One sort-of bright light amongst the dark — car wrecks are claiming less Americans, but it’s still economics.
Via SFGate:

‘The riskiest models also were mostly lower-priced, small cars, while the safest models were all mid-sized or large vehicles.’

Chances of dying in a car crash fell a third over three years, but that’s in late-model cars and trucks. And nine car models had zero deaths per million registered vehicles, still found on the cheap lots.

(Illustration found here).

Some insight from the CDC: ‘Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death a in the U.S. More than 2.5 million drivers and passengers were treated in emergency departments as the result of being injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2012. The economic impact is also notable: in a one-year period, the cost of medical care and productivity losses associated with injuries from motor vehicle crashes exceeded $80 billion.’

Greatest danger to ourselves, however, is ourselves.
From The Economist:

The suicide rate has risen from 11 per 100,000 people in 2005 to 13 seven years later.
In the time it takes you to read this article, six Americans will try to kill themselves; in another ten minutes one will succeed.
Over 40,000 Americans took their own lives in 2012 — more than died in car crashes — says the American Association of Suicidology.
Mondays in May see the most incidents.
The rates are highest in Wyoming and Montana, perhaps because guns—which are more effective than pills—are so common there.
Nationally, guns are used in half of all successful suicides.
…
The over-75s have historically been most likely to kill themselves, especially if they are lonely or ill.
But now it is the middle-aged who are most at risk.
In 2012 the suicide rate for Americans aged 45-54 was 20 per 100,000 — the highest rate of any age group.
For those aged 55-64 it was 18; for the over-65s it was 15.
The middle years can be stressful, because that is when people realise that their youthful ambitions will never be fulfilled.

Under those guidelines, ambition is a 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback.