(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.
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.
