Highest Percentage Increase of U.S. Highway Fatalities in 50 Years

The number of fatal traffic accidents is back on the rise in the United States. According to recent figures released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 17,774 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the first half of 2016. This constitutes an increase of about 10.4 percent compared to the 16,100 fatalities that were reported for the first half of the previous year. It’s the largest annual percentage increase in 50 years.

One of the reasons for the uptake is drivers being distracted by mobile devices in their vehicles. The proliferation of in-car wi-fi and apps specifically targeting drivers make things worse. Our infographic shows the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles of travel since 2005.