Fatality Rates Rise in 2020s as Vehicle Miles Travelled Surge

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Wednesday, December 10th 2025 at 9:20 GMT by Forbes

The 2020s: A Technological Re‑birth of the Automobile—A 500‑Word Summary

The Forbes Tech Council article “Crashes, Cars, and Change: Why the 2020s Mirror the Birth of the Automobile” argues that the modern decade is in many ways a “new birth” for road travel, echoing the transformative changes that defined the early 20th‑century automotive era. By examining crash data, the proliferation of safety‑first technologies, and shifting regulatory landscapes, the piece paints a portrait of an industry that is simultaneously safer, yet also confronting novel risks that demand fresh solutions.

1. Crash Trends: A Resurgence of Fatalities Amid a Safer Landscape

At the heart of the article is a sobering observation: the U.S. fatality rate per 100,000 people climbed by 3.5 % in 2023 compared with the previous year, making the 2020s the most fatal decade for automobile safety in the last six decades. The piece cites the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as primary sources. While overall crash‑related deaths have declined for nearly a century, the recent uptick is attributed to a combination of:

1. Increased Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) – The post‑COVID “re‑connection” to personal mobility has pushed drivers back onto the road at a rate that outpaces the safety gains from modern engineering.
2. Rising Speeding and Aggressive Driving – Social media trends and a growing “fast‑life” culture are contributing to more high‑speed crashes.
3. Inadequate Adoption of Advanced Driver‑Assistance Systems (ADAS) – Despite the availability of features such as automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane‑departure warning, many vehicles still lack these systems or drivers are not using them effectively.

The article references a IIHS study that found that vehicles equipped with AEB reduced fatal crashes by 70 % compared with those without. It also points out that in 2022, only 48 % of U.S. vehicles sold had AEB, leaving a large portion of drivers vulnerable.

2. Safety‑First Technologies: A Modern‑Age Parallel to the Early 1900s

The second part of the article draws a parallel between today’s safety tech boom and the early automobile era, when innovations like seat belts and crash‑test dummies were first introduced. In the 2020s, the “second safety revolution” manifests in several ways:

• Active Safety Systems – Beyond AEB, systems like adaptive cruise control (ACC), traffic‑sign recognition, and blind‑spot monitoring are becoming standard in new cars.
• Passive Safety Enhancements – Improved crumple zones, advanced airbag deployment algorithms, and the use of high‑strength steel alloys are designed to absorb impact more efficiently.
• Data‑Driven Safety Analytics – Real‑time telemetry from connected vehicles allows manufacturers and regulators to monitor crash patterns and adjust safety standards proactively.

The article quotes an executive from a major automaker who explained that the company’s safety engineering budget grew by 35 % in 2024, driven by a new “Safety‑First” mandate. The piece also includes a link to an NHTSA press release that highlights a forthcoming rulemaking on minimum ADAS coverage for all vehicles sold in the U.S.

3. The Rise of Autonomous Vehicles and New Risks

While the article acknowledges that autonomous technology promises to further reduce crashes, it also warns of emergent risks. In particular, the piece points to a handful of high‑profile incidents involving Level‑3 autonomous systems that misinterpreted road signage or were unable to handle extreme weather. The IIHS notes that in 2023, there were 12 crashes involving semi‑autonomous vehicles that resulted in injury or death. These incidents underscore a paradox: as cars become smarter, the boundary between driver responsibility and machine autonomy blurs, creating regulatory and ethical gray areas.

The article references a research paper from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that models how “human‑in‑the‑loop” training can reduce autonomous system failure rates. It also links to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report that examines the 2022 autonomous‑vehicle incident near Aurora, Colorado, where a system failed to detect a stopped vehicle.

4. Regulatory and Policy Implications

Regulation is a recurring theme in the article, particularly the need for “data‑sharing mandates” that would allow state and federal bodies to analyze crash data from all connected vehicles. The NHTSA has proposed a new “Connected‑Vehicle Safety Act” that would require manufacturers to submit anonymized telemetry data, which could help in predictive policing of crash hotspots.

The piece also covers the upcoming federal mandate that will make AEB mandatory on all new vehicles sold after 2026, a change that mirrors the 1994 federal seat‑belt law, which dramatically reduced fatalities in the 1990s. By drawing this historical parallel, the article underscores how policy can be a powerful driver of safety improvements.

5. Consumer Behavior and Cultural Shifts

Finally, the article touches on the role of consumer attitudes. The early automotive era was marked by a “car‑centric” culture that prized speed and independence. Today, consumers are increasingly conscious of sustainability and safety. A Pew Research study cited in the article shows that 64 % of U.S. adults consider safety features a “must‑have” when buying a new car, up from 42 % a decade ago.

The article includes a link to a Consumer Reports survey that details how safety ratings influence vehicle purchase decisions, illustrating that higher safety scores now correlate with higher sales volumes.

Key Takeaways

1. Fatality rates have risen in the last few years, largely due to increased VMT, speeding, and gaps in ADAS adoption.
2. Safety technologies are proliferating at a rate reminiscent of the early automobile era’s rapid adoption of seat belts and airbags.
3. Autonomous vehicles present both promise and peril; regulatory frameworks need to evolve to manage the shift in driver responsibility.
4. Policy changes—particularly mandatory AEB and data‑sharing mandates—are essential for continuing safety progress.
5. Consumer attitudes are shifting toward prioritizing safety, mirroring the early 20th‑century drive for technological innovation in the automotive sector.

Sources and Further Reading

• NHTSA – Annual Traffic Safety Report
• IIHS – 2024 Safety Report
• MIT – Human‑in‑the‑Loop Autonomous Systems
• NTSB – 2022 Aurora Incident Report
• Consumer Reports – Safety Feature Influence on Vehicle Purchases
• Pew Research – Attitudes Toward Vehicle Safety

By synthesizing these data points, the Forbes article argues that while the 2020s are ushering in a new age of automotive safety, the decade also demands vigilance and proactive policy to keep the gains from early 20th‑century innovations from being undone by fresh technological challenges.