Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Holiday Vehicle Thefts Increase in 2018

The number of vehicles stolen on U.S. holidays increased less than 1% in 2018 with New Year's Day and Presidents' Day again leading the list of most risky days.

October 25, 2019
Holiday Vehicle Thefts Increase in 2018

New Years' Day again ranks as the holiday with the most vehicle thefts.

Photo via Pixabay.

2 min to read


Thieves stole nearly 110 more vehicles on holidays around the U.S. in 2018 compared with 2017. Specifically, the nation experienced a total of 22,879 vehicle thefts on 11 holidays in 2018 as compared with 22,770 on the same holidays in 2017, according to National Insurance Crime Bureau data.

In 2018, the top two holidays for auto thefts were the same as in 2017, with New Year's Day and Presidents' Day seeing 2,571 and 2,380 vehicles stolen, respectively.

Ad Loading...

Other holidays that ranked among the top five for vehicle theft in 2018 include Halloween with 2,275 appropriated vehicles, Labor Day with 2,235, and Memorial Day with 2,167.

Thieves may have a soft spot for Christmas and Thanksgiving, which ranked as the two holidays with the least number of stolen vehicles for two consecutive years.

In 2018, there were 1,447 vehicle thefts on Christmas and 1,698 on Thanksgiving.

The NICB’s new report also explores which states experienced the most holiday auto thefts. Noteworthy, the top five states in 2018 are precisely the same states — in the same ranking order — as in 2017.

In 2018, California took the top spot for most holiday vehicle thefts with 4,797 — down significantly from the Golden State’s total of 5,142 thefts in 2017.

Ad Loading...

Texas ranked second with 2,144 stolen cars in 2018, followed by Florida with 1,322, Washington with 819, and Georgia  with 778.

More Safety

Promotional graphic for a Utilimarc guide titled How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48% featuring a call-to-action to download the guide.
SponsoredJuly 17, 2026

How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48%

Fleet leaders don't need more data, they need clearer visibility into what the data is saying. This case study explores how one utility replaced speeding-event counts with a single metric — miles driven in violation — to strengthen safety and significantly reduce speeding violations.

Read More →
Smiling commercial truck driver gives a thumbs-up from inside a tractor cab during Operation Safe Driver Week 2026, highlighting fleet safety, responsible driving and enforcement awareness.
Safetyby Judie NuskeyJuly 16, 2026

Operation Safe Driver Week: Why the Industry's Oldest Safety Campaign Still Matters to Fleets

A look at how a 2007 enforcement initiative became one of the most consequential weeks on the fleet safety calendar, and what it means for your drivers in 2026.

Read More →
Nexar and nauto logos
Safetyby StaffJuly 13, 2026

Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset

Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A black square with white color font text
SponsoredJuly 2, 2026

From Silos to Solutions: Relationship Management for Safer Fleets

From telematics adoption and driver accountability to policy consistency and risk mitigation, this episode breaks down what it really takes to build a safer fleet culture without slowing business down.

Read More →
IIHS HLDI text overlaid on the trunks of pick up trucks.
Safetyby Chris BrownJuly 2, 2026

IIHS Launches First Commercial Vehicle Safety Evaluations

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has begun evaluating heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans for driver protection. Which models earned top marks?

Read More →
A blue and white Automotive Fleet podcast logo
SafetyJuly 1, 2026

Reducing Risk by Eliminating Phone Use Behind the Wheel

Hosted with the cofounder of Lifesaver Mobile, this episode addresses phone use behind the wheel and how to design a driving environment that actually helps prevents accidents.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Two people sit across from each other at a desk during a business meeting. One person, wearing a white shirt, has their hands folded while the other gestures with a pen toward documents clipped to a clipboard. Additional paperwork and a calculator are visible on the table, suggesting a discussion involving contracts, finances, or administrative paperwork. Sunlight filters through window blinds in the background, creating a professional office setting.
SponsoredJuly 1, 2026

Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-Time Prevention (Part 2 of 2)

Part Two: Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Continue learning more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab

Read More →
An Automotive Fleet podcast thumbnail
SafetyJune 26, 2026

How 5-Second Telematics Data Is Changing Fleet Safety

This episode connects with Steve Santostasi of Ford Pro and covers how a few seconds of data can make a difference in fleet safety.

Read More →
Ambulance and damaged car at a crash scene on a rainy roadway, illustrating workplace transportation risks and the growing focus on road safety management for fleets.
SafetyJune 16, 2026

Managing Road Risk at Scale: Why Fleet Safety Needs a Data-Driven Framework

Insights from the FIA Road and Driver Safety Indexes reveal how to manage road risk on a larger scale.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Close-up of a Jeep Wrangler front grille and headlight with text noting Stellantis’ recall of 1.3 million Jeep vehicles worldwide over a potential fire risk tied to power steering wiring.
Safetyby StaffJune 10, 2026

Stellantis Recalls 1.3 Million Jeep Vehicles Worldwide Over Fire Risk

Stellantis is recalling more than 1.3 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models worldwide over a fire risk linked to power steering pump wiring.

Read More →