Traffic deaths in the U.S. decreased in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to the latest estimates released by the National Highway Traffic Administration or NHTSA. However, they remain at a worryingly high level.
During the 2023 calendar year, NHTSA estimates that 40,990 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes, down approximately 3.6 percent from 2022, during which 42,514 fatalities were recorded. It’s worth noting that total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) increased last year by 2.1 percent, or 67.5 billion miles. In other words, while people spent more time out on the roads last year, they were less likely to be involved in a fatal crash.
Traffic deaths decreased in every quarter last year on a year-over-year basis. The first quarter saw fatal accidents slide 6.1 percent; Q2 showed a decrease of 0.5 percent; Q3 showed a decrease of 3.7 percent; and finally, deaths decreased 4.2 percent in Q4. In fact, Q4 2023 marked the seventh consecutive quarter in which traffic deaths declined.
“The increased trend of fatalities in 2020 have continued into 2021 and the first quarter of 2022,” NHTSA stated. “The second, third, and fourth quarters of 2022, and all four quarters of 2023 have experienced a decline in fatalities after seven consecutive quarters of year-to-year increases in fatalities, since the third quarter of 2020.”
The NHTSA found that Texas had the highest recorded number of traffic deaths during 2023, as 4,294 people tragically lost their lives in the state last year, although this represents a 2.6-percent decrease from 2022. California had the next-highest number of fatalities last year, with 4,013 deaths reported, down 9.6 percent year-over-year, followed by Florida with 3,436 fatalities, down 2.7 percent.
Overall, 35 states are predicted to have decreased incidences of fatal motor vehicle crashes during 2023, while 15 states, including Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico are projected to have increases in fatalities. In terms of NHTSA regional differences, eight of 10 Regions are estimated to have decreases in fatalities, and nine of 10 regions are estimated to have decreases in fatality rate per 100 million VMT on a year-over-year basis.
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View Comments
40,000 is way too many fatalities, and yet the way people drive I'm surprised it's not worse.
The only useful measure is fatalities per million miles, with trend. Please publish that.
Enforcement, road design, distractive drivers, speed limits, wrong way drivers all contribute to these.
Also add police chases.
TX, CA, and FL have the most fatalities but they also have the most motor vehicle registrations, so no surprise there.
CA has over 31 million registered vehicles, 36% more than #2 TX, yet had fewer fatalities (but ANY is too high)