WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is releasing its early estimates of traffic fatalities for 2024, projecting that 39,345 people died in traffic crashes.
This represents a decrease of about 3.8% compared to the 40,901 fatalities reported in 2023 and marks the first time since 2020 that the number of fatalities fell below 40,000.
“It’s encouraging to see that traffic fatalities are continuing to fall from their COVID pandemic highs,” said Peter Simshauser, NHTSA chief counsel. “Total road fatalities, however, remain significantly higher than a decade ago, and America’s traffic fatality rate remains high relative to many peer nations. To reduce fatalities further, USDOT is working closely to partner with the law enforcement community to enhance traffic enforcement on our roads, including speeding, impairment, distraction, and lack of seatbelt use.”
The quarterly fatality declines that began in the second quarter of 2022 also continued, with the fourth quarter of 2024 marking the 11th consecutive quarterly decrease in traffic fatalities.
2024 Estimates in Line with 2023
The 2024 early estimates show trends in line with 2023, with Americans driving more miles while fatality rates continued to decrease. Preliminary data from the Federal Highway Administration shows vehicle miles traveled increased by 1%, while the fatality rate for 2024 decreased to 1.20 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled — the lowest since 2019, but still above the average rate of 1.13 in the seven years before COVID.
NHTSA estimates that fatalities decreased in 35 states and Puerto Rico in 2024, while increases are projected in 14 states and the District of Columbia, as compared to 2023. One state remained unchanged.
NHTSA is also releasing its final 2023 Fatality Analysis Reporting System and Crash Reporting Sampling System traffic crash data and analysis. There were 1,820 fewer people killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes on U.S. roads during 2023, a 4.3% decrease from 42,721 in 2022 to 40,901 in 2023. It represents the second year-to-year decrease since 2021. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled decreased by 6% from 1.34 in 2022 to 1.26 in 2023.
In 2023, the number of people killed in traffic crashes involving large trucks (both commercial and non-commercial trucks) decreased by 8.3 percent from 2022 to 2023. Among fatalities in traffic crashes involving large trucks in 2023:
- Large-truck occupant fatalities in single-vehicle crashes decreased by 19, a 3.1-percent decrease from 2022.
- Large-truck occupant fatalities in multi-vehicle crashes decreased by 118, a 24-percent decrease from 2022.
- Occupants of other vehicles killed decreased by 350, an 8.4-percent decrease from 2022.
- Non-occupants killed decreased by 10, a 1.5-percent decrease from 2022.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
