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Abstract
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For this fact sheet, urban boundaries are determined by the State highway departments and approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the areas outside of those boundaries are described as rural. The State highway departments use the boundaries decided by the Census Bureau. ( See the Census Bureau link to define urban and rural areas at census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/ guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html )
Key Findings
■ Of the 38,824 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2020, there were 16,665 (43%) that occurred in rural areas, 21,650 (56%) in urban areas, and 509 (1%) in areas of unknown land use.
■ Fatalities in rural areas increased by 2 percent from 16,288 in 2019 to 16,665 in 2020, and in urban areas increased by 9 percent from 19,946 in 2019 to 21,650 in 2020.
■ According to the Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey (latest data available), an estimated 19 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, and according to the Federal Highway Administration 31 percent of the total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 2020 were in rural areas. However, rural areas accounted for 43 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2020.
■ In 2020 the fatality rate per 100 million VMT was 1.7 times higher in rural areas than in urban areas (1.84 versus 1.08).
■ In 2020, of the 16,665 rural traffic fatalities, 4,717 (28%) were killed in speeding-related crashes. Of the 21,650 urban traffic fatalities, 6,448 (30%) were killed in speeding-related crashes.
■ Rural alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities increased by 9 percent from 4,569 in 2019 to 4,990 in 2020 and urban alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities increased by 17 percent from 5,594 in 2019 to 6,522 in 2020.
■ The proportions of alcohol-impaired- driving fatalities in both rural and urban areas increased from 28 percent in 2019 to 30 percent in 2020.
■ The 2020 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) observed that the seat belt use rate among front-seat passenger vehicle occupants in urban areas was 90.5 percent, and rural occupants were observed to have a use rate of 89.9 percent.
■ Based on known restraint use in fatal crashes, 52 percent of rural passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2020 were unrestrained as compared to 49 percent of urban passenger vehicle occupants killed. |