A new report says Virginia traffic deaths are up 29% over the past decade, despite a recent drop in fatalities since 2021. Released by TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, the report details both the human toll and financial cost of crashes in the state—estimated at $35 billion in 2024 alone.
The study highlights a troubling rise in pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist deaths nationwide, and notes that although Virginia saw a 6% decline in fatalities from 2021 to 2024, the longer-term trend is still heading in the wrong direction. Between 2014 and 2024, the state’s fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled increased by 23%.
Local and national advocates quoted in the report are calling for greater investment in safer roads, better driver education, and a commitment to enforcement and post-crash care. The findings are part of a broader call to action by traffic safety organizations ahead of upcoming federal infrastructure funding deadlines.
🔍 Note: The report covers the entire state of Virginia but does not mention specific towns, cities, or counties affected by the increase in fatalities.
Here’s the full press release:
Washington, D.C. – U.S. traffic fatalities fell in 2024 for the third straight year, four years after traffic fatalities surged in 2020 and 2021 as the nation grappled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, despite the decrease in traffic fatalities over the past three years, traffic fatalities in 2024 remained significantly higher than a decade ago. This is according to a report released today by TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit. The report, Addressing America’s Traffic Safety Crisis: Examining the Causes of Increasing U.S. Traffic Fatalities and Identifying Solutions to Improve Traffic Safety, documents trends in traffic fatalities from 2014 to 2024 at the national and state levels, examines causes for the increase in traffic fatalities, and prescribes a broad, comprehensive approach to reducing traffic fatalities in the U.S.
Subscribe to our FREE email newsletter to get local news you can trust.
https://www.potomaclocal.com/email-subscription/
