Dive Brief:
- Pedestrian, bicyclist and overall traffic fatalities declined in the first half of 2024 versus the same period last year, according to early estimates released yesterday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Pedestrian deaths were 3% lower, cyclist deaths 1% lower and total roadway fatalities were down 3.2%. The estimated fatality rate declined from 1.21 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the first half of 2023 to 1.17 in the same period this year.
- The numbers suggest a continuation of the downward trend in traffic fatalities, which were 3.6% lower for all of 2023 compared to 2022.
Dive Insight:
Although yearly traffic deaths are declining, they remain above levels experienced from 2008 to 2020, according to NHTSA data. Pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities peaked in 2022 and remain higher than any year dating back to 1994.
“We are encouraged by the declines estimated in these key categories but know we still have more work to do to make our roads safer for everyone,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said in a statement.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s national roadway safety strategy, which launched in 2022, encompasses a variety of steps aimed at lowering the nation’s traffic deaths. Since then, the DOT updated federal regulations governing traffic signs, signals and other roadway markings; provided funding for pedestrian safety improvements and proposed a regulation to require new passenger vehicles be designed to reduce the risk of serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians in collisions.
“We see the start of a downward trend in fatality and serious injury rates and are cautiously optimistic that these efforts are yielding safety benefits for all people who use our streets, roads, and highways,” the DOT states in its 2024 progress report on the national roadway safety strategy.
