In advance of a hearing today in the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade titled, “Examining Legislative Options to Strengthen Motor Vehicle Safety, Ensure Consumer Choice and Affordability, and Cement U.S. Automotive Leadership,” Advocates and other safety partners have submitted letters outlining the need to advance effective vehicle safety policy.
On average, 112 people were killed every day on roads in the U.S., totaling nearly 41,000 fatalities in 2023. This is a 24 percent increase in deaths in just a decade. An additional 2.44 million people were injured. Early projections for 2024 traffic fatalities remain at a similar historic high level; over 39,000 people are estimated to have been killed that year.
In addition to the physical and emotional repercussions and infrastructure damage due to motor vehicle crashes, the annual economic cost is approximately $340 billion (2019 dollars). Moreover, the total value of societal harm from motor vehicle crashes in 2019, which includes loss of life, pain and decreased quality of life, was nearly $1.4 trillion. When adjusted solely for inflation, this figure amounts to over $1.79 trillion.
Please find:
- A letter from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
- A letter from more than 30 safety organizations
- A letter from more than 160 impacted family advocates
- A letter from representatives of the insurance industry
- A letter from more than a dozen groups opposing the draft versions of the SELF DRIVE and Motor Vehicle Modernization Acts