For decades, it seemed like Americans were becoming better drivers.

There was a noticeable downward trend in the number of mortar vehicle fatalities for decades.

But in recent years, those numbers have started to go back up.

In 2022, there were around 46,000 highway fatalities in the United States, up 22% from the year before.

So why are we becoming worst drivers and what can we do?

Oh, wait, hold on, hold on.

Sorry about that.

Wait, where were we again?

I'm Gustavo Ariano.

You're listening to the Times.

Essential news from the LA Times.

It's Monday, April 24, 2023.

Today, how we've become worst drivers and what's being done to reverse this trend.

Thank you. and what's being done to reverse this trend. Here to talk about all this is my LA Times colleague who covers the auto industry, Russ Mitchell.

Russ, welcome to the Times.

Glad to be here.

More than 46,000 people lost their lives on the road in 2022. That's a horrible stat. But how does that compare to previous years?

It's up 22% from 2021. And it's been in the upper 30s for quite a while now because during the pandemic there

were so few people on the road of course there were fewer accidents and that caused the fatality

growth rate to go down but since things have opened up it's just exploded from the high

30,000's up to 46,000. That's a pretty steep climb.

In the 60s, in the 70s and even into the 80s, it was going up and up and up, and the government

...