Fatal traffic crash data for 2016 from the 50 states and the District of Columbia shows 37,461 lives were lost on U.S. roads, an increase of 5.6 percent from 2015, according U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The number of vehicle miles traveled on U.S. roads in 2016 increased by 2.2 percent, with a fatality rate of 1.18 deaths per 100 million VMT. This is a 2.6 percent increase from the 2015.
NHTSA found that distracted driving and drowsy driving fatalities declined, while deaths related to other behaviors – including speeding, alcohol impairment, and not wearing seat belts – continued to increase. Motorcyclist and pedestrian deaths made up more than a third of the year-to-year increase.
The 2016 national data shows that:
- Distraction-related deaths, 3,450 fatalities, decreased by 2.2 percent.
- Drowsy-driving deaths, 803 fatalities, decreased by 3.5 percent.
- Drunk-driving deaths, 10,497 fatalities, increased by 1.7 percent.
- Speeding-related deaths, 10,111 fatalities, increased by 4 percent.
- Unbelted deaths, 10,428 fatalities, increased by 4.6 percent.
- Motorcyclist deaths, 5,286 fatalities – the largest number of motorcyclist fatalities since 2008, increased by 5.1 percent.
- Pedestrian deaths, 5,987 fatalities – the highest number since 1990, increased by 9 percent.
- Bicyclist deaths, 840 fatalities – the highest number since 1991, increased by 1.3 percent.
NHTSA works with state and local partners, law enforcement agencies, and the more than 350 members of the Road to Zero Coalition to help address the choices that are linked to 94 percent of serious crashes.
