Utah's traffic fatality rate is among the nation's lowest

Utah saw a bigger drop in traffic fatalities last year than almost anywhere else in the nation, according to new federal data . It also had one of the lowest fatality rates per miles driven.

The intrigue: The decline came while the state was reeling from a huge spike in 2022 in pedestrian deaths in particular.

By the numbers: Road deaths dropped by more than 12% in 2023, the 7th-biggest decrease in the nation.

• The total fatality rate was the nation's 4th lowest, behind Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New Jersey.

Zoom in: According to state data , pedestrian deaths dropped more than 25%, from 54 to 40.

• Motorcycle deaths were down 14% and motorist deaths dropped from 200 to 187 — a 6.5% decline.
• Bicyclists, who account for the lowest number of road fatalities, dropped from 15 deaths to nine.

Catch up quick: Although motorist deaths peaked in 2021, non-motorists saw huge spikes in 2022 , with more cyclists and pedestrians killed than in any other year in at least a decade.

Yes, but: Drivers in Utah — and elsewhere — have become increasingly prone to road rage, with 47 encounters involving guns in the past decade.

• State lawmakers this year made it a criminal offense to lash out "with the intent to endanger or intimidate an individual in another vehicle" following an encounter in traffic.

What they're saying: If you're upset while driving, try "calming exercises like deep breathing, counting to 10, and reframing negative events to keep our cool," Amanda McNab, a social worker with the Huntsman Mental Health Institute said in January.

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