Traffic deaths up in 2020, down for large trucks

Final vehicle crash numbers from the federal government confirm what we already knew: 2020 was a bad year.

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, nearly 39,000 people were killed in a vehicle crash in 2020, a nearly 7% increase from the previous year. That is the most traffic fatalities since 2007 when more than 41,000 people were killed.

That is despite an annual decrease in vehicle miles traveled. Typically, when vehicle miles traveled increases, crashes and fatalities increase. Conversely, when vehicle miles traveled is down, traffic fatalities follow suit and decrease.

In 2020, vehicle miles traveled decreased by 11% compared with 2019, a result of stay-at-home orders implemented during the beginning phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. That is the largest one-year drop since 1943 (minus 22%). The second-largest drop in more recent times was a 1.86% decrease in 2008.

In addition to 2020 and 2008, vehicle miles traveled has dropped only four other years: 2011 (minus 0.57%), 1980 (minus 0.54%), 1979 (minus 1.23%) and 1974 (minus 1.42%). The 2.9 billion miles traveled in 2020 is the fewest vehicle miles traveled since 2003.

With fatalities from vehicle crashes up and miles traveled down, the fatality rate per 100 million miles traveled shot up by 21% from 1.11 in 2019 to 1.34, the largest percentage increase on record and the highest rate since 2007 (1.36).

Other categories with significant increases in vehicle crash fatalities include:

• Alcohol-impaired-driving crashes (14%).
• Speeding-related crashes (17%).
• Ejected passenger vehicle occupants (21%).
• During nighttime (12%).

Many transportation experts surmise that increases in crash fatalities in 2020 are the result of an increase in risky driving behavior. With fewer vehicles on the road, many believe that motorists took advantage of the open roadways by driving faster and more recklessly.

Specific to trucking, the numbers are more favorable than with passenger vehicles. Large truck occupants killed in a vehicle crash decreased by 7%. The number of other vehicle occupants killed in a vehicle crash involving a large truck dropped by nearly 2%. All other vehicle types experienced an increase in traffic fatalities, except for a 9% drop with van occupants. LL