Traffic deaths increased among Black people more than any other race during pandemic: Study

The fatalities increased the most during lockdown from March to December.

The number of Black people killed in traffic crashes rose 23% in 2020 compared to the year prior, according to early estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Out of the 38,680 people that were killed in traffic crashes last year, 7,494 of them were Black -- the highest percentage increase out of any race. White people had the largest number of traffic deaths last year at 29,092, but the number increased by just 4% from the year prior. The pandemic made the problem worse -- Black traffic fatalities, as a proportion of all fatalities, increased the most during lockdown, from March to December, according to NHTSA's data. Destiny Thomas, an urban planner and founder and CEO of the California-based Thrivance Group, believes there are two main contributing factors.