U.S. vehicle deaths top 40,000 for second year

National Safety Council: ‘We’re treading water’

U.S. vehicle deaths barely declined in 2017 but remained notably higher than in 2015, according to a new report.

The National Safety Council estimated automotive fatalities topped

40,000 for the second consecutive year.

The estimates are not the official federal figures, which will be released later this year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They also include deaths that NHTSA does not classify as roadway deaths.

Regardless, the report underscores the emerging consensus among policymakers that traffic deaths constitute a public health crisis that should not be tolerated.

While automakers have dramatically improved car safety in recent decades, with advancements such as strategically placed air bags and high-tech collision avoidance systems, other factors have kept the death toll high.

Key to the crisis is distracted driving, speeding and people who still don’t use their seat belts.

The National Safety Council estimated 40,100 people were killed in

2017 accidents, down about 1% from its

2016 estimate but up about 6% from

2015. “We’re treading water, essentially,” National Safety Council spokeswoman Maureen Vogel said. “We’re not making progress.”

NHTSA estimated that car accidents killed 37,461 people in 2016, up

5.6% from 2015. The government counts only deaths on public roads, while the council includes parking lots, driveways and private roads. Contributing: The Associated Press