National Traffic Deaths Surge During Pandemic, Despite Fewer Drivers

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January 14th, 2021

Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 11,260 people were killed on U.S. roadways in the third quarter of 2020, a 13.1% increase compared to the same period in 2019. Looking at the first nine months of 2020, the data show that 28,190 people died in crashes, a 4.6% increase from the year before. Traffic deaths rose even though there were fewer drivers on the road due to the COVID-19 pandemic – a troubling trend as traffic volume returns to normal.

Read the full news release here.

Read the CAPS study series on the connection between COVID-19 and Alabama traffic data here.