National traffic death numbers down, but Michigan experts worry about driver safety

LANSING

Preliminary data for 2025 shows about 36,340 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. That’s a 6.7 percent decrease compared to 39, 254 in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Michigan’s 2024 crash statistics (1,099 deaths) showed no change from 2023 (1095 deaths). The state’s 2025 data has not yet come out.