Traffic deaths fell again this year but it rose in California
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Roads keep getting safer nationally, with deaths down 2% even as people drove more. In California, 178 more people died.
An estimated 18,460 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the United States from January through June, down 2% from 18,846 in the same months of 2025, according to the National Safety Council. Americans drove 0.8% more miles over that stretch, so the death rate fell further than the count. It was 1.12 deaths per 100 million miles driven, down 3.4% from a year earlier and 10.4% from the first half of 2024, the council's preliminary estimates show.
It continues a big drop from last year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated 36,640 traffic deaths in 2025, down 6.7% from 2024, and called the year's rate of 1.10 deaths per 100 million miles the second lowest in recorded history. Deaths fell in 39 states and Washington, D.C., in 2025, the agency said in April.
The national number hides big swings by state, though. Thirteen states saw deaths fall 10% or more in the first half of this year. Ten states and Washington, D.C., saw them rise 10% or more.
The biggest drops. Hawaii had the largest percentage decline, 30%, or 20 fewer deaths. Illinois had the biggest drop in actual lives among those states, 134 fewer deaths, down 24%. Oklahoma had 64 fewer and Tennessee 62 fewer. West Virginia and Kansas each fell more than 20%.
Where deaths rose. California stands out. Deaths there rose 14%, or 178 more people, three times the next-largest increase among states that rose 10% or more. Alabama had 57 more deaths, up 17%, and Kentucky 49 more, up 18%. Mississippi rose 12%, with 30 more.
Washington, D.C., had the highest percentage jump, 133%, but that's 12 more deaths in a city where the totals are small. Rhode Island's 22% increase and Vermont's 18% are four more deaths each. Small numbers swing hard, so the states with the most added deaths say more about a real problem than the ones with the biggest percentages.
Here are the states that moved 10% or more in either direction, compared with the first half of 2025:
| State | Change in deaths | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | +133% | 12 more |
| Delaware | +24% | 11 more |
| Rhode Island | +22% | 4 more |
| Kentucky | +18% | 49 more |
| North Dakota | +18% | 7 more |
| Vermont | +18% | 4 more |
| Alabama | +17% | 57 more |
| Iowa | +16% | 19 more |
| California | +14% | 178 more |
| Wyoming | +14% | 7 more |
| Mississippi | +12% | 30 more |
| Massachusetts | -10% | 15 fewer |
| Utah | -11% | 13 fewer |
| Tennessee | -12% | 62 fewer |
| Maryland | -13% | 29 fewer |
| Wisconsin | -13% | 33 fewer |
| Nevada | -14% | 28 fewer |
| New Hampshire | -16% | 9 fewer |
| Idaho | -18% | 22 fewer |
| Oklahoma | -20% | 64 fewer |
| Kansas | -21% | 39 fewer |
| Illinois | -24% | 134 fewer |
| West Virginia | -24% | 31 fewer |
| Hawaii | -30% | 20 fewer |
What's still killing people. The leading causes of preventable road deaths are speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, driver fatigue, and not wearing a seat belt, the safety council says. In 2024, 30% of traffic deaths involved an alcohol-impaired driver, and speeding was a factor in 29%.
"While the national trend continues to point in the right direction, our work is far from complete," said Lorraine Martin, the council's CEO. "Even one death on our roads is too many."
A note on the numbers: the safety council's figures include deaths on private property such as parking lots and driveways, and they're preliminary, so they often rise as states confirm more deaths. The council says its totals aren't comparable to NHTSA's, which count only traffic deaths within 30 days of a crash. State figures are as each state reported them.
The coming weeks bring their own risks. November is the peak month for deer crashes, and Thanksgiving puts millions of extra drivers on the road.
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Frequently asked
Are traffic deaths going down in 2026?
Yes, slightly. The National Safety Council estimates 18,460 people died in crashes in the first half of 2026, down 2% from 2025, even though people drove 0.8% more miles. NHTSA estimated a 6.7% drop for all of 2025.
Which states had the biggest increase in traffic deaths?
California added the most deaths in the first half of 2026, 178 more, a 14% increase. Alabama, Kentucky, and Mississippi also rose sharply. Washington, D.C., had the largest percentage jump, 133%, but that's 12 more deaths.
What causes most traffic deaths?
The National Safety Council lists speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, fatigue, and not wearing a seat belt as leading causes. In 2024, 30% of traffic deaths involved an alcohol-impaired driver, and speeding was a factor in 29%.