Traffic Deaths Are At A 20-Year High. What Makes Roads Safe (Or Not)?

Traffic fatalities have surged since the early days of the pandemic, reversing a persistent decline since the 1970s. Roads in the U.S. are now more dangerous than they've been in 20 years.

Vox's Marin Cogan tells us about the deadliest road in the country, a stretch of US-19 in Pasco County, Fla.

And we speak to Ryan Sharp, director of transportation and planning in Hoboken, N.J. That city has managed to bring traffic deaths to zero for the past four years.

This episode also features reporting from KCUR's Frank Morris.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Connor Donevan and Megan Lim. It was edited by Bridget Kelley, Cheryl Corley and Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.