Philly traffic deaths drop as state hits historic low
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Traffic on the Schuylkill Expressway. Photo: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images
Pennsylvania recorded its fewest traffic deaths in nearly a century last year, but officials say many of those fatalities were preventable.
Why it matters: The milestone signals progress from the state's safety investments — yet about 1,000 people still die on our roads each year.
By the numbers: Pennsylvania saw more than 109,000 crashes, 979 of them fatal, last year, per state data. That's the second lowest total on record, after 2020, when fewer people were on the roads.
- The Commonwealth also recorded its lowest-ever number of deaths caused by impaired drivers (258) — nearly 100 fewer than 2024.
The downward trend is playing out locally: Philadelphia saw about 28% fewer fatal crashes last year (96), down from 133 in 2024, per state data.
- Of Philly's 7,000 total crashes last year, 270 involved impaired drivers.
- That's a big drop from 2019, when there were more than 11,100 total crashes, 660 of which involved suspected impaired drivers.
Between the lines: The improvement follows five years of unusually high fatal crashes in Philly, which were roughly 50% above the five-year average before 2020, per the latest Vision Zero report.
- Pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists made up a disproportionate share of deaths despite accounting for a fraction of crashes over that period.
- Crashes in Philly spike in the summer and winter — driven by higher traffic and hazardous weather — and are more frequent on weekends, per state data.
Reality check: Despite the improvement statewide, deaths tied to aggressive driving are up 31% since 2020 — though that baseline was unusually low during the pandemic.
- Bicyclist deaths rose from 19 in 2024 to 28 last year.
- Deaths involving drivers ages 65 to 74 also increased (162 in 2024 vs. 185 in 2025), as that driving population has increased nearly 25% over the past decade.
The big picture: PennDOT is spending more than $106 million on nearly 200 safety projects this year as it looks to continue driving down traffic deaths.
Through its Vision Zero program, Philadelphia has taken multiple steps over the last decade to make streets safer for motorists and pedestrians, including:
- Improvements along some of the city's most dangerous corridors;
- Installing nearly three dozen red-light cameras;
- Upgrading LED lighting on more than 130,000 streetlights;
- Adding traffic cushions and bike lanes.
What they're saying: Like Philadelphia, the state won't stop until it reaches zero deaths, PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll says.
- "Even one life lost is one too many."