US traffic deaths dip in Q2 but still high as pandemic eases

By TOM KRISHER and HOPE YEN
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — The number of people killed on U.S. roadways fell slightly from April through June. It’s the first decline in two years as pandemic-era reckless driving appeared to ease. But the government says traffic fatalities are still at a crisis level. Estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that 20,175 people died in crashes from January through June, an increase of 0.5% over the same period last year. The small second-quarter decline was the first drop after seven-straight quarters of increases that started in 2020. The decrease may signal that traffic deaths are finally dropping after an increase fueled by more dangerous driving that happened as roads were clear of traffic during lockdowns early in the pandemic.