WASHINGTON — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a study on roadway deaths in the US and said there was an estimated 3.3% decrease in deaths in the first half of 2023.
The report said 29 states saw fewer traffic-related deaths, while 21 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, are projected to have more deaths in 2023 than in 2022.
Overall, the NHTSA said traffic-related deaths have decreased over the last five quarters. However, the number of roadway deaths is still higher than pre-pandemic numbers.
According to NHTSA, the estimated 19,515 roadway deaths in the first half of 2023 remain far above the estimated 17,000 deaths during the same period in 2019.
