MIAMI (CBSMiami) – For almost 30 years, deaths from car crashes steadily dropped in this country. But recently that number has been on the rise, taking the lives of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.
“This is a national crisis,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.
Preliminary data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows 20,160 people died in car crashes during the first six months of 2021. That would be the largest number since 2006. The number of pedestrians killed is also on the rise.
“As people drove at higher speeds, more recklessly, more distracted. It is disproportionately impacting some Americans more than others, people of color, Native Americans, low-income communities,” said Buttigieg.
In an effort to lower deaths, Buttigieg is releasing a new National Roadway Safety Strategy. It includes rethinking speed limits and studying greater use of speed cameras. There’s also $6 billion in grants for safer road designs, including bike lanes, better lighting, and crosswalks.
Some of those designs have already taken place in several cities, including Hoboken, New Jersey.
“We’ve increased the time during which pedestrians can cross the street,” said Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla. He said there also are dedicated lanes to protect bikers and curb extensions that protect pedestrians and allow traffic to flow better. “In the last four consecutive years, we’re one of the only few cities in the country to have zero traffic related deaths,” Bhalla continues.
“Our goal is zero deaths,” said Buttigieg.
He said getting there will also require automakers to make safety features like auto braking available in more cars. One part of a comprehensive plan designed to make U.S. roads safer.