NHTSA Announces Traffic Fatalities Decreased in the First Quarter of 2025

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released new data today estimating a notable decrease in people killed in crashes in the first three months of 2025. NHTSA projects that traffic fatalities declined about 6.3% in the first quarter, with 8,055 lives lost. This is the 12th consecutive quarterly decline in fatalities, and the estimated quarterly fatality rate is the lowest in six years.

“While traffic fatalities remain far too high, we are encouraged to see such a decline and pledge to continue working to drive down these numbers even more. NHTSA will continue to use all of its resources to educate Americans about dangerous driving behaviors and advance meaningful policies that will save lives. The agency is also strengthening its relationships with law enforcement to ensure traffic laws are being enforced to save lives,” NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser said.

NHTSA estimates that fatalities decreased in 33 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The fatality rate for the first quarter decreased to 1.05 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, down from the rate of 1.13 from the same time in 2024. This is the lowest quarterly fatality rate since the first quarter of 2019. Vehicle miles traveled in the quarter remained mostly flat at 4.3 billion miles, or about a 0.6% increase.