U.S. road deaths jump 10.4 percent in 2016

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct 5 (Reuters) - U.S. traffic deaths jumped 10.4 percent in the first six months of 2016, according to an estimate released Wednesday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The jump in the first half of the year follows a spike in 2015, when road deaths rose 7.2 percent, the highest full year increase since 1966. NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind called the rising deaths a "crisis" and urged swift actions to reverse the rising trend after years of declines.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) ((David.Shepardson@thomsonreuters.com; 2028988324;))

Keywords: USA TRAFFIC/