America’s driving habits are back to pre-pandemic normal. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that Americans drove about as many miles last year as we did before the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a partial shutdown of the economy and left millions of us driving less than normal.
Americans drove about 3.26 trillion total miles in 2019, the DOT reports. And we drove about 3.26 trillion miles again in 2023. Driving hit a low of 2.9 trillion in 2020 during the height of the various lockdowns.
As Miles Driven Fell, Bad News Rose
We didn’t just change how much we drove. We changed how we drove. We got reckless.
Road deaths spiked in most parts of the country in 2021, even as miles driven hit a low. Law enforcement groups and safety advocates noted a rise in drunken driving and unbelted driving. Cyclist deaths spiked, and pedestrian deaths hit a four-decade high.
Road Deaths Falling Now, Even As We Drive More
Those alarming trends may have gradually begun to reverse, too. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports road deaths before DOT reports miles driven. NHTSA reported in April that road deaths had fallen in 2023. Now, we know that happened even as Americans drove at pre-pandemic levels.
New Safety Rules Coming Soon
Safety advocates still believe America’s roads can be made safer. NHTSA recently moved to mandate automatic emergency braking systems in all new cars in 2029 – a move that may start attempts to regulate such systems and make them more effective.
Another new rule will soon require anti-drunken-driving technology in all new cars, though it remains uncertain what form that technology will take.
It’s almost good news all around, and I’m relieved to bring it to you after three years of escalating stories about death on the roads. But I can’t tell you to relax about your commute, yet. A recent study showed that thanks to skyrocketing insurance costs, as many as one in five drivers are uninsured in some states.
