MARQUETTE — A statistical projection of traffic fatalities in 2025 shows an estimated 36,640 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, a decrease of about 6.7 percent compared to the 39,254 fatalities reported in 2024.

The fourth quarter of 2025 represents the 15th consecutive quarterly decline in fatalities beginning with the second quarter of 2022. If realized, the estimated percentage decrease for 2025 would be the fifth largest in the recorded history of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, bringing total fatalities back to the pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019. Preliminary data reported by the Federal Highway Administration shows that vehicle miles traveled in 2025 increased by about 29.8 billion miles, or about a 0.9-percent increase.

In 2025, the fatality rate dropped to 1.10 fatalities per 100 million VMT, down from the reported rate of 1.19 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2024, making it the second lowest fatality rate in recorded history (behind only the 1.08 rate observed in 2014).

For the NHTSA regional differences, all 10 NHTSA regions are projected to have decreases in fatalities and fatality rate per 100 million VMT in 2025 as compared to 2024. Also, 39 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are projected to have decreases in fatalities.

The fatality counts for 2024 and 2025 and the ensuing percentage change from 2024 to 2025 will be slightly revised when the FARS Final File for 2024 and the FARS Annual Report File for 2025 are made available in early 2027.