Traffic Fatalities Increase Dramatically in 2020

"Car drivers are killing people — pedestrians, cyclists, their own passengers, themselves — at a much higher rate this year compared to last, even though total travel is down dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report shows," writes Gersh Kuntzman about the findings of data released by Sam Schwarts, a traffic engineering firm.

According to the data set, in the first 6 months of 2020, the death rate per million VMT has increased by 12.7% year-over-year from 1.02 to 1.15. Sam Schwartz National Practice Leader for Safety and Research Richard Retting says that while total fatalities decreased by 5% from January to June 2020, that number should be much lower given vehicle miles traveled during that time. 

In New York City, a drip of 40% fewer VMT per day did not equate to a proportionate dip in fatalities. DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg thinks that "serial speeders" may be to blame. 

"The increase in deaths per vehicle miles traveled has been discussed widely on a piecemeal basis, with most experts attributing the increase to rampant speeding in which drivers have engaged thanks to the fewer cars on the road," notes Kuntzman.