U.S. traffic deaths fall to lowest first-half rate since 2014

U.S. traffic deaths declined in the first half of 2026, with the fatality rate falling to 1.02 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, its lowest first-half level since 2014; the country is on pace for a fifth consecutive annual decline. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 16,750 deaths in that period, down 2.5% from a year earlier, though bicyclist deaths rose 4% in 2025. Nevada also recorded fewer road deaths through October than during the same period in 2025, with 299 fatalities, down 4.78%; pedestrian deaths there increased, while motorcycle and bicycle deaths declined. Nevada officials identified impairment and speeding as leading contributing factors, and the state’s figures are preliminary.