Preliminary analysis from the National Safety Council shows motor vehicle fatalities in the United States remain at a devastatingly high level, as an estimated 44,450 people died in traffic crashes in 2023.
While it marks a 4 percent decline from 2022, compared to pre-pandemic 2019, it’s a 13.6 percent uptick, further demonstrating the seriousness of this public health crisis.
Safety issues such as speeding, distracted and impaired driving are all contributing factors to the tens of thousands of people lost in preventable crashes on U.S. roads each year. To address the importance of policies that support a Safe System Approach to eliminate motor vehicle fatalities, NSC and its advocacy partners are heading to Capitol Hill to meet with federal legislators during infrastructure week to advocate for much-needed change.
“The most dangerous thing most people in our country do in a single day is use the U.S. roadway system. This public health crisis is an atrocity that must continue to be addressed,” said Mark Chung, executive vice president of roadway practice at NSC.
“No one should die getting to or from their homes, schools, and workplaces, but the current system was not designed with the safety of all road users in mind. This is why we must continue to speak, act, and cooperatively work together across public and private sectors to prioritize the safe travel of all road users; this is our focus when visiting with lawmakers in the spring, to continue advocating for the safety of all road users and ultimately save lives.”
According to the analysis, 12 states experienced decreases in motor vehicle fatalities of 10 percent or more in 2023: Alaska, Maine, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Mexico, Utah, Georgia, New York, and Louisiana.
Conversely, seven states as well as the nation’s capital experienced increases of 10 percent or more compared to 2022 preliminary estimates: District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, North Dakota, Maryland, and Kentucky.
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