This article examines road safety data from 2019-2022 in the United States, shedding light on the dangers faced by drivers as traffic returned to pre-pandemic levels. Despite a leveling off in traffic fatalities in 2022, the numbers remained higher compared to previous years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that there were 31,785 traffic fatalities in the first nine months of 2022, showing a slight decrease from the same period in 2021. However, it’s important to note that the number of vehicle miles traveled during the same period increased significantly.
Improvements in Driving Habit
An analysis conducted by Lytx data and analytics indicates that as traffic returned to pre-pandemic levels, drivers exhibited safer and more attentive driving habits, resulting in a reduction in collisions per distance driven. The study found significant improvements in several risky driving behaviors between 2021 and 2022, which can be attributed to the adoption of coaching tools and collaborative workflows by fleet managers and drivers.
Top Risky Driving Behaviors
The five most improved risky driving behaviors observed from 2021 to 2022 were as follows:
- Not scanning the roadway (down 18%)
- Blank stare (down 16%)
- Driving too fast for conditions (down 11%)
- Driver unbelted on a residential road (down 10%)
- Veering off an identifiable roadway (down 9%)
Furthermore, the driving habit of “driving too fast for conditions” showed significant improvement when comparing 2022 to both 2020 and 2019, with reductions of 52% and 74%, respectively.
Riskiest Cities and Roadways
The report identified the top five riskiest driving cities in the U.S. as New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas/Fort Worth. Additionally, the study highlighted the riskiest public roadways in different states:
- Michigan: I-94 at Merriman Road, Romulus – a complex airport interchange
- New York: George Washington Bridge near Riverside Drive, N.Y.
- California: Edom Hill Road and Varner Road, Desert Hot Springs – due to a lack of lane markings
- New Jersey: NJ19 and I-80 in Paterson – a complex interchange with highways terminating into city streets
- Connecticut: I-95 near Fulton Terrace, New Haven – a curved freeway entering the busy port of New Haven
Dangerous Areas near Airports
Airports emerged as some of the most dangerous areas for drivers. In 2022, there was an 86% increase in the number of high-risk road sections within two miles of airports compared to the previous year. The top five high-risk airports to drive around were Denver International, John Glenn Columbus International, Phoenix Sky Harbor, John F. Kennedy International, and Newark Liberty International.
Time and Day Factors:
The analysis revealed that the highest number of collisions occurred during daytime hours (6 a.m. – 4 p.m.), with a peak at 11 a.m. However, the highest number of collisions per vehicle occurred in the middle of the night (2-6 a.m.), with the highest totals observed at 2 a.m. Moreover, Tuesdays had the highest number of collisions per vehicle, while Saturdays were considered the safest day of the week, followed by Sundays.
Animal Strikes and Weather Conditions:
Interestingly, most collisions occurred in clear weather conditions, often due to animal strikes. While 13.1% of collisions happened during rainy weather, a significant majority (83.9%) occurred in clear conditions. Snowy weather accounted for only 2.9% of collisions, while foggy conditions contributed to a mere 0.1%. Animal strikes were responsible for 29.7% of collisions in clear weather and 9.4% in rainy conditions. In comparison, fixed objects accounted for 11.7% of accidents in clear conditions and 16% in rainy conditions.
Reduction in Idling and Environmental Impact:
The analysis of Lytx data also revealed that vehicle idle times decreased by approximately 16% in 2022 compared to the previous year. This reduction in idling resulted in the prevention of over 90 million tons of CO2 emissions and savings of more than US$24 million in wasted fuel.
Conclusion
The road safety analysis spanning from 2019 to 2022 in the United States provides valuable insights into the ongoing challenges and improvements in traffic safety. While certain risky driving behaviors have shown improvement, there is still a need for continued efforts to enhance road safety measures. The findings also emphasize the importance of addressing risk factors such as city-specific driving conditions, airport proximity, time of day, weather conditions, and animal strikes. By understanding these factors, stakeholders can devise targeted strategies to further enhance road safety and protect drivers and passengers on the nation’s roadways.
