Preliminary Estimates Show Decline of U.S. Traffic Fatalities

Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported an estimated 36,120 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes last year – an estimated decrease of about 440, down 1.2 percent, from the reported 36,560 fatalities in 2018.

This is the third year of decline despite an increase in vehicle miles traveled of just under one percent compared to the previous year.

A breakdown of deaths by traffic safety categories looked like this:

• Drivers (down 3%)
• Passengers (down 4%)
• Motorcyclists (down 1%)
• Pedestrians (down 2%)
• Pedalcyclists (down 3%)

One exception to te decline was the number of   fatalities in crashes involving at least one large truck are projected to have increased slightly by one percent.

Preliminary estimates can be viewed here: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812946 . Final figures for 2019 will be available at the end of the year.