TRAFFIC DEATHS: Crashes down nationally, fatalities linked to more substance use

FILE – In this Jan. 24, 2020 file photo, early rush hour traffic rolls along I-10 in Phoenix. Traffic deaths in the U.S. fell for the third straight year in 2019, the government’s road safety agency said Thursday, Oct. 1. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the downward trend is continuing into this year with people driving fewer miles due to the pandemic. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

by: DJ Summers

Posted: Oct 5, 2020 / 04:37 PM MDT

Updated: Oct 5, 2020 / 05:08 PM MDT

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DENVER (KDVR) – Crashes are down nationwide, but the number of fatalities leads national researchers to pinpoint lax personal safety standards and substance use as yet more COVID-19 hazards.

A crash Monday morning claimed two lives on Interstate 225

According to national data, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports traffic deaths decreased nationwide during 2019 as compared to 2018. There were 36,096 fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2019, down 2% from 2018.

As COVID-19 clamped down on travel, crash fatalities continued to decline.

The second quarter of 2020, which encompasses the months of April-July, showed 8,870 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, a decrease of about 3.3% from the same quarter last year.

However, fatalities in the second quarter of 2020 went past projections. These involved the same set of circumstances – lack of seatbelts, speeding and impaired driving.

Apart from the national dip in safety belt adherence, the NHTSA points to specifically Colorado information to describe impaired driving.

Researchers have noted several jumps in the percentage of traffic fatalities that involve substances. From the time before the pandemic to the second quarter of 2020, fatalities that tested positive for alcohol, cannabinoids and opioids rose by 6%, 10% and 5%, respectively.

As more people have admitted to increasing their substance intake to deal with COVID-19 pressures, this becomes a traffic concern specific to states where cannabis is legal.

Indeed, the number of substance positives in national traffic deaths tracks alongside substance sale numbers. Colorado Department of Revenue figures show 2020 alcohol revenues and state retail marijuana sales tax revenue rose higher during the pandemic than the months prior and in 2019. At the same time, opioid overdose signs have increased.