National Safety Council Estimates 12% Fewer Traffic Deaths in 2025, Larger Reductions in DC and Maryland

National Safety Council estimates 12% fewer traffic deaths in 2025, larger reductions in DC and Maryland

Preliminary analysis from the National Safety Council shows a 12% decrease in the number of U.S. traffic deaths in 2025, compared to the previous year, and that D.C. and Maryland’s safety improvements exceed the national average. According to the nonprofit safety advocate group’s preliminary semiannual estimates, the number of motor-vehicle deaths in 2025 is 37,810, down 12% from the revised count of 42,789 in 2024. Related stories …

U.S. Traffic Fatalities Fell 12% in 2025, Even as Americans Drove More

The drop — the largest in recent memory — spared an estimated 5,000 lives compared with the prior year, though safety advocates warn that dangerous driving behaviors remain stubbornly persistent. An estimated 37,810 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the United States last year, a 12 percent decline from 2024, according to preliminary figures

U.S. Traffic Deaths Fell 12% in 2025 According to NSC Estimates

Preliminary data from the National Safety Council (NSC) estimates 37,810 motor vehicle crash deaths in the United States in 2025, a 12% decrease from 2024 despite a 0.9% increase in overall miles driven. Nine states and the District of Columbia saw decreases of more than 15%. D.C. led the nation with a 52% decline, followed …