The trend of rising U.S. traffic deaths that began two years ago is continuing into 2022. Roadway deaths rose 7% during the first three months of the year to an estimated 9,560 people. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that's the highest number for a first quarter in two decades. Traffic deaths have risen ever since pandemic lockdowns eased in 2020 as people returned to work and started taking more road trips. The agency says people drove about 40 billion more miles in the first quarter than a year earlier, a 5.6% increase. The rate of traffic deaths per 100 million miles traveled also increased during the quarter from 1.25 deaths to 1.27, according to the agency. Before 2020, the number of fatalities had fallen for three straight years.