Road fatalities rise slightly compared to first half of 2021

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An estimated 20,175 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the first half of 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an approximately 0.5 percent increase compared to the first half of 2021.

During the second quarter, April to June, fatalities fell, the first decline in seven consecutive quarters, the agency projects.

“Traffic deaths appear to be declining for the first time since 2020, but they are still at high levels that call for urgent and sustained action,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “These deaths are preventable, not inevitable, and we should act accordingly. Safety is our guiding mission at the Department of Transportation, and we will redouble our efforts to reduce the tragic number of deaths on our nation’s roads.”

The agency released its National Roadway Safety Strategy in January, outlining the department’s plan to significantly reduce serious injuries and deaths on highways, roads, and streets, and many items are in progress.

Vehicle miles traveled during the first half of 2022 grew by approximately 43.2 billion miles, a 2.8 percent increase from 2021, according to Federal Highway Administration preliminary data. This makes the fatality rate 1.27 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, a .03 percent decrease from 2021.