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This decline marks the first time since 2020 that the annual number of fatalities has fallen below 40,000.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released its first projections of traffic fatalities for the year 2024. According to the estimates, 39,345 deaths occurred on the nation’s roadways, representing a 3.8% decrease compared to the 40,901 deaths reported in 2023. This decline marks the first time since 2020 that the annual number of fatalities has fallen below 40,000.
“It is encouraging to see the numbers continue to decline from the peaks observed during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Peter Simshauser, NHTSA’s Chief Counsel. However, he cautioned that the figures remain high compared to pre-2010 levels, and that the road fatality rate in the U.S. continues to be elevated compared to other developed countries. Reckless driving, speeding, distracted driving, and failure to wear seat belts remain key road safety issues that the Department of Transportation aims to address.
Positive Trends and Sustained Reduction
The decrease in fatalities has continued for eleven consecutive quarters, from the second quarter of 2022 through the end of 2024. Preliminary data also shows that, even though Americans drove 1% more miles over the past year, the fatality rate per 100 million miles traveled dropped to 1.20—the lowest since 2019. However, it still remains above the pre-pandemic seven-year average of 1.13.
According to the regional analysis, 35 states and Puerto Rico experienced declines in traffic deaths, while 14 states and the District of Columbia saw increases. One state reported no significant change. In the month-by-month breakdown for 2024, all figures improved compared to the previous year, except for March. Regionally, the Northeastern U.S. resisted the positive trend, with a 6% increase in New England. The states with the most notable changes were:
Decreases
- Wyoming: -25.7%
- North Dakota: -15.1%
- Vermont: -14.5%
- Idaho: -12.7%
- Kentucky: -12.3%
Increases
- Maine: +32.6%
- Minnesota: +16.9%
- Alaska: +16.7%
- New Jersey: +14.7%
- Hawaii: +9.7%
2023 Overview: A Significant Year-over-Year Decline
Alongside the new projections for 2024, NHTSA also released its final 2023 traffic crash fatality report. That year, 40,901 fatalities were reported—a 4.3% reduction from the 42,721 deaths recorded in 2022. The fatality rate per 100 million miles traveled also dropped by 6%, from 1.34 in 2022 to 1.26 in 2023.
Notably, improvements were seen in crashes involving large trucks, both commercial and non-commercial. Deaths in these cases declined by 8.3% overall. In detail:
- Deaths of truck occupants in single-vehicle crashes dropped by 3.1%.
- In multi-vehicle collisions, truck occupant deaths fell by 24%.
- Deaths among occupants of other vehicles involved decreased by 8.4%.
- Non-occupant fatalities (such as pedestrians and cyclists) decreased by 1.5%.
While the data reflects a generally positive trend, NHTSA and the Department of Transportation emphasize that much work remains to be done to reach road safety standards closer to those of other developed nations. Ongoing collaboration with local and federal authorities will continue to focus on reducing risky behaviors and promoting compliance with traffic laws across the country.
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