As we take our first steps towards 2023, there is good news in early data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on traffic deaths in the US. In the first nine months of 2022, deaths fell 0.2 percent compared to the same period in 2021. Not much, but at least something positive after nearly two straight years of increases.
The news was actually slightly better than the 0.2 percent figure it was delivering. For starters, a slight dip occurred as drivers spent more time on the road, traveling 1.6 percent more miles. The decline also includes the beginning increase by 7.0 percent for the first quarter of 2022. Back-to-back declines of 5.8 percent in the second quarter and 0.8 percent in Q3 got us to where we are now.
Bringing some context to the percentages, there are 31,785 estimated traffic fatalities from January 1 to September 30, 2022. That compares with 31,850 in 2021. This year, the mileage totaled 39 billion miles, making the fatality rate 1.30 per 100 million cumulative miles miles traveled.
A closer look showed that mortality decreased by 10 percent in children under 16 years of age, and 8 percent from 16 to 24 years of age. Fatal crashes also decreased by 10 percent on urban and local roads, 9 percent when overturned, 7 percent involved passengers who were not wearing their seat belts and were ejected, and 2 percent in speed-related situations. However, death is to the top by 12 percent on rural interstate highways. Fatal accidents involving cyclists rose 8 percent, up 5 percent for motorcyclists and 2 percent for pedestrians. Deaths involving at least one large truck rose 10 percent.
“Deaths have not increased for two quarters now, but we have more work to do to save lives and address the crisis on our state’s highways,” said NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson. That means investing in safety, implementing strategies that work, and implementing the safety systems approach outlined in the Department’s National Highway Safety Strategy. We urge everyone to do their part by driving safely and being considerate of others on the road, especially vulnerable road users. such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.”
NHTSA plans to provide full-year forecasts for 2022 in late April.
