The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) released highway crash fatality data from 2018 this week, showing a decline in crash-related deaths for the second straight year.
Over 2018, fatalities fell by 2.4 percent. By these numbers, 36,560 died in crashes throughout the year, with 913 fewer deaths than in 2017. It was a significant enough shift that the nation’s fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled has fallen to its lowest rate since 2014.
“This is encouraging news, but still far too many perished or were injured, and nearly all crashes are preventable, so much more work remains to be done to make America’s roads safer for everyone,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said.
While fatalities were down across the board, the report also contained good news for individual segments, as well. Child deaths were down 10.3 percent, alcohol-fueled driving fatalities 3.6 percent, speeding-related fatalities 5.7 percent, and motorcyclist fatalities 4.7 percent. Those positive trends also seem to be continuing into this year. Figures from the first half of the year indicate fatalities fell by another 3.4 percent.
“New vehicles are safer than older ones, and when crashes occur, more new vehicles are equipped with advanced technologies that prevent or reduce the severity of crashes,” NHTSA Acting Administrator James Owens said. “NHTSA has spent recent years partnering with state and local governments and safety advocates to urge the public to never drive impaired or distracted, to avoid excessive speed, and to always buckle up.”
Going forward, the NHTSA also hopes to further reduce fatalities through a Bicycle and Pedestrian program, which promotes safer walking and bicycling and to upgrade its New Car Assessment Program with new technologies linked to pedestrian and bicyclist safety. It has already introduced a new Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool that allows users to query fatal crash data and generate estimates of crashes and people injured in those crashes.