JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Motor vehicle fatalities in 2021 are trending higher than the previous two years, with 26 fatalities since Jan. 1.

There were nine fatalities for the same time period in 2020, while 2019 had 22 fatalities.

Preventable behavior such as not wearing a seat belt, driving under the influence, speeding, and lane departure contributes to motor vehicle fatalities in North Dakota.

While 2020 motor vehicle fatalities in North Dakota started lower than previous years, the final count for the year was 100, the same as the total number of fatalities in 2019.

Of the 100 fatalities in 2020:

42 were not wearing their seat belt, an increase of 23.5% from 2019.
39 were alcohol-related, a decrease of 13.3% from 2019.
25 were speed-related, an increase of 4.2% from 2019.
60 were lane departure-related, an increase of 11.1% from 2019.
17 were motorcyclists, an increase from 11 in 2019.
8 were pedestrians, an increase from 5 in 2019.

All North Dakotans can actively participate in Vision Zero by taking personal responsibility every time they travel by always wearing a seat belt, using appropriate child passenger safety seats, following all posted speed limits and driving sober and distraction-free.

Learn more about the Vision Zero strategy and its traffic safety campaigns at VisionZero.ND.gov.

Visit the North Dakota Crash Memorial Wall to view memorials built on the hope of preventing another death on North Dakota roads.