September 2024 – 100 Deadliest Days End

Memorial Day weekend marked the beginning of the 100 Deadliest Days which have now come to a close with Labor Day weekend. In the traffic safety world, this time period is known for a spike in roadway fatalities, particularly among younger drivers. A lot of this is simply due to the increased numbers of younger drivers on the roads with school out for the summer, but the reality is that drivers of all ages are impacted. Many take summer vacations meaning longer drives, and for busy holidays, increased traffic, as well.

In the chart below, one can see that the average monthly deaths in 2022 for entire country is 3,836. The months of May – October all tend to be above this average. There is some variance year-by-year, but largely the pattern holds. The 100 Deadliest Days may be over, but there’s no room for complacency!

Here in Nebraska, preliminary 2024 data reports a loss of 66 lives on our roadways during this 100 Deadliest Days. There have been 166 total fatalities so far: 100 in the first 5 months of the year, and 66 in about 3 months. The point, however, is not statistics. These were family members, friends, co-workers, and neighbors that others are missing.

At the National Safety Council, it’s our mission and belief that these deaths are preventable, and we’re not alone. If we can raise awareness to the causes of these crashes, anything from high speeds, to impairment, to distracted driving, we can all start to reflect on what habits we might want to stop, start, or change?