The US is seeing improvements in road safety overall, with a drop in road crash statistics for 2011. The data for 2011 is encouraging and the 2364 US Department of Transportation’s 2467 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a new analysis indicating that highway deaths fell to 32,367 in 2011. This marked the lowest level of road related fatalities since 1949, 1.9% decrease from the previous year. Furthermore, this updated 2011 data show the historic downward trend in recent years continued through last year and represent a 26% decline in traffic fatalities overall since 2005.
“The latest numbers show how the tireless work of our safety agencies and partners, coupled with significant advances in technology and continued public education, can really make a difference on our roadways,” said US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “As we look to the future, it will be more important than ever to build on this progress by continuing to tackle head-on issues like seat belt use, drunk driving, and driver distraction.”
While Americans drove shorter distances in 2011 than in 2010, 1.9% drop in roadway deaths outpaced the corresponding 1.2% decrease in distance travelled. Fatalities declined by 4.6% for occupants of passenger cars and light trucks (including SUVs, minivans and pickups). Deaths in crashes involving drunk drivers dropped 2.5% in 2011, taking 9,878 lives compared to 10,136 in 2010.
But fatalities increased among large truck occupants (20%), pedalcyclists (8.7%), pedestrians (3%), and motorcycle riders (2.1%). NHTSA is working with the4170 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to gather more detailed information on the large truck occupant crashes to better understand the increase in fatalities in 2011. And the number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes rose to 3,331 in 2011 from 3,267 in 2010, an increase of 1.9%. NHTSA believes this increase can be attributed in part to increased awareness and reporting.
An estimated 387,000 people were injured in distraction-affected crashes, a 7% decline from the estimated 416,000 people injured in such crashes in 2010. Thirty-six states experienced reductions in overall traffic fatalities, led by Connecticut (100 fewer fatalities), North Carolina (93 fewer), Tennessee (86 fewer), Ohio (64 fewer) and Michigan (53 fewer).
“In the past several decades, we’ve seen remarkable improvements in both the way motorists behave on our roadways and in the safety of the vehicles they drive, and we’re confident that NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings Program and nationwide collaborations like ‘Click It or Ticket’ and ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ have played a key role in making our roads safer,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “Even as we celebrate the progress we’ve made in recent years, we must remain focused on addressing the safety issues that are continuing to claim more than 30,000 lives each year.”
“The latest numbers show how the tireless work of our safety agencies and partners, coupled with significant advances in technology and continued public education, can really make a difference on our roadways,” said US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “As we look to the future, it will be more important than ever to build on this progress by continuing to tackle head-on issues like seat belt use, drunk driving, and driver distraction.”
While Americans drove shorter distances in 2011 than in 2010, 1.9% drop in roadway deaths outpaced the corresponding 1.2% decrease in distance travelled. Fatalities declined by 4.6% for occupants of passenger cars and light trucks (including SUVs, minivans and pickups). Deaths in crashes involving drunk drivers dropped 2.5% in 2011, taking 9,878 lives compared to 10,136 in 2010.
But fatalities increased among large truck occupants (20%), pedalcyclists (8.7%), pedestrians (3%), and motorcycle riders (2.1%). NHTSA is working with the
An estimated 387,000 people were injured in distraction-affected crashes, a 7% decline from the estimated 416,000 people injured in such crashes in 2010. Thirty-six states experienced reductions in overall traffic fatalities, led by Connecticut (100 fewer fatalities), North Carolina (93 fewer), Tennessee (86 fewer), Ohio (64 fewer) and Michigan (53 fewer).
“In the past several decades, we’ve seen remarkable improvements in both the way motorists behave on our roadways and in the safety of the vehicles they drive, and we’re confident that NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings Program and nationwide collaborations like ‘Click It or Ticket’ and ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ have played a key role in making our roads safer,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “Even as we celebrate the progress we’ve made in recent years, we must remain focused on addressing the safety issues that are continuing to claim more than 30,000 lives each year.”
