US traffic deaths fell 8.2% in first half of 2025, lowest number since 2020

U.S. traffic deaths fell 8.2% in the first half of the year, the lowest number since 2020, officials said on Tuesday.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said 17,140 people were killed in vehicle crashes through June 30, down from 18,680 deaths during the same six-month period in 2024.

U.S. road deaths jumped dramatically during the 2020 COVID pandemic and remained elevated for years. The fatality rate in the first six months of the year is the lowest since 2014.

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