Motor vehicle deaths estimated to have dropped 2% in 2019
NSC calculations signal a decline after several years of spikes
For the second consecutive year, the U.S. experienced a small decline in roadway deaths, according to preliminary estimates released by the National Safety Council (NSC). In 2019, an estimated 38,800 people lost their lives to car crashes – a 2% decline from 2018 (39,404 deaths) and a 4% decline from 2017 (40,231 deaths). About 4.4 million people were injured seriously enough to require medical attention in crashes last year – also a 2% decrease over 2018 figures.
At the state level, fatalities are estimated to have dropped more than 13% since 2018 in seven states – Alaska (-16%), Connecticut (-14%), District of Columbia (-21%), Nevada (-14%), New Hampshire (-30%), South Dakota (-21%) and Vermont (-31%). Six states experienced estimated increases in fatalities by more than 5% - Delaware (20%), Maine (35%), Nebraska (8%), Ohio (8%), Tennessee (10%) and Wyoming (32%).