According to the National Safety Council’s (NSC) preliminary report, roadway fatalities exceeded 46,000 for the second year in a row. Although NSC reported a 2% decrease in fatalities from 2021 to 2022, traffic deaths are still up 9% from 2020 and a staggering 21.7% from pre-COVID traffic in 2019. NSC made a particularly grim note in their report—most of these deaths were preventable.
State Traffic Fatality Trends
Traffic fatalities surged in several states during 2022, including:
- Alaska: +27%
- Hawaii: +24%
- Wyoming: +20%
- Maine: +20%
- New Hampshire: +19%
- Delaware: +19%
- Connecticut: +17%
- Nebraska: +16%
- Washington: +14%
- Indiana: +14%
The statistics aren’t all bad, though. Numerous states made significant strides toward reducing traffic deaths. These include:
- Oklahoma: -25%
- Idaho: -19%
- Rhode Island: -17%
- Washington D.C.: -15%
- West Virginia: -15%
- Montana: -14%
- Minnesota: -12%
- South Dakota: -12%
- Arizona: -10%
Efforts to Eliminate Preventable Traffic Fatalities
Policymakers and the Department of Transportation (DOT) are working together to bring more awareness to the significant dangers of driving on U.S. roads and reduce preventable deaths. For example, the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act replaced the term accident with crashes in U.S. Code to change how the public views and discusses traffic collisions.
Additionally, DOT released a strategy that outlines its plan to achieve zero roadway fatalities. DOT and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also announced grant programs that supply states with the funds to support safety projects and programs that can help achieve the goal of zero traffic deaths. States can use these funds to expand existing safety efforts or subsidize new ones.
Traffic Fatalities Involving Commercial Vehicles
Traffic fatalities are a significant concern for fleets and trucking companies. According to the available Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports, large trucks and buses accounted for 5,125 total fatalities in 2020. FMCSA also reported 3,257 deaths in combination truck collisions (tractors with at least one trailer) and 1,849 fatalities in single-unit truck crashes in 2020.
Fleets must put safety first to prevent traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Contact the experts at Interstate Motor Carriers to learn more about reducing risk and improving safety within your trucking company.