NHTSA Reports 2017 Highway Fatality Numbers Down

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Wednesday that 2017 highway fatality numbers are down after two consecutive years of large increases. Preliminary estimates for the first 6 months of 2018 indicate that the downward trend may continue into this year as well.

A total of 37,133 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2017, a decrease of nearly 2 percent from 2016. The full data set from the 2017 Fatality Analysis Reporting System is available now, and other notable changes include:
Pedestrian fatalities declined about 2 percent, the first decline since 2013;
For the second year in a row, more fatalities occurred in urban areas than rural areas;
Combination trucks involved in fatal crashes increased 5.8 percent;
Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) increased by 1.2 percent from 2016 to 2017; and
The fatality rate per 100 million VMT decreased by 2.5 percent, from 1.19 in 2016 to 1.16 in 2017.
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