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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 18 May 2022
Nearly 43,000 people died on U.S. roads last year, agency says

Continued from Front while motorcycle deaths
were up 9% and deaths of
Preliminary figures released bicyclists rose 5%. Fatalities
Tuesday by the agency involving speeding driv-
show that 42,915 people ers and deaths in alcohol-
died in traffic crashes last related crashes each were
year, up from 38,824 in up 5%.
2020. Final figures will be re- Government estimates
leased in the fall. show the rate of road
Forty-four states as well as deaths declined slightly
the District of Columbia from 2020. Last year there
and Puerto Rico had in- were 1.33 deaths per 100
creases in traffic deaths million vehicle miles trav-
in 2021 compared to the eled, compared with 1.34
previous year, led by Tex- in 2020. The fatality rate
as, California and Florida. rose in the first quarter of
Posting declines were Wyo- last year, but declined the
ming, Nebraska, Wiscon- rest of the year, NHTSA said.
sin, Maryland and Maine. Traffic deaths began to
Rhode Island’s figures were spike in 2020. NHTSA has
unchanged. blamed reckless driving
Americans drove about behavior for increases dur-
325 billion more miles last ing the pandemic, citing
year, 11.2% higher than in Traffic flows along Interstate 90 highway as a Metra suburban commuter train moves along an behavioral research show-
2020, which contributed to elevated track in Chicago on March 31, 2021. Associated Press ing that speeding and trav-
the increase. eling without a seat belt
Nearly 118 people died in drugs, and distracted driv- es, NHTSA reported. Crash- fatalities among drivers 65 have been higher. Before
U.S. traffic crashes every ing, as well as “roads de- es occurring during out of and older rose 14%. 2020, the number of fa-
day last year, according to signed for speed instead state travel jumped 15%, Fatalities involving at least talities had fallen for three
the agency’s figures. The of safety.” The combina- compared to 2020, many one big truck were up 13%, straight years.q
Governors Highway Safety tion, the group said, “has of them on rural interstate
Association, a group of wiped out a decade and a roads or access roads off
state traffic safety officials, half of progress in reducing city highways. Fatalities in
blamed the increase on traffic crashes, injuries and urban areas and deaths
dangerous behavior such deaths.” in multi-vehicle crashes
as speeding, driving while Deaths last year increased each rose 16%. Pedestrian
impaired by alcohol and in almost all types of crash- deaths were up 13%, while

Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray points to a video
display of a UAP during a hearing of the House Intelligence,
Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation
Subcommittee hearing on “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena,” on
Capitol Hill, Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Washington.
Associated Press
Congress dives into UFOs, but
no signs of extraterrestrials

By NOMAAN MERCHANT has officially labeled “un-
Associated Press identified aerial phenom-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- ena.”
gress held its first hearing in Ronald Moultrie, the un-
half a century Tuesday on dersecretary of defense for
unidentified flying objects. intelligence, said the Pen-
And no, there is still no gov- tagon was also trying to
ernment confirmation of destigmatize the issue and
extraterrestrial life. Testify- encourage pilots and other
ing before a House Intel- military personnel to report
ligence subcommittee, anything unusual they see.
Pentagon officials did not “We want to know what’s
disclose additional infor- out there as much as you
mation from their ongoing want to know what’s out
investigation of hundreds there,” Moultrie told law-
of unexplained sightings in makers, adding that he
the sky. But they said they was a fan of science fiction
had picked a director for himself. “We get the ques-
a new task force to coordi- tions not just from you. We
nate data collection efforts get it from family and we
on what the government get them night and day.”q