In 2023, the latest year for available statistics, 40,901 people died on highways in the U.S. A shocking 59% of these fatalities had alcohol and/or speeding as contributing to the cause of the deaths, according to a study by the law firm of John Foy and Associates of Atlanta, Georgia. When you add distracted driving to the total fatalities, the percentage increases to 67% of the total highway fatalities in 2023.

The data used in the study were from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Driving under the influence of alcohol (or drugs), speeding and distracted driving are all preventable. Despite advancements in car safety, these dangerous behaviors continue to cause a significant percentage of road fatalities and they are all avoidable risks. Yet we continue to see high death tolls, especially in summer and fall, according to the study.

Alcohol-related traffic fatalities in 2023 totaled 11,222, 30% of all deaths in traffic crashes. Although July saw the most alcohol-related fatalities, October also experienced a surge, highlighting the need for more enforcement year-round, especially during fall months.

Speeding-related fatalities, 10,541, accounted for 29% of the total, with 1,014 of those deaths in July. It’s clear that speeding continues to be a significant factor in highway deaths.

Distracted driving caused 8% of the 2023 fatalities, and its impact peaked during May and July. However, fall months, especially October, still show significant risk from distracted drivers, especially with school commutes and holiday travel.

To quote the law firm of John Foy and Associates, “The 67% figure represents a clear pattern of negligence that we see repeatedly in personal injury cases across Georgia and nationwide. When alcohol impairment, excessive speed or driver distraction contributes to a fatal crash, it establishes a foundation for liability that significantly impacts both criminal proceedings and civil damages claims.”

Let’s put U.S. vehicle fatalities in perspective. The more than 40,000 fatalities annually in vehicle crashes are roughly equal to a commercial airliner with 110 passengers crashing every day. Dying in a commercial airliner is exponentially less likely than dying in an automobile, with the odds for car crashes being far higher than for commercial flights.

A Google search shows the lifetime odds of dying in a car crash are around 1 in 93, compared to about 1 in 11 million for a plane crash. This vast difference is due to factors such as strict regulations in aviation, rigorous pilot training and the inherent dangers of human error and traffic conditions on roads.

We should all consider how many lives would be saved if every driver obeyed all the vehicle and traffic laws.