Pandemic leads to increase in traffic deaths and decrease in police stops.

American roads are deadlier than before the pandemic, and some police think a pullback in traffic enforcement may be contributing to more reckless driving. Deaths spiked during 2020, and the fatality rate is still about 18% higher now than in 2019. High-profile deadly encounters during traffic stops have put pressure on many police departments not to pull cars over for minor violations. Some police departments have adopted formal policies limiting stops for minor violations, sometimes called "pretextual stops." However, many police believe letting drivers get away with small violations does make traffic more dangerous.