Concern at poor US road safety

Concern is being expressed at the poor US road safety in the US during the pandemic.
By MJ Woof March 18, 2021 Read time: 2 mins
Despite a drop in traffic in the US in 2020 because of the pandemic, crashes, serious injuries and road deaths increased – image © courtesy of Mike Woof

Despite a drop in traffic levels in the US in 2020 because of the pandemic, new data shows an increase in road deaths during the period. There is concern as to why, despite the reduction in total distances travelled during 2020, road fatalities should have increased. Safety bodies are calling for the new US Government to take serious action and stem the shocking tide of road deaths in the country.

Data from the National Safety Council shows that 42,060 people were killed in road crashes during 2020 in the US. This compares poorly with the figure of 39,107 for US road deaths in 2019. In spite of the drop in vehicle journeys and traffic volumes right across the US due to the pandemic, road deaths increased by 8% for 2020 compared with 2019.

There were also 4.8 million people seriously injured in road crashes during 2020, with an estimated bill of some US$474 billion. Meanwhile, the total distance travelled by US drivers dropped 13% for 2020 compared with 2019. This massive increase equated to a 44% jump in road deaths/million miles travelled, the biggest single such increase recorded since data began to be collated in 1924 by the National Safety Council.

Careless driving and distracted driving have been suggested as being prime causes of so many fatal and serious crashes in the US.
Highway & Network Management

Related Content

  • IAM and Brake comment on increased UK road crashes
    September 24, 2015
    Both the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and road safety charity Brake have expressed serious concern over official figures showing increased road deaths in the UK. The Department of Transport’s Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2014 Annual Report says there were 1,775 reported road deaths in 2014, an increase of 4% compared with 2013. The IAM has called for a raft of measures to reverse the disappointing increase in numbers of people killed and injured on UK roads. It added the number of people
    Read More
  • Road deaths: 'something must change' - GHSA
    March 4, 2024
    The ‘grim and tragic milestone' of a total four million deaths in the US requires renewed road safety action, says the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).
    Read More
  • Road causalities dropped in Europe in 2012
    March 26, 2013
    The latest data from the European Commission reveals that road fatalities across the EU decreased by 9% in 2012. This shows that 2012 saw the lowest numbers of people being killed in road traffic crashes in EU countries since data first began being collated. Vice-president Siim Kallas, Commissioner for Transport, said, "2012 was a landmark year for European road safety, with the lowest ever number of road deaths recorded. A 9% decrease means that 3,000 lives were saved last year. It is hugely encouraging to
    Read More
  • East African authorities trying to cut spiraling road death rates
    December 10, 2013
    Road fatality rates are rising in East Africa, despite attempts to stem the tide – Shem Oirere writes When a passenger bus in Kenya killed 42 people on August 29th 2013, it coincided with the release of a World Health Organisation (WHO) report that painted a grim picture of the status of road safety in East Africa. The accident at Ntulele shopping centre along the Nairobi-Narok highway, 90km from capital Nairobi, occurred when the bus heading to western Kenya lost control and crashed. The driver is said to
    Read More

Highlighted Content