US traffic deaths hit record high with 20,175 cases in first half of 2022

Traffic deaths in the US increased 0.5 per cent to 20,175 in the first half of 2022, the highest number killed in the period since 2006, a US official estimate has said.

Incidents of speeding and travelling without wearing seatbelts were higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Traffic fatalities increased after pandemic lockdowns ended, as more drivers engaged in risky behavior, US media reports said.

--IANS

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