U.S. says traffic deaths fell slightly in first nine months of 2022

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. auto safety regulators said Monday traffic deaths fell by 0.2% in the first nine months of 2022 after sharply rising in the two prior years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates 31,785 people died in traffic crashes through Sept. 30 compared to the 31,850 deaths in the same period in 2021. U.S. traffic deaths jumped 10.5% in 2021 to 42,915, the highest number killed on American roads in a single year since 2005.

(Reporting by David Shepardson)