Road Fatalities Skyrocket

What happened: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Aug. 17 reported America’s road users are being killed at the highest rate in two decades, a 7 percent increase compared to the same quarter in 2021, and 22 percent higher than 2019. During 2022 Q1, 9,560 people died in crashes. While the data is still preliminary, NHTSA officials said one-third of the crashes can likely be attributed to impaired driving.

NHTSA Administrator Steve Cliff said, ‘When everyday life came to a halt in March 2020, risky behaviors skyrocketed, and traffic fatalities spiked. We’d hoped these trends were limited to 2020, but sadly, they aren’t.’ While NHTSA has not yet categorized the fatalities in detail, data from 2021 also shows pedestrian deaths rose 13 percent over 2020. This is of particular concern to roadway construction workers whose deaths are included in the pedestrian numbers.

Why it matters: Struck-by incidents remain the primary cause of worker fatalities and injuries in the transportation construction industry, and errant drivers who cross into the workspace of roadway construction zones cause scores of those deaths each year, as documented in data from both NHTSA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

ARTBA’s view: Recognizing roadway workers as ‘vulnerable road users’ (VRUs) has been at the top of ARTBA’s advocacy efforts, especially since the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) requires states and federal agencies to dedicate additional resources to their protection. ARTBA has—and continues—to press federal regulators to identify special considerations for workers as they develop guidance for states to protect VRUs and track their progress in doing so.

Act now: As the summer construction season peaks, ARTBA urges state transportation agencies and industry firms to be extra vigilant and seek additional protective measures for workers and all road users as they navigate the unique hazards of road construction zones.