95 percent of all 2017 transportation fatalities were highway deaths
Highway crashes claimed the lives of 37,133 people in 2017, accounting for 95 percent of the 38,958 who died in transportation related accidents that year, according to data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The data indicate 712 fewer people died in transportation accidents in 2017, compared to the 39,670 who died in 2016. Aviation, marine and highway deaths decreased while rail and pipeline fatalities increased. Rail experienced the largest increase with 58 more deaths in 2017 than the 703 fatalities in 2016.