26th Annual Highway Report: Urban Fatality Rate

The urban fatality rate measures fatalities on all urban arterials in the state. The nation’s urban highway fatality rate held steady at 0.82 (Table 19, Urban Fatality Rate per 100 Million Vehicle-Miles, 2019, Figure 14). The urban fatality rate has increased over the last several years after a decades-long downward trend. While there is no one cause, distracted driving may be a significant contributor. In 2019, 10,737 urban fatalities were reported, fewer than the 10,777 urban fatalities reported in 2018, as urban VMT (vehicle-miles of travel) decreased to 1.310 trillion from 1.314 trillion in 2018. The year 2019 had the second highest number of fatalities in any year since 2007.

For 2019, Vermont reported the lowest urban fatality rate, 0.17, while New Mexico reported the highest, 1.74. Twenty-nine states reported a decrease in their urban fatality rates compared to 2018, led by West Virginia and New Hampshire (which improved 0.33 and 0.30 points respectively). Twenty-one states saw their fatality rate increase, led by Wyoming and Oregon (which increased by 0.26 and 0.25 points respectively). The fatality rate held constant in Minnesota and Oklahoma.

Urban Highway Fatality Rate (Per 100 Million Vehicle-Miles Traveled)