As more Americans hit the road, traffic crashes claimed 13% fewer lives for the first half of 2025, according to the National Safety Council, which credited safety changes.

Traffic builds north and south on the 110 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on August 3, 2018. On Monday, the National Safety Council estimated traffic deaths for the first half of 2025 have dropped more than 13%, even as more Americans hit the road. The group credits increased safety improvements for roads and vehicles. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI UPI

Sept. 8 (UPI) -- As more Americans hit the road this year, traffic crashes claimed 13% fewer lives for the first half of 2025, according to the National Safety Council, which credited safer roads and safer vehicles for the decline.

Between January and June, 18,720 people died in traffic crashes. While the number may seem high, the total amounts to fewer traffic deaths even as Americans drove 0.8% more miles.

"This decrease in traffic deaths represents tremendous progress and shows what's possible when states and communities commit to proven safety strategies," said Mark Chung, executive vice president of safety leadership and advocacy at the NSC.

"We're seeing the results of states and localities implementing the Safe System Approach -- focusing on safer roads, safer speeds, safer vehicles, safer people and better post-crash care," Chung added.

Overall, the rate dropped 1.15 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, which is a 13.5% drop from 2024 and 2023.

Despite the overall drop, four states saw significant increases in the number of traffic deaths for the first six months of the year. In Hawaii, traffic deaths were up 46%, followed by Oklahoma at 32%, Kansas at 30% and West Virginia at 21%. Many of those deaths occurred over long holiday weekends, including Labor Day, according to the NSC.

Those increases were offset by a decrease in traffic deaths of 20% or more in 10 states, including California, where traffic deaths dropped for the first half of the year by 43%, followed by Connecticut and Mississippi at 34%. Alaska, Delaware, Alabama, Kentucky, Vermont, Maryland and Minnesota followed, but the District of Columbia saw the biggest drop of all with 67% fewer traffic deaths in 2025.

The NSC is urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to adopt its Safe System Approach as it works to eliminate risky driving behaviors. That includes technologies to prevent impaired driving and avoid crashes, as well as requiring emergency braking in heavy vehicles.

"This success demonstrates that when we work together using evidence-based solutions, we can save lives," Chung said, "and make all road users safer."