Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterTraffic is pictured at twilight along 42nd St. in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo AllegriWASHINGTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - U.S. traffic deaths rose 0.5% in the first half of 2022 to 20,175, the highest number killed in the period since 2006, according to an early estimate released by U.S. regulators. Traffic deaths have jumped after pandemic lockdowns ended as more drivers engaged in unsafe behavior. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterNHTSA research indicates incidents of speeding and traveling without wearing seatbelts were higher than before the pandemic. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Marguerita ChoyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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