WASHINGTON — U.S. traffic deaths rose by 10.5% in the first three months of 2021, even though the number of miles driven fell by 2.1%, preliminary data show.
Traffic deaths have risen dramatically after coronavirus lockdowns ended in 2020 as more drivers engaged in unsafe behavior like speeding, regulators say. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday estimated 8,730 people died car crashes in the first three months of 2021 in the United States, compared with 7,900 deaths in the same period last year.
The sobering statistic continues a trend from 2020, the first year of the pandemic, in which traffic deaths were up 7% according to NHTSA, and 8% as calculated by the National Safety Council.