Topline
An estimated 20,160 Americans died in traffic accidents in the first half of 2021, an 18.4% increase from the same period last year and the highest half-year total in 15 years, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Traffic fatalities are on the rise in the U.S. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
NHTSA estimates that 8,935 people died from car accidents in the first quarter of 2021 and 11,225 died in the second quarter.
Fatalities are on pace to surpass 40,000 for the first time since 2007.
The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled during the first half was near a record high, with NHTSA research suggesting that Americans have been engaging in riskier behaviors on the road than before the pandemic, including speeding, driving while intoxicated and not wearing seatbelts.
Crucial Quote
“This is a crisis,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “More than 20,000 people died on U.S. roads in the first six months of 2021, leaving countless loved ones behind. We cannot and should not accept these fatalities as simply a part of everyday life in America.”
Surprising Fact
Crash injuries are the leading cause of death globally for 5-29 year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Further Reading
Why Emptier Streets Meant an Especially Deadly Year for Traffic Deaths (New York Times)
