Are Traffic Fatalities on the Rise?
February 7th 2022
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death and kill over 100 people every day [1]. In Canada, 1,762 motor vehicle fatalities were reported in 2019, which equals almost 5 fatalities per day [2]. With the advent of more technologically advanced vehicles, one may expect that motor vehicle fatalities may be on the decline, however, reports from some US states may indicate this is not the case.
In Utah, roadway deaths hit an almost 20-year high in 2021. According to data from the Utah Department of Transportation and Utah Highway Patrol, 320 people died on Utah roadways in 2021 [3]. It was found that aggressive and speed-related fatalities were up, there were more occurrences of impaired driving deaths, and people were not buckling their seatbelts at the same rate as previous years [3].
In Minnesota, 2021 saw the highest number of traffic deaths in over a decade, which appears to have been driven largely by speeding and unbelted drivers [4]. In total there were 497 traffic fatalities in the state, the highest since 2007 when Minnesota reported 510 deaths [4].
In Missouri, 2021 saw traffic fatalities surpass 1000 for the first time since 2006. Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Transportation shows 1007 people were killed in Missouri traffic crashes in 2021, which was a 2% increase compared to 2020. Again, a lack of seatbelt use was a common factor, where about two-thirds of vehicle occupants who were killed were not wearing a seatbelt. Speeding or driving too fast for the conditions were involved in 41% of fatal crashes, while distracted driving appears to have been a prominent factor in the reported fatalities as well [5].
Similarly, Colorado reported that 672 people were killed on their roadways in 2021, which was the highest number of deaths reported since 2002 and marks a 50% increase from the 447 fatalities recorded in 2011 [6]. Drivers making poor decisions, such as speeding, using a cellphone while driving, or not wearing a seatbelt, reportedly cause more than 90% of the fatal crashes on Colorado roadways [6].
While the above represents only four states, it is data that all drivers should take to heart, no matter where they reside. Furthermore, the common causes of the fatalities reported above are preventable by the driver and the vehicle occupants – do not speed, do not drive distracted/impaired, and wear your seatbelt.
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[1] https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/index.html
[3] https://dpsnews.utah.gov/udot-and-dps-320-fatalities-on-utah-roads-in-2021/
[5] https://www.modot.org/node/24910
[6] https://www.codot.gov/news/2022/january/670-lives-lost-on-colorado-roads