More than 9,500 people died in motor vehicle crashes during the first quarter of the year, a 7% increase compared to the same quarter last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
It is also the highest number of fatalities from motor vehicle accidents – equal to 1.27 per 1 million vehicles traveled – recorded in the past 20 years.
Mark Chung of the National Safety Council said the current rate is equivalent to “a regional jet crashing every day,” according to NPR.
NHTSA data indicates there were large jumps in the percentage of traffic fatalities in 2015 and 2016, followed by more jumps in 2020 and 2021. In 2014, there were 32,744 traffic fatalities recorded in the U.S. and last year there were 42,915.
In an interview with NPR, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety President Cathy Chase said that the pandemic seemed to set off an increase in risky driving.
“Our roadways were turned into racetracks,” she said. “And excessive speed really went up through the roof. And more people were driving while impaired.”
Chase also said that cellphone distraction and disregard for seatbelts has also contributed to the rise in traffic deaths.
While overall traffic fatalities increased, some states have recorded safer roadways so far this year.
“NHTSA recently began breaking out fatality trends by state for these quarterly estimates,” the administration said last month. “While fatalities increased nationwide, 19 states and Puerto Rico saw traffic deaths decline during this period.”
States with the steepest decline in traffic deaths include: Rhode Island, with a 50% decrease; North Dakota with a nearly 42% decrease and Montana with a nearly 33% decrease. States with the highest increases in traffic fatalities included: Delaware, with a 163.2% increase; Connecticut with a nearly 74% increase and Virginia, with an increase close to 73%.
NHTSA said it “will continue to monitor state-by-state numbers to make it easier for state practitioners, researchers and advocates to see if there is a trend and if there are activities these states are undertaking that are contributing to this decline.”
Going forward, funds from the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act are expected to bolster traffic safety measures in the U.S. Additionally, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the National Roadway Safety Strategy, which includes plans for road safety, earlier this year.
The NHTSA also conducts campaigns such as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” to promote safe driving.
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