AASHTO Journal - AAA: COVID-19 Impact on Traffic Safety Ongoing

A new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic’s negative impact on traffic safety trends in the United States – such as an increase in speeding, impaired driving, and reduced seatbelt usage – continue to be felt across the country.

[Above photo by the California Highway Patrol]

Notably, the new research by the AAA Foundation highlights a disparity in the pandemic’s impact on traffic safety, with Black and Hispanic Americans – already disproportionately affected by traffic fatalities – experiencing even more significant increases in traffic deaths from 2020 through 2022.

Similarly, those with lower educational attainment experienced a much sharper rise in fatalities compared to college graduates, the firm noted.

AAA Foundation researchers found that 114,528 people were killed in traffic crashes on U.S. roads from May 2020 through December 2022, a 17 percent jump in traffic deaths or 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 (aged 20 to 24), with teens (aged 16 to 19) taking the top spot in 2021. Men consistently exceeded estimates by 14 percent to 19 percent, while women only did so in 2021 (a 15 percent increase).

Black Americans, who comprise approximately 12 percent of the U.S. population, accounted for approximately 34 percent of the entire rise in traffic fatalities relative to how many would have been expected based on the pre-pandemic trend. Meanwhile Hispanic Americans – some 19 percent of the U.S. population – accounted for approximately 25 percent 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, in a statement.

“There are still far too many road users who lose their lives in preventable crashes,” he added. “The findings from this latest AAA Foundation study underscore the importance of addressing traffic safety from an equity perspective – communities across the U.S. must provide safe transportation options to meet the needs of their users.”

The study highlights several key findings:

Risky driving spiked: Speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol remain significant contributors to fatal crashes.
Lack of seatbelt use: The increase in occupant deaths was almost entirely among those not wearing seatbelts.
Fatal crashes across age groups: Drivers and victims of all ages up to 55 saw a significant rise in fatal crash involvement, with men disproportionately affected.
Late-night danger zone: Contrary to initial assumptions, the increase in fatal crashes wasn’t limited to times when the pandemic cleared previously congested daytime roads. Late nights and early mornings saw the most significant spikes.
Unequal impact: The pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in traffic safety. Socially and economically disadvantaged counties and racial and ethnic minorities were disproportionately impacted.