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LEWISTOWN -- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced that statewide traffic deaths decreased slightly in 2022. While the numbers from Mifflin County showed a slight increase in the number of traffic fatalities in 2022, declines also held true in Juniata, Snyder and Huntingdon counties.
Statewide traffic deaths decreased to 1,179 from 1,230 in 2021. Reportable crashes were also down in 2022, amounting to the second lowest on record since 1951.
"Pennsylvania is committed to moving toward zero deaths," said Acting PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll in a press release. "Our biggest priority continues to be safe travel across the transportation modes, and we continue to work with our partners to decrease fatalities through education and enforcement."
Mifflin and Huntingdon counties each had eight fatalities in 2022. That total increased for Mifflin County from its five fatalities in 2021 but was lower than its 2020 total of 11.
Huntingdon County stayed about the same, with nine fatalities in 2021 and seven in 2020.
Snyder County had five fatalities in 2022, inched up slightly from its 2021 total of four and dropped from eight in 2020.
Juniata County registered three fatalities in 2022, which continued a downward trend after having seven fatalities in 2021 and four in 2020.
PennDOT focuses on data trends to drive enforcement and education improvements and invests approximately $23.5 million annually in federal grant funds statewide to support these behavioral safety programs.
In addition to behavioral safety, PennDOT focuses on infrastructure improvements to roadways to further reduce fatalities and serious injuries. Approximately $482 million in Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funds has been invested in 337 unique safety projects from 2017 to 2022.
During that same period, another $50 million of state funds was invested in low-cost safety improvements at more than 1,000 locations. Examples of low-cost safety countermeasures include centerline and edge-line rumble strips and high friction surface treatments.
"It certainly is good news that our fatalities are decreasing, but they are still too high," Carroll said. "One life lost is one too many, especially if the death could have been prevented. Safety is everyone's responsibility. We owe it to each other to slow down and pay attention when we're driving because these unsafe behaviors put everyone's life at risk."
With the overall decrease in traffic deaths, fatalities in several crash types reached new lows. These numbers indicate that Pennsylvania is rebounding from the high number of traffic crashes and fatalities seen nationwide throughout the pandemic.