WASHINGTON — U.S. traffic deaths fell 8.2% in the first half of the year, the lowest number since 2020, officials said on Tuesday.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said 17,140 people were killed in vehicle crashes through June 30, down from 18,680 deaths during the year-ago period.

U.S. road deaths jumped dramatically during the 2020 COVID pandemic and remained elevated for years, sparking calls to address the public health crisis. The fatality rate in the first six months of the year is the lowest since 2014.

“These preliminary figures are encouraging,” NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser said in a statement. “But even as we see progress, these numbers are far too high, and we remain focused on reducing traffic fatalities even further.”

Traffic deaths fell 3.8% in 2

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