North Dakota highway crash deaths the lowest in 20 years

(KXNET) — A total of 98 people lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes in North Dakota in 2022 — the lowest number of deaths since 2002.

That’s according to final crash data released by the North Dakota Department of Transportation Highway Safety Division.

North Dakota has seen a steady decrease in motor vehicle fatalities over the past 10 years. The 2022 fatality total is the lowest count since 2002 when fatalities were 97.

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Of the 2022 fatalities, nearly 67 percent involved people not wearing seat belts in vehicles with seatbelts available.

Of the 98 highway deaths in 2022, the report notes:

• 46 fatalities were not wearing seat belts, an increase from 37 in 2021.
• 35 fatalities were alcohol-related, the same as they were in 2021.
• 25 fatalities were speed-related, a decrease from 29 in 2021.
• 21 fatalities were motorcyclists, an increase from 8 in 2021.
• 6 fatalities were pedestrians, a decrease from 10 in 2021.
• 50 fatal crashes involved lane departure, an increase from 46 in 2021.
• 21 fatal crashes involved a commercial motor vehicle, an increase from 8 in 2021.

Motor vehicle fatalities in 2023 are trending higher than 2022 with 16 fatalities since January 1, 2023. There were 15 fatalities for the same time period in 2021.