The National Safety Council (NCS) announced that US Roadway fatalities totaled 18,720 for the first six months of 2018. This figure indicates a slight reduction in the 2017 rate of 1.2 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. However, the rate of roadway fatalities is still trending with the record high deaths recorded in 2016 of over 40,000.
For the purpose of this study, the National Safety Council (NSC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) define deaths as a result of a vehicle crash differently. The NSC counts deaths that occur within a single year after the crash in question and uses death certificate data from the National Center for Health Statistics to make their count.
The NHTSA counts deaths that occur within 30 days of the vehicle accident, which would not include approximately 800-1,000 deaths in its annual figure.
An estimated $193.2 Billion is the cost results from deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle accidents Jan-June 2018. This is down 1% from Jan -June 2017.
In 2016, the total deaths as a result of a motor vehicle accident were 40,327, and there were 269 million registered vehicles on the road. The roadway fatalities recorded by the NSC were at the highest point since 2007. Driver distraction continues to constitute a significant hazard on North American roadways.