Nearly 43,000 people were killed on roads across the U.S. last year, marking the highest number in more than a decade.
The death toll jumped 10.5% from 2020 as Americans returned to driving after COVID-19 pandemic quarantine and isolation, according to The Associated Press. The increase represents the largest percentage jump in numbers since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began collecting data on road deaths in 1975.
Before 2020, the number of deaths had dropped for 3 years in a row and had been below 40,000 since 2008. The previous high — 43,500 deaths — was recorded in 2005.
"This crisis on our roads is urgent and preventable," Steven Cliff, PhD, deputy administrator for the NHTSA, said in a statement.
"We will redouble our safety efforts, and we need everyone — state and local governments, safety advocates, automakers, and drivers — to join us," he said. "All of our lives depend on it."
In early figures released Tuesday, about 42,915 people died in traffic crashes last year, up from 38,824 in 2020. Final numbers will be released in the fall, the AP reported.
About 118 people died in U.S. traffic crashes each day in 2021, the NHTSA reported. Compared to 2020, 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico has increases in traffic deaths last year. The highest increases happened in Texas, California, and Florida.
