Last year, nearly 43,000 people died on US roads. It is the greatest number of traffic deaths in 16 years.
The increase of 10.5 percent above 2020 figures was the greatest since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began collecting mortality data in 1975. People began to venture out more in 2021 for out-of-state and other road trips, experts said. The situation became worse by risky driving behaviors. It includes speeding and less frequent use of seat belts.
America’s roads, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, are in a crisis. State and municipal governments, drivers, and safety advocates have been urged to join the campaign. It is to reverse the rising death rate.
“Our nation has taken a dangerous and deadly step backward in traffic safety and impaired driving,” said MADD National President Alex Otte. Alex called for strong public-private partnerships to combat reckless driving. “More families and more communities are feeling the crushing magnitude of this crisis on our roads”, he added.
According to preliminary data issued by the agency on Tuesday, 42,915 individuals died in traffic accidents last year, up from 38,824 in 2020. Final figures will be released in the fall.
In 2021, 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico experienced more traffic deaths than the previous year, with Texas, California, and Florida leading the charts. Wyoming, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Maryland, and Maine all saw a decline in numbers. The figures for Rhode Island remained constant.
Last year, Americans traveled nearly 325 billion more miles than they did in 2020, an increase of 11.2 percent.
“All of our lives depend on it”
According to the agency’s estimates, nearly 118 people died in traffic accidents in the United States every day last year. The Governors Highway Safety Association, a group of state traffic safety officials, blamed the increase on dangerous behavior such as speeding, driving while impaired by alcohol and drugs, and distracted driving, as well as “roads designed for speed instead of safety.”
Deputy NHTSA Administrator Steven Cliff is the Biden administration’s nominee to run the agency. He said the roadway crisis is urgent and preventable. “We will redouble our safety efforts, and we need everyone — state and local governments, safety advocates, automakers, and drivers, to join us,” Cliff said in a statement. “All of our lives depend on it.”
