NHTSA: Motor vehicle fatalities declined for the second consecutive year

The number of people dying on America’s roads dropped by nearly 1,000 in 2018, according to newly released data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Although motor vehicle fatalities declined for the second consecutive year, pedestrian, bicyclist, and large-truck occupant fatalities saw increases:

• 1,038 children (14 and younger) died, a more than 10% decline from 2017;
• 9,378 speeding-related deaths, an almost 6% drop;
• 4,985 motorcycle fatalities, an almost 5% decrease;
• 6,283 pedestrians died, a more than 3% increase — and the most deaths since 1990;
• 857 bicyclist deaths, a more than 6% increase; and
• 885 large-truck occupants died, an almost 1% increase.

The decrease in traffic deaths came as people drove even more. Estimated vehicle miles traveled (VMT) increased by 0.3% from 2017 to 2018, while the fatality rate per 100 million VMT decreased by over 3%. This was the lowest fatality rate since 2014.

Key figures to know

The NHTSA also reported that, in 2018, drunk driving fatalities dropped about 4%, although they still accounted for 29% of 2018 traffic deaths. That was the lowest percentage since 1982, when the NHTSA started reporting alcohol data.

In 2018, there also was about a 10% decrease from 2017 in passenger vehicle occupants killed in rollover crashes.

Over the past 10 years, according to the NHTSA, the number of traffic deaths in urban areas has increased — surpassing deaths in rural areas since 2016. Among the fatal crash types that have risen since 2009 in urban areas, pedestrian deaths are up 69%, bicyclist fatalities increased 48%, and motorcycle deaths are up 33%.

Related:

• Top 15 states for deadly motor vehicle accidents
• Drunk driving deaths decreased the most in these 15 states
• The 10 worst states for accident claims

This article first appeared on sister-site Law.com