Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its 2019 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data — and the results show some encouraging trends.
According to the NHTSA, traffic fatalities nationwide declined in 2019 compared to 2018, and alcohol-impaired driving deaths fell to their lowest percentage since tracking began in 1982.
Fewer Traffic Deaths in 2019
In 2018, there were 36,835 reported traffic fatalities across the United States. That number fell by about 2% in 2019 — a decrease of 739 deaths, resulting in 36,096 fatalities for the year.
What makes this improvement even more notable is that the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) actually increased by 0.8% during the same period. This means the overall fatality rate per 100 million miles traveled decreased — marking the lowest rate since 2014.
Fatalities Decreased Across Multiple Categories
The FARS data revealed that nearly all major traffic safety categories saw declines in fatalities from 2018 to 2019:
- Passenger vehicle occupants: 630 fewer deaths (2.8% decrease)
- Pedestrians: 169 fewer deaths (2.7% decrease)
- Cyclists: 25 fewer deaths (2.9% decrease)
- Alcohol-impaired drivers: 568 fewer deaths (5.3% decrease)
- Urban area fatalities: 813 fewer deaths (4% decrease)
NHTSA Deputy Administrator James Owens praised the findings, saying:
“We are encouraged by the 2019 FARS data, which shows that fewer lives were lost on our nation’s roads than the year before — a trend for three years now, even while economic growth was increasing. We saw notable reductions in pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, as well as fewer lives lost in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.”
Early 2020 Data Reveals New Challenges
While the 2019 report offers positive news, the NHTSA’s supplemental data for early 2020 highlights emerging safety concerns. The first half of 2020 showed a projected decrease in total traffic fatalities between April and June — but also a rise in certain types of high-risk crashes.
Preliminary findings showed increases in:
- Fatal accidents in rural areas
- Crashes involving young drivers aged 16 to 24
- Accidents with drivers of older vehicles (10+ years)
- Rollovers and ejection-related fatalities
These changes may reflect the behavioral effects of the 2020 pandemic, as fewer drivers on the road engaged in riskier habits, such as speeding or driving under the influence.
Owens urged drivers to stay vigilant, stating:
“If we’re to keep building on these numbers, everyone needs to do their part by driving sober, wearing their seat belts, avoiding speeding and distractions, and sharing the road with pedestrians and cyclists.”
The NHTSA is expected to release its 2020 national fatality data around the same time in 2021, which will give a clearer picture of how the pandemic influenced driving behavior and roadway safety.
Further Reading: Holiday DUI Accidents
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