The NHTSA also shared that fatalities have decreased in 32 states, while 18 states and Puerto Rico have projected increases in traffic-related deaths in Q1 2023. Meanwhile, the data concerning the District of Columbia remained unchanged.
The decrease comes even though the VMT average increased overall by 2.6%, meaning people are driving further, but fatalities are becoming less frequent. The NHTSA’s data stated that the estimated fatality rate for Q1 2023 decreased to 1.24 fatalities per 100 million VMT, down from 1.32 during Q1 2022.
Mississippi leads the top five states with the highest fatality rates in Q1 2023, with 1.99 per million miles traveled, while West Virginia ranks second with 1.76. Arkansas recorded the third-highest fatality rate with 1.73, ahead of South Carolina (1.70) and Arizona (1.69).
