Trego's Mountain Ear

The US murder rate has been rising again – What we know about the increase in U.S. murders in 2020 | Pew Research Center provides some basic data: 

The increases are continuing into 2023.  Still, viewing any topic in isolation can skew one’s perspective.  For example, the US 2020 murder rate was 7.8 per 100,000 people, while the suicide rate was 13.5 (per 100,000).  Drug overdoses came in at 27.1.  PEW also points out that the clearance rate dropped from 61% to 54% in 2020.  Their entire article is worth reading – go ahead and click on it – I’ll wait.

The US fatality rate for automobiles (2021) was 12.9 – higher than the murder rate, and just a touch less than the suicide rate.  Still, it varies – in Montana, it was 21.6.  In New Mexico, it was 22.7.  Rural states tend to have higher traffic fatalities – distance to care and less traveled roads tend to make accidents less forgiving.