The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released its latest projections for traffic fatalities in 2023, estimating more miles driven and lower fatality rates compared to 2022.

The agency estimates that 40,990 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2023, a decrease of about 3.6% as compared to 42,514 fatalities reported in 2022.

The fourth quarter of 2023 represents the seventh consecutive quarterly decline in fatalities beginning with the second quarter of 2022. The estimated fatality rate for 2023 decreased to 1.26 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), down from the reported rate of 1.33 per 100 million VMT in 2022.

Estimates also show that VMT in 2023 increased by about 67.5 billion miles, a 2.1% increase over 2022.

Updates on 2022 Fatalities

Despite overall declines, vulnerable road user fatality rates are increasing, and distracted driving is a contributing factor to the increase in fatalities. NHTSA’s final 2022 Fatality Analysis Reporting System traffic crash data and analysis are available online.

In 2022, 3,308 people were killed and an estimated additional 289,310 people were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers, while 621 vulnerable road users were killed in distraction-affected traffic crashes.

People who are walking, cycling, or otherwise outside a vehicle are especially vulnerable to being in danger from distracted drivers.

According to NHTSA data, drivers aged 18 to 34 are more likely to die in distraction-affected crashes than any other age group.