intelligent Solutions](https://www.cccis.com/news-and-insights/posts/ccc-crash-course-2026-report-finds-higher-severity-and-record-total-loss-frequency?ref=verydriver.com) found that 23.1% of auto claims ended with the vehicle being totaled in 2025, a new record. Close to 1 in 4 damaged cars are written off as totaled.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f9/94/f99452cd-a930-4f25-894c-20551819444a/content/images/2026/08/32-SIZE--12--2-1.jpg)

Media: [Very Driver](https://www.verydriver.com/how-many-cars-are-scrapped-each-year-in-the-us/)

## How Many Cars Are Scrapped Each Year in the US

Roughly **12 million to 15 million vehicles** are scrapped in the United States every year, according to the [US Geological Survey](https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2025/mcs2025-iron-steel-scrap.pdf?ref=verydriver.com). Around 26 vehicles are scrapped every minute. The [Automotive Recyclers Association](https://www.a-r-a.org/industry-statistics/?ref=verydriver.com) reports that about 95% are recycled, with the steel industry pulling over 15 million tons of steel from retired vehicles each year to feed back into new production.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f9/94/f99452cd-a930-4f25-894c-20551819444a/content/images/2026/08/jumbled-scrap-heap-of-cars-in-junkyard-2026-01-09-06-16-23-utc.jpg)

Media: [Very Driver](https://www.verydriver.com/how-many-cars-are-scrapped-each-year-in-the-us/)

## How Many Junkyards are in the US?

The [Automotive Recyclers Association](https://www.a-r-a.org/industry-statistics/?ref=verydriver.com) counts more than 9,000 automotive recycling locations across the United States, employing more than 140,000 people and generating over $32 billion in annual sales.

Many junkyards today run digital parts inventories and use specialized equipment to drain fluids and pull reusable parts before crushing the shell for scrap steel. About 86% of a vehicle's material content gets recycled, reused, or recovered for energy.

[What Causes the Most Car AccidentsAccording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drivers were the critical reason in 94% of crashes, compared to 2% for vehicle problems and 2% for weather or road conditions. The findings come from NHTSA’s Critical Reasons for Crashes Investigated in the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f9/94/f99452cd-a930-4f25-894c-20551819444a/content/images/icon/VERYDRIVER--6--ab7ed2a4-9cc2-419d-9c41-20b390e9b219.jpg)Very DriverVery Driver![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f9/94/f99452cd-a930-4f25-894c-20551819444a/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1597328290883-50c5787b7c7e-573d4847-f33c-4cc5-9596-18120f7af658)](https://www.verydriver.com/what-causes-most-car-accidents/)

[How Many Miles of Road Are in the USThe US road network is one of the largest in the world, spanning millions of miles across every state. Total road miles grow slightly each year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f9/94/f99452cd-a930-4f25-894c-20551819444a/content/images/icon/VERYDRIVER--6--5487edec-99fa-4c0d-980a-7c6a918b7485.jpg)Very DriverVery Driver![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f9/94/f99452cd-a930-4f25-894c-20551819444a/content/images/thumbnail/118-60bc68b0-89f0-4303-8333-c47171d44d98.jpg)](https://www.verydriver.com/how-many-miles-of-road-are-in-the-us/)