An estimated 9,560 Americans died in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the first quarter of 2022, according to recently released National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) figures.
“The overall numbers are still moving in the wrong direction,” NHTSA Administrator Dr. Steven Cliff said. “Now is the time for all states to double down on traffic safety. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, there are more resources than ever for research, interventions, and effective messaging and programs that can reverse the deadly trend and save lives.”
This year’s estimates are approximately 7 percent higher than the same quarter of 2021 and the highest number of first-quarter fatalities since 2002.
During the quarter, the fatality rate was 1.27 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, up from the projected rate of 1.25 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles a year prior.
Puerto Rico and 19 states saw traffic deaths decline during the quarter. The agency will monitor state-by-state numbers to discover if there are trends or activities these states are doing that contributed to the decline.
Last month, the agency launched a public education campaign to address speeding. The Speeding Wrecks Lives campaign aims to remind drivers of the deadly consequences of speeding and change general attitudes.