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Young drivers are nearly four times more likely to be involved in a fatal traffic crash than their older counterparts, but a GHSA report confirms that crash and fatality rates for drivers under 21 have improved drastically over the past two decades – more so than for other drivers. The report includes an analysis of […]
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today released its early estimates of traffic fatalities for the first half of 2023, estimating that traffic fatalities declined for the fifth straight quarter. An estimated 19,515 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, representing a decrease of about 3.3% as compared to 20,190 fatalities in the first half of […]
Each year, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) provides a first look at national and state-level pedestrian fatality data and trends through a Spotlight on Highway Safety report, typically published in late spring or early summer. This year’s report is divided into three sections. It presents pedestrian fatality projections for all of 2022 based on […]
The number and rate of traffic fatalities in the U.S. surged starting in 2020, even as the rate of vehicle travel plunged while the nation grappled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend of increasing traffic fatalities continued in 2021, as vehicle travel returned to near pre-pandemic levels. From 2021 to 2022 the […]
Driving over the speed limit endangers all road users. By maintaining a safe speed on our roads, CMV drivers are able to better control their large vehicles and carefully react to changing road conditions, like traffic or weather impacts. The action is simple: maintain safe speeds to help save lives. For more information on this campaign, […]
The COVID-19 pandemic, mitigation efforts such as stay-at-home orders, and ensuing trends such as the rise in working from home, have had substantial impacts on traffic. In March, NHTSA reported that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) decreased 11% from 2019 to 2020, while police-reported crashes decreased 22%. However, fatalities per 100 million VMT increased 21% from […]
There is no one factor that can explain the increase in the fatality rate during the COVID period. All the attributes that cause increased fatalities were over-represented. This study will continue to determine the point, if any, at which the normally expected proportions for these attributes return. Access the special report below for more detailed […]
GHSA’s annual spotlight report, “Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2019 Preliminary Data,” offers a first look at state and national trends in 2019 pedestrian deaths. The report projects 6,590 pedestrians were killed on U.S. roads in 2019, the highest number in more than 30 years. GHSA’s projection represents a 5% increase from 2018 in the number of pedestrian fatalities. The […]
A statistical projection of traffic fatalities for 2019 shows that an estimated 36,120 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents an estimated decrease of about 1.2 percent as compared to the 36,560 fatalities that were reported in 2018. Preliminary data reported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) shows that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) […]
Rural areas account for 71 percent of the Nation’s public road miles and see nearly half of crash fatalities. With vast road miles to consider, this report quantifies the extent of fatalities in the first 15 miles outside of urban areas (UA). Fifty-nine percent of rural crash fatalities occur within 5 miles of UAs; this […]
