As traffic deaths surge 18%, crash survivor shares her story

Traffic fatalities soared to 20,160 deaths in the first half of 2021, according to a recent report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an increase of 18.4% over a year earlier.

“It’s terrible,” said crash survivor Jillian Kaplan who joins highway safety officials in promoting vehicles  equipped with autonomous driving technologies. Driver error is cited as  a factor in 90% of all fatalities -- a number that could be greatly  reduced  with proper technologies.

The number of deaths represents the highest number of fatalities in the first half of the year since 2006. All ten regions that NHTSA studies had increases in fatalities.  Regions in the western U.S. all increased  25% or more  over a year ago, while a region in the southeast comprised of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee increased by 22%.

The increases in traffic fatalities have been correlated with the COVID-19 pandemic and a rise in risky driving such as speeding and failure to use seat belts with alcohol and drug use contributing. Crashes were also more severe toward the end of 2020, with victims needing high-level trauma care.

The administration’s data shows that extreme speeds of 20 mph or more higher than the posted speed became more common in the last three quarters of 2020, with an 11% increase in speeding related fatalities. While the NHTSA doesn’t keep detailed data related to distracted driving, the administration found a Zendrive analysis showing an increase in cell phone use  while driving in 16% of crashes they detected.

“These studies suggest that risks associated with cell phone distraction increased during the pandemic,” NHTSA said.

The safety stats renewed calls for technology such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, lane centering, predictive cruise control and blind spot monitoring—already available on some new vehicles at a cost. 

“Every family should have the safest braking system, not just those who can afford it,” said Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for High and Auto Safety, a lobbying group,  in Smart Cities Dive. 

Forward collision warning systems that automatically activate brakes reduce front-to-rear crashes with injuries by 56%, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Sensors and other smart technologies on vehicles can also make roadways safer for pedestrians, something  Kaplan knows well. She survived a serious crash in Framingham, Massachusetts, five years ago while walking her dog in a crosswalk and was struck by a car traveling 40 mph. The driver was distracted, but a sensor-based- system in the car could have slowed the car or brought it to a stop, she told Fierce Electronics.

 Following multiple surgeries and months of rehab, Kaplan was still able to give birth to a healthy child and feels she is physically at 99% of her previous abilities. “I don’t even limp,” she said, crediting her rehab to good care and being fit before the crash.  

Like many crash victims, she still fears crosswalks. 

“I still go out and walk everyday,” she said. Her dog Sydney survived the crash as well and accompanies her. “I joke that it’s not going to happen twice, but, really, it’s just scary.”

Kaplan sometimes struggles with memory when she has multiple things to remember, but has been able to command a position at Dell Technologies as telecom and 5G thought leadership lead.  Her work gives her a chance to talk about the advantages of autonomous technology in improving vehicle safety to save lives, which she doesn’t feel gets a strong enough push from people within the industry.

An increase in fatalities of 18% in early 2021 shows the need for autonomous tech,  she said. “People focus on efficiency and cost savings with autonomy. What we do in autonomy is so much more important than just reducing cost and speeding up time. Engineers can really have an impact on saving lives and preventing crashes.”


Jillian Kaplan delivered the following online keynote address, “Technology for Good: Why Autonomy Matters” on Monday November 8  as part of  Autonomous Technologies Summit, presented by FierceElectronics. Registration is free to view all the presentations as on-demand videos.