July 22, 2020—The roads last May were eerily quiet as everyone was quarantining in their homes due to COVID-19. Despite the overwhelming number of isolating individuals, motor vehicle deaths saw an unprecedented spike in numbers.

The National Safety Council reported that fatality rates per mile driven in May jumped 23.5 percent compared to 2019. The increased rate comes in spite of an 8 percent drop in the number of deaths for the previous year, reports PR Newswire. 

In the first five months of the year, six states noted an increase in roadway deaths, while nine others noted a decrease. 

Image: National Safety Council