New research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is shedding more light on the negative impact Covid had on traffic safety from 2020-2022. AAA says its new research also highlights a disparity in the pandemic’s impact on traffic safety.
In the new study, researchers found dangerous behaviors like speeding, not using seatbelts, and impaired driving contributed to a significant rise in fatal crashes compared to pre-pandemic times.
Notably, researchers say the new study also highlights a disparity in the pandemic’s impact on traffic safety. According to the study, Black and Hispanic Americans, already disproportionately affected by traffic fatalities, saw even more significant increases from 2020 through 2022. Similarly, those with lower educational attainment experienced a much sharper rise in fatalities compared to college graduates.
Foundation researchers found that 114,528 people were killed in traffic crashes on U.S. roads from May 2020 through December 2022, a 17% jump in traffic deaths (nearly 17,000 additional fatalities) compared to what would have been expected under pre-pandemic trends. Traffic deaths outpaced forecasts the most for young adults (20-24), with teens (16-19) taking the top spot in 2021. Men consistently exceeded estimates by 14-19%, while women only did so in 2021 (15% increase). Black Americans, who comprise approximately 12% of the U.S. population, accounted for approximately 34% of the entire rise in traffic fatalities relative to how many would have been expected based on the pre-pandemic trend. Hispanic Americans, 19% of the U.S. population, accounted for approximately 25% of the increase.
“Our study points to an ongoing disturbing trend of risky driving behaviors, which we noted in previous research earlier in the pandemic,” said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation. “There are still far too many road users who lose their lives in preventable crashes. The findings from this latest AAA Foundation study underscore the importance of addressing traffic safety from an equity perspective – communities across the United States must provide safe transportation options to meet the needs of their users.”
AAA says it is working with the National Transportation Safety Board to explore ways to increase traffic safety in metropolitan areas, with a special focus on historically underserved communities.
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