Early Data: 4% Drop in Fatal Accidents in 2024
January 6, 2025
Fewer traffic deaths occurred on U.S. roads in 2024, making it the 3rd consecutive year of declines in crash fatalities. That’s according to initial data from federal authorities, who have also noted that fatal motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. have declined for 10 quarters in a row.
As promising as these trends may be, upwards of 29,000 people were killed in deadly motor vehicle accidents in 2024 — and the vast majority of these fatalities were likely preventable, authorities say.
Here’s why, with a closer look at:
- 2024 Fatal Auto Accident Statistics
- Which Types of Deadly Auto Accidents Declined?
- What’s Behind the 2024 Drop in Deadly Auto Accidents?
- Will the Declining Traffic Death Trend Continue in 2025 (& After)?
- Looking Ahead: Will the Roads Be Safer in the Future?
This analysis unpacks what’s behind the latest auto accident statistics and what it could all mean going forward. To explore related matters, please check out our analyses on Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents in Winter, Teen Deaths on the Roads & Failures to Buckle Up, and Why Traffic Deaths Spike on Super Bowl Sundays.
2024 Fatal Auto Accident Statistics: A Promising Shift?
Tallying data collected from Jan. through Sept. 2024, federal transportation regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have recently reported some fascinating shifts in the incidence of deadly motor vehicle accidents in the U.S.
- There was a ~4.4% drop in fatal auto crashes in the first 9 months of 2024, when compared to the same period in 2023.
- Approximately 29,135 traffic deaths occurred from Jan. to Sept. 2024.
- About 30,490 roadway fatalities were recorded from Jan. to Sept. 2023.
- Motorists drove more in 2024, with vehicle miles traveled (VMT) rising by ~19.7 billion miles, representing a nearly 1% increase when compared to 2023.
- When looking at traffic deaths for every 100 million(M) VMT, the fatality rate in 2024 also dropped, falling to 1.18 deaths per 100M VMT.
- The fatality rate per 100M VMT in 2023 was 1.24; in 2022, it was 1.33.
- While traffic deaths surged ~10.5% in 2021 (following COVID lockdowns), they have steadily declined since this historic high, which served as the highest spike since 2005 — and the greatest year-over-year (YoY) surge since 1975.
These numbers start to tell the story of what’s happening on the roads, how safe they are, and how modern technology — along with policy and enforcement action — may be turning the tide to save more lives.
Which Types of Deadly Auto Accidents Declined?
While the top-level estimates for 2024 traffic deaths are eye-opening, taking a closer look at the types of crashes behind these drop-offs can uncover what may be fueling the latest trends and statistics.
Based on authorities’ initial estimates, the table below features the types of deadly wrecks that declined in 2024 when compared to 2023.
Type of Deadly Auto Accident | % Change (Compared to 2023) |
---|---|
Out-of-state auto accidents | ↓ 12% |
Wrecks resulting in ejections | ↓ 8% |
Auto accidents with unbuckled occupants | ↓ 7% |
Rollover accidents | ↓ 6% |
Speeding-related crashes | ↓ 6% |
Roadway departure wrecks | ↓ 5% |
Nighttime auto accidents | ↓ 4% |
Weekend motor vehicle crashes | ↓ 4% |
Pedestrian accidents | ↓ 3% |
Single-vehicle wrecks | ↓ 2% |
Auto accidents with at least 1 semi-truck | ↓ 1% |
With this breakdown, it’s also crucial to be aware that:
- Some deadly auto accidents increased: Notably, fatal motorcycle accidents and deadly wrecks involving drivers 65 and up both increased by ~1% in 2024. While that may seem minor, it still represents dozens to hundreds of deaths that may have been avoidable.
- Data for drunk driving was not included: Though early reports have details about various crash types, authorities did not report any numbers on drunk driving deaths for 2024 in their initial data. That may be due to the fact that initial data for drunk driving deaths could take authorities longer to compile or verify.
- The numbers could change: The statistics herein only represent the very initial reports for the first 9 months of 2024. Finalized data, which will likely be available in the first or second quarter of 2025, could be different than the numbers reported here. If it is, those shifts should not be dramatic, unless there was a spike in traffic deaths in the fourth quarter of 2024 (i.e., the only period not included herein because the data is still being collected and analyzed).
What’s Behind the 2024 Drop in Deadly Auto Accidents?
This is the question authorities and others are now asking to try to identify what may be working — and what’s not — when it comes to preventing traffic fatalities. While the answer is certainly complex, it likely involves a combination of the following factors.
1. Improved Vehicle Safety Technology
Modern vehicles are increasingly equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), including (but not limited to):
- Automatic emergency braking
- Blind spot detection systems
- Collision avoidance technologies
- Lane departure warnings
- Parking assistance
These features may be helping drivers steer clear of more wrecks, preventing more needless crashes while saving more lives.
2. Better Infrastructure
Many states have invested in making their roads safer, with projects and programs focused on:
- Better signage
- Expanded bike lanes
- Enhanced pedestrian crossings
- Roadway expansions
- High-crash zones
- Guardrail installations
- Other improvements
In Texas alone, billions have been invested in improving the state’s roads. In fact, about $148 billion will be spent over the next 10 years to make the state’s roads safer.
While these infrastructure updates seem to be having a positive impact, several states, including Texas, still have roads that safety experts have described as “terrible.”
3. Behavioral Shifts
The declines in deadly speeding crashes, single-vehicle wrecks, and unbuckled occupant accidents suggest that drivers and others may be making safer choices on the roads. In particular, the drops in fatalities associated with these types of crashes seem to indicate that more motorists are:
- Slowing down and obeying posted speed limits
- Wearing their seatbelts
- Operating with a higher level of caution behind the wheel.
Changing motorist behaviors for the long term can be a challenge, so many experts are wondering if the declines in these areas are here to stay or if they’re a fleeting trend that will soon be reversed.
Will the Declining Traffic Death Trend Continue in 2025 (& After)?
Federal and state authorities hope that current trends in fatal traffic accidents continue into the New Year and after. Doubling down on their efforts, regulators have big plans to sustain the progress made in saving lives on U.S. roads via:
- Ongoing efforts to design and maintain safe roads: State- and community-level initiatives will continue, with plans for short- and long-term infrastructure updates in various stages of progress nationwide.
- Tougher vehicle safety standards: Addressing “car bloat,” requirements for new vehicle safety technologies, and crash test standards are just a few areas where regulators are taking a firmer stance and enacting new policies to raise the bar and enhance safety on U.S. roads.
- More: Public education campaigns, stepped-up enforcement, and modern tech like autonomous vehicles are some of the other factors that could play into ongoing declines in traffic deaths.
As attitudes, regulations, and technology advance, the hope is that future declines in fatal traffic deaths will be greater than ~4.4%.
Looking Ahead: Will the Roads Be Safer in the Future?
Only time will tell if the current trend in reduced traffic deaths and ongoing efforts to bring these numbers to zero will be successful. While innovation could shake things up moving forward, the statistics and big-picture planning won’t do anything to help those who have been harmed in auto accidents, including families who have lost loved ones to deadly motor vehicle accidents.
When that happens, finding out more about your legal rights and options can be a powerful first step toward recovery and justice.