US saw sharp increase in crash deaths in 2020 despite fewer drivers on roads

Report finds fatality rate spiked due to reckless behaviors, including speeding and increased use of alcohol and drugs

Pandemic lockdowns and stay-at-home orders kept many drivers off US roads and highways last year. But those who did venture out found open lanes that only invited reckless driving, leading to a sharp increase in traffic-crash deaths across the country.

The non-profit National Safety Council estimates in a report issued on Thursday that 42,060 people died in vehicle crashes in 2020, an 8% increase over 2019 and the first jump in four years.