US traffic deaths down 3.6% in 2023 but above pre-pandemic levels

U.S. auto safety regulators on Monday said traffic deaths fell by 3.6% in 2023 to 40,990 -- the second straight yearly decline -- but are still significantly above pre-pandemic levels. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that 40,990 people died in traffic crashes last year compared to 42,514 deaths in 2022.

U.S. auto safety regulators on Monday said traffic deaths fell by 3.6% in 2023 to 40,990 -- the second straight yearly decline -- but are still significantly above pre-pandemic levels.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that 40,990 people died in traffic crashes last year compared to 42,514 deaths in 2022. Fatalities are still much higher than the 36,355 people killed in 2019. As U.S. roads became less crowded during the pandemic, some motorists perceived police as less likely to issue tickets, experts said, likely resulting in riskier behavior on the roads.