Annual Traffic Fatalities Fall Below 40,000 for First Time Since 2020: NHTSA

Final quarter of 2024 saw another decrease in traffic fatalities, marking the 11th consecutive quarterly decline in U.S., since the first half of 2022.

Federal highway safety officials indicate there was a significant decrease in the number of traffic deaths last year, potentially marking the first time annual deaths on U.S. roadways have fallen below 40,000 since 2020.

Each year, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) collects data to monitor trends, patterns and risk factors associated with traffic accidents and fatalities across the United States, as part of a continuing effort to improve road safety, reduce deaths, and create a more effective framework for traffic safety.

On April 8, the NHTSA released its Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2024, indicating that 39,345 people died in traffic crashes last year, which is a 3.8% decrease from the 40,901 fatalities recorded in the previous year.

The NHTSA study used data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), Early Notification (EN) data, Monthly Fatality Counts (MFC) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) vehicle miles traveled estimates from January through December 2024.

According to the findings, a quarterly fatality decline that began in the second quarter of 2022 continued, with the fourth quarter of 2024 marking the 11th consecutive quarterly decrease in traffic fatalities.

The 2024 estimates reflect trends similar to 2023, with Americans driving 1% more miles, while the fatality rate dropped to 1.20 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, which is the lowest since 2019. However, this rate remains higher than the pre-pandemic average of 1.12 recorded over the seven years before COVID.

Compared to 2023, traffic fatalities decreased in 35 states and Puerto Rico, increased in 14 states and the District of Columbia, and remained unchanged in Utah.

“It’s encouraging to see that traffic fatalities are continuing to fall from their COVID pandemic highs. Total road fatalities, however, remain significantly higher than a decade ago, and America’s traffic fatality rate remains high relative to many peer nations,” said NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser.

To further reduce fatalities, Simshauser indicates the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is working closely with law enforcement to enhance traffic enforcement, focusing on speeding, impairment, distraction and seatbelt use.