WASHINGTON — According to the auto safety regulators, there was a 3.6% decrease in U.S. traffic fatalities in 2023, marking the second consecutive year of decline. However, the numbers remain alarmingly higher than those recorded before the pandemic.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported an estimated 40,990 traffic-related deaths in 2023, a drop from 42,514 fatalities in 2022. Despite this decrease, the figure is still significantly higher than the 36,355 deaths recorded in 2019, a year that marked the third consecutive annual decline in traffic deaths.
The fatality rate in 2023 surpassed any pre-pandemic year since 2008. Interestingly, the total miles driven in 2023 exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time.
Experts suggest that the perceived decrease in traffic policing during the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to riskier driving behaviors. As roads became less congested, some drivers may have felt less likely to receive traffic citations, leading to an increase in reckless driving.
In 2021, U.S. traffic fatalities saw a shocking 10.5% increase, reaching 42,915 – the highest number of deaths on American roads in a single year since 2005.
The NHTSA also reported a slight increase in pedestrian fatalities in 2022, with a 0.7% rise to 7,522 – the highest number since 1981. Cyclist deaths also saw a significant increase, with a 13% rise to 1,105 in 2022, the highest number recorded since at least 1980.
Furthermore, the NHTSA reported a 4.7% increase in fatal traffic accidents involving drivers aged 65 or older in 2022, reaching 7,870. This is the highest number of fatalities involving older drivers since the agency started keeping records in 1975.
Despite a decrease in road users during the pandemic, incidents of speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and not wearing seat belts increased.
Last year, the agency’s acting administrator told Reuters that the increase in traffic deaths could be attributed to the near-empty roads during the pandemic, which may have led to increased speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors.
The NHTSA emphasized that impaired driving due to alcohol and drugs remains a significant issue. A stubborn 10% of drivers still refuse to wear seat belts. To combat this, the safety administration has proposed the requirement of rear seat belt reminders in future vehicles.
Disagree – this is still a concerning trend despite the decrease in fatalities
Disagree – any fatalities are still too many
Disagree – any decrease in fatalities is a positive step forward regardless of pre-pandemic figures.