Safety council: Motor vehicle deaths dip slightly in 2017
WASHINGTON — Preliminary data show U.S. motor vehicle deaths and injuries were down slightly in the first six months of 2017, although they were still significantly higher than they were two years ago, the National Safety Council said Tuesday.
There were 18,689 motor vehicle deaths through June 30 at an estimated cost to society of $191 billion, said the council, a leading safety organization that gets its data from state governments.
That’s 250 fewer deaths, or a 1 per cent decline, from the period in 2016. But deaths were still up 8 per cent compared to the first six months of 2015.
Motor vehicle deaths began to spike in late 2014, ending several years of historic declines. There were 40,200 deaths for all of 2016 compared to 35,398 in 2014.