North Dakota DOT Reports Lowest Traffic Fatalities in 2024

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — This week marks the unofficial start of summer travel and the start where traffic fatalities tend to rise. But according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation, those numbers have been at its lowest in over 24 years.

“A large drop from one hundred and six fatalities the year before in 2023. Like I said, the lowest in 24 years. It’s very exciting. It really helps us realize that our work is impacting the communities and also drives us to continue to lower this number,” said Lauren Wahlman, Safety Public Information Program Manager for the North Dakota Department of Transportation.

Initial data so far reports 89 people, including drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, lost their lives on North Dakota roads.

Wahlman shares that the past few years’ decrease in fatality numbers has been from the push in education and new laws the DOT has pushed out to the public.

“We had a primary seatbelt law passed. And that was implemented in August of 2023. So now it is a law for everyone in the car to be wearing a seatbelt no matter what your position is in the vehicle, front or back seat, and no matter what your age is. So that has been impactful, but then we’re also seeing a decrease in impaired driving crashes,” said Wahlman.

While the numbers have shown a decrease, DOT officials want to remind people that this is still an issue.

“We need to see everyone buckled. Every seat, every trip, every time. We need to see more people choosing to drive sober and distraction-free. Putting children in the appropriate child safety seats. And then follow posted speed limits. These are all items that are under our control because these fatalities are largely preventable,” said Wahlman.