According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the US motor vehicle traffic fatalities have decreased by 8.2% in the first half of 2025, the highest year-on-year drop recorded since 2008. In January to June alone, the number of crashes in which people died stood at 17,140, estimated compared to 18,680 deaths in 2024. This is the lowest death rate during the mid-year since 2014, which is an indication that at least on the road safety issues, there could be some positive change.
Historic decline marks safety progress
Motor vehicle traffic deaths in the first half of 2025 are projected to fall 8.2%, the largest first-half reduction since 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as reported by Claims Journal. NHTSA on Tuesday released early estimates that show 17,140 people died in U.S. motor vehicle crashes from January through June, down from 18,680 fatalities during the same period in 2024.
Road deaths increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new data was an early indicator of a potential fourth consecutive year of declines, according to The Detroit News. The national year-over-year decline was the largest for the first half of the year since before 2013. Large, heavy vehicles, distracted driving, and other risky behaviors create risks for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
Fatality rate reaches decade low
The decline in fatalities comes as vehicle miles traveled rose by 12.1 billion miles during the first half of 2025. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled dropped to 1.06, down 8.6% from 1.16 in the same period last year. That was theย lowest mid-year fatalityย rate since 2014, according to NHTSA.
“We’re gratified to see this progress after a shocking spike in traffic fatalities that started happening, as it started during the pandemic,” Jonathan Morrison, senior adviser for NHTSA and President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the agency, said during the Management Briefing Seminars conference hosted by Ann Arbor’s Center for Automotive Research in Michigan Central Station.
State-by-state variations emerge
Additionally, 38 states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, are projected to see drops in traffic deaths. Eleven states are projected to see increases, according to the administration. States with the biggest drops include Connecticut (32.5%), Delaware (26.6%), Mississippi (25.7%), Maryland (23.5%), and Kentucky (21.8%).
Hawaii (47.8%), Kansas (21.2%), Idaho (18.6%), and Massachusetts (15.1%) were states with the largest increases in traffic fatalities. Motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the first half of the year were down 7.9% in Michigan, less than an 8.2% national decrease. In Michigan, fatalities fell to 453 in the first half of the year from 492.
Safety initiatives show promise
The rules authorized by Congress regarding intoxicated driving, using handheld phones, and developments in machine-driven cars attempt to address the hazards of the American borderline. Morrison prioritized the role of the Trump administration in supporting law enforcement, using artificial intelligence traffic analysis to save more lives in case of a crash in its National Office of Mass Emergency Medical Services, and spending its resources to equip and staff to save more lives.
Another law that was also introduced in Michigan in June 2023, and that might be contributing to the slight reduction of roadway deaths in the state, is a distracted driving law. Gov. An April has been designated by Gretchen Whitmer to be Distracted Driving Awareness Month, also by the NHTSA. Throughout 2024, over 39,000 individuals were killed in automobile accidents, and about 1,047 were held in the state of Michigan.
The US road fatality rates (8.2%) dropped in the initial 50 years in the year 2025 is a big step towards improved safety in traffic, reaching the lowest mid-year death rate in six years. Although there are still certain issues connected with state-by-state discrepancies and continuing safety issues, the statistics indicate that all the mentioned measures (focusing on legislative changes, technological progress, and driver training programs) are starting to record tangible outcomes in eliminating the American traffic fatality epidemic.