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| The Rise in U.S. Traffic Deaths | The Rise in U.S. Traffic Deaths |
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| For most of the automobile’s first century of existence, it became safer. | For most of the automobile’s first century of existence, it became safer. |
| In the 1920s, the death toll from vehicle crashes was so high that gruesome photos of accidents were a staple of newspaper coverage. By 2010 — thanks to better design of roads and vehicles, the addition of seatbelts and greater awareness of drunken driving, among other things — the death rate from crashes had fallen almost 90 percent from its 1920s level. | In the 1920s, the death toll from vehicle crashes was so high that gruesome photos of accidents were a staple of newspaper coverage. By 2010 — thanks to better design of roads and vehicles, the addition of seatbelts and greater awareness of drunken driving, among other things — the death rate from crashes had fallen almost 90 percent from its 1920s level. |
| But the progress ended about a decade ago, or at least it did in the United States. Even as vehicle deaths have continued falling in most countries, they have risen in this country. | But the progress ended about a decade ago, or at least it did in the United States. Even as vehicle deaths have continued falling in most countries, they have risen in this country. |
| Here’s a stark way of thinking about the problem: If the U.S. had made as much progress reducing vehicle crashes as other high-income countries had over the past two decades, about 25,000 fewer Americans would die every year. | Here’s a stark way of thinking about the problem: If the U.S. had made as much progress reducing vehicle crashes as other high-income countries had over the past two decades, about 25,000 fewer Americans would die every year. |
| My colleagues Emily Badger, Ben Blatt and Josh Katz have published a story this morning that tries to solve one part of the mystery of this country’s outlier status. Emily, Ben and Josh focus on a specific part of the problem: Pedestrian deaths have surged at night. |