US Motor Vehicle Deaths Top 40,000 For Third Straight Year: National Safety Council

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Experts are offering simple suggestions that could save lives on the road. According to the National Safety Council, the number of motor vehicle deaths topped 40,000 for the third straight year in a row in 2018.

The National Safety Council says the biggest mistakes drivers make are distracted driving and getting behind the wheel after drinking.

It also said marijuana impairment is becoming a bigger concern as more states like California pass laws legalizing its use.

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"We've found that 13 percent of the drivers we surveyed that in the previous three months, they either used medical or recreational marijuana and driven their vehicle. So we know there is a significant problem," said Kelly Nantel, National Safety Council's vice president of communications and advocacy.

Nantel also says drivers can improve their own safety right away by buckling up and slowing down, especially in bad weather.