Transport Topics (Nov. 1, 2021)
Traffic fatalities in the first half of 2021 were up an estimated 18.4% over the same time period in 2020, according to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA estimates 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes on U.S. roadways from January through June, which would be the most fatalities in that time period since 2006. NHTSA says driving patterns and behaviors have changed significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said, quote, “We cannot and should not accept these fatalities as simply a part of everyday life in America.”