With summer travel officially here, so is the period when traffic fatalities historically rise nationwide. As the season begins, the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) Highway Safety Division reports a decrease in traffic fatalities in the Peace Garden State.
In fact, according to the NDDOT, the number of people who lost their lives on North Dakota roads in 2024 was the fewest since the year 2000. 89 people lost their lives in crashes in 2024. This includes drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. In comparison, 106 people died in crashes in 2023, and 98 people lost their lives in 2022.
โWhile weโre encouraged by the decline in crash fatalities, the reality is that 89 lives were still lost on our roads,โ NDDOT Director Ron Henke said in a press release. โEach person was someoneโs loved one, and that loss is felt deeply across our communities. This progress reinforces the importance of Vision Zero and continuing to educate the public on seat belt use, sober and distraction-free driving, and following posted speed limits as we work toward a future with zero fatalities.โ
