The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 42,915 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States in 2021—a 10.5 percent increase from the 38,824 fatalities in 2020.

The 2021 estimates are the highest number of fatalities since 2005 and the largest annual percentage increase in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history. To help address this crisis on U.S. roadways, the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) adopted a National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) in 2022 and committed to the long-term goal of reaching zero roadway fatalities.