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US Traffic Deaths Are Down Slightly, But The Numbers Still Aren't Good

According to the National Safety Council, there were 40,100 motor vehicles deaths last year. That's down about 1 percent from 2016's total.

By: Briana Koeneman

Posted at 10:27 AM, Feb 15, 2018

and last updated 2018-02-15 10:27:03-05

After two years of big spikes, traffic deaths in the U.S. have fallen slightly.

But officials say we still have a lot of work to do to make America's roads safer.

According to estimates from the National Safety Council, there were 40,100 motor vehicles deaths last year. That's down about 1 percent from 2016's total of 40,327 fatalities.

Still, the NSC said that smaller number isn't necessarily an indication of progress.

As the organization's CEO said in a statement, "This is a stark reminder that our complacency is killing us. The only acceptable number is zero; we need to mobilize a full court press to improve roadway safety."

In order to keep traffic deaths down, the NSC urges drivers to practice defensive driving, learn about their vehicle's safety systems and get recalls fixed immediately.