Highway deaths in Arizona fell by nearly a third in the first quarter of 2022, according to a new report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The agency says 190 people died on Arizona roads during the first quarter of the year — a 31% drop from the 277 killed during the same three-month stretch in 2021.
Arizona’s rates differ from the rest of the county, which saw a sharp increase in traffic fatalities during the same time period.
Experts say the uptick in deaths nationally could be the result of more people returning to the road post-pandemic in addition to higher speeds and more distracted and reckless drivers.