The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has revealed an estimated 20,160 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of 2021.

The U.S. government notes this is an increase of 18.4% from 2020 and is the “largest number of projected fatalities in that time period since 2006.”

While the big year-over-year increase can partially be explained by people driving less last year due to the coronavirus, it doesn’t explain why the number has soared to its highest level in more than a decade. However, this could be explained by behavioral research findings released by the government that found “incidents of speeding and traveling without a seatbelt remain higher than during pre-pandemic times.”

Also Read: California Police Sees 87% Surge In Tickets For Speeding Over 100 MPH During Pandemic

Regardless of the cause, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said “this is a crisis” as “more than 20,000 people died on U.S. roads in the first six months of 2021, leaving countless loved ones behind.” Buttigieg added, “We cannot and should not accept these fatalities as simply a part of everyday life in America.”

His sentiments were echoed by NHTSA Deputy Administrator Dr. Steven Cliff, who called the Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Half of 2021 “sobering” and said it’s a “reminder of what hundreds of millions of people can do every day, right now, to combat this: Slow down, wear seat belts, drive sober, and avoid distractions behind the wheel.”

To combat the increase in fatalities, the Department of Transportation will unveil their first ever National Roadway Safety Strategy in January. Details are limited, but it promises to include a “comprehensive set of actions to significantly reduce serious injuries and deaths on our nation’s roadways.” They’re slated to target the “most significant and urgent problems” as they are expected to have the “most substantial impact” to improve safety.

While the plan is still being prepared, the Federal Highway Administration announced nine new “Proven Safety Countermeasures,” which are road design elements that have been shown to improve safety. Some of them will undoubtedly prove controversial as speed cameras are among them as are variable speed limits that can be lowered based on a variety of factors.