Motor vehicle deaths jumped 8% in 2020 even though fewer people were on the roads because of the pandemic.
An official with the National Safety Council told ABC News, “We believe that the open roads really gave drivers an open invitation marked open season on reckless driving.” Data from the NSC showed despite a 13% drop in miles driven last year, 42,060 people died in car crashes — compared to 39,107 deaths in 2019.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Administration also reported a “severe spike” in speeding across the country last year.
