Traffic deaths in the United States decreased by 3.3% during the first half of 2023, according to US auto safety regulators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 19,515 people died in traffic accidents so far this year compared to 20,190 deaths during the same period in 2022.
There have been many reasons cited for why deaths increased despite there being fewer people on the roads. Many experts, like Acting NHTSA Administrator Ann Carlson, believe that with fewer cars on the road, many drivers decided to take more risks. “I do think people got in the habit of speeding more,” Carlson said, adding that some drivers “got a sense they could get away with it probably.”
