U.S. Roadway Fatalities Down Slightly

The number of traffic-related deaths in the U.S. fell 1% through the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2016 but are up 8% over like-2015, according to preliminary estimates from the National Safety Council (NSC).

An estimated 18,700 people have been killed on U.S. roads since January and 2.1 million were seriously injured, NSC says. The council estimates the deaths and injuries cost society about $191 billion.

Highway fatalities have been on the rise in the U.S. for several years, due in part to increased travel, and reached a nine-year-high of 40,200 in 2016. The number of miles driven was up 1.7% through the first half of 2017.