In April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released preliminary statistical projections estimating that 2021 would set a gruesome record with 42,915 traffic fatalities, up 10.5% from 2020’s startling 38,824 road deaths and a 7.6% increase over 2019’s 36,096 fatalities. This troubling upward trend in dangerous driving during the COVID-19 pandemic must be analyzed to better understand the causes and evaluate the effectiveness of potential safety countermeasures. If there is any good news, it is that while dangerous driving remained elevated through 2021, a closer look at the data suggests the worst may be behind us.
Despite the 10.5% increase
