Governors Highway Safety Association News

Report: Young Driver Fatality Rates in the US Have Fallen Sharply

Crash and fatality rates among drivers under 21 have fallen dramatically in the U.S. during the past 20 years, a new report says, while noting young drivers are still the riskiest group behind the wheel. Using data from 2002-2021, a …

Drivers Killed One Pedestrian Every 75 Minutes in H1 2022

Drivers in the United States struck and killed 3,434 people in the first half of 2022 – up 5%, or 168 more deaths, from the same period the year before, according to a new analysis from the Governors Highway Safety …

Pedestrian Fatalities Projected to Reach Highest Level in 40 Years

Twenty people per day were hit and killed by drivers in the U.S. last year, according to an analysis by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Using the latest data available to project the number of pedestrian deaths in each …

Safety Groups Argue Curtailing Impaired Driving Requires Moving Beyond Fines, Jail Time

Efforts to curtail impaired driving and related accidents by repeat offenders on the road should address the underlying problems prompting the unsafe behavior, according to a new report from state highway officials and the liquor industry’s drunk driving prevention group. …

Pedestrian Fatalities Continue to Rise

A new report projects that 6,227 pedestrian fatalities occurred in 2018, the highest number in nearly three decades. Pedestrians will account for 16 percent of all traffic deaths in 2018, compared to 12 percent in 2008. While advancements in motor …

Marijuana, Opioids Found in High Percentage of Drivers Killed in Car Crashes

More than half of drivers killed in car accidents who were tested for drugs had marijuana, opioids or a combination of the two in their system, according to a new report. The report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) …

Georgia Bans Use of Handheld Devices While Driving

Georgia has become the latest state to ban the use of handheld devices while behind the wheel. Gov. Nathan Deal signed H.B. 673 into law on May 2, making Georgia the 16th state to ban using a cellphone, including texting, …

Study Suggests Pedestrian Fatalities May be Linked to Smartphone, Marijuana Use

For the second year in a row, nearly 6,000 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. in 2017, according to projections from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), which further suggests the high numbers could be linked …

Alcohol, Cell Phones Blamed for Increase in Pedestrian Deaths in Carolinas

Distracting cell phones and too much alcohol are being blamed for an increase in pedestrians being mowed down by moving vehicles across North Carolina and South Carolina. The Charlotte Observer reports that U.S. pedestrian deaths grew at a faster rate …

Governors Report Pedestrian Fatalities Continue to Increase

The number of persons on foot killed on U.S. roadways last year increased an estimated 11 percent compared to 2015, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). This represents the steepest year-to-year increase since record-keeping began, both in terms …