U.S. Traffic Deaths Drop by 3.1% in 2013

Deaths on U.S. roads fell by 3.1 percent in 2013 compared to the previous year.

Since 2004, traffic deaths have declined by 25 percent, while the number of people injured in accidents in 2013 also declined by 2.1 percent. In total, 32,719 people died in car crashes in 2013. Of that total, 31 percent involved drinking and driving, although the number of deaths as a result of alcohol declined by 2.5 percent in 2013.

The numbers aren’t all positive however. The number of cyclist fatalities rose by 1.2 percent to sit at the highest number since 2006, while the number of people injured in distraction-related crashes increased by 1 percent. On the flip side though, the number of people killed in distraction-related crashes fell by 6.7 percent.

Thirty-four States had declines in driving fatalities, led by Ohio (132 fewer fatalities), Kentucky (108 fewer), Pennsylvania (102 fewer), South Carolina (96 fewer) and Arkansas (77 fewer).

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