Highway Safety
 |
MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 42,642 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2006, down 2.0 percent from 43,510 in 2005. However, fatalities from alcohol-related crashes rose slightly from 17,590 in 2005 to 17,602 in 2006 up 0.1 percent. Motorcycle deaths rose for the ninth consecutive year to 4,810, up 5.1 percent in 2005. NHTSA property damage figures are based on accidents reported to the police and do not include "fender bender" accidents.
| |
|
MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES, 1997-2006
Year |
Fatal |
Injury (1) |
Property damage only (1) |
Total crashes (1) |
| 1997 | 37,324 | 2,149,000 | 4,438,000 | 6,624,324 |
| 1998 | 37,107 | 2,029,000 | 4,269,000 | 6,335,107 |
| 1999 | 37,140 | 2,054,000 | 4,188,000 | 6,279,140 |
| 2000 | 37,526 | 2,070,000 | 4,286,000 | 6,393,526 |
| 2001 | 37,862 | 2,003,000 | 4,282,000 | 6,322,862 |
| 2002 | 38,491 | 1,929,000 | 4,348,000 | 6,315,491 |
| 2003 | 38,477 | 1,925,000 | 4,365,000 | 6,328,477 |
| 2004 | 38,444 | 1,862,000 | 4,281,000 | 6,181,444 |
| 2005 | 39,252 | 1,816,000 | 4,304,000 | 6,159,252 |
| 2006 | 38,588 | 1,746,000 | 4,189,000 | 5,973,588 |
|
(1) Estimated.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. |
| |
|
TRAFFIC DEATHS, 1997-2006
Year |
Fatalities |
Annual percent change |
Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled |
Fatality rate per 100,000 registered vehicles |
| 1997 | 42,013 | -0.1% | 1.64 | 20.64 |
| 1998 | 41,501 | -1.2 | 1.58 | 19.95 |
| 1999 | 41,717 | 0.5 | 1.55 | 19.61 |
| 2000 | 41,945 | 0.5 | 1.53 | 19.33 |
| 2001 | 42,196 | 0.6 | 1.51 | 19.07 |
| 2002 | 43,005 | 1.9 | 1.51 | 19.06 |
| 2003 | 42,884 | -0.3 | 1.48 | 18.59 |
| 2004 | 42,836 | -0.1 | 1.44 | 18.00 |
| 2005 | 43,510 | 1.4 | 1.46 | 17.71 |
| 2006 | 42,642 | -2.0 | 1.41 | 16.96 |
|
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. |
| - The number of people injured in motor vehicle crashes fell by 4.6 percent from 2.7 million in 2005 to 2.6 million in 2006.
- The injury rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled and per 100,000 registered vehicles fell by 5.6 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively, in 2006.
| |
|
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle occupants accounted for 75 percent of traffic deaths in 2006. Pedestrians accounted for 11 percent of deaths. Motorcycle riders accounted for another 11 percent; pedalcyclists and other nonoccupants accounted for the remainder.
| |
|
MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC DEATHS BY STATE, 2005-2006
|
Number of deaths |
|
State |
2005 |
2006 |
Percent change, 2005-2006 |
| Alabama | 1,148 | 1,208 | 5.2% |
| Alaska | 73 | 74 | 1.4 |
| Arizona | 1,179 | 1,288 | 9.2 |
| Arkansas | 654 | 665 | 1.7 |
| California | 4,333 | 4,236 | -2.2 |
| Colorado | 606 | 535 | -12.0 |
| Connecticut | 278 | 301 | 8.3 |
| Delaware | 133 | 148 | 11.0 |
| D.C. | 48 | 37 | -23.0 |
| Florida | 3,518 | 3,374 | -4.1 |
| Georgia | 1,729 | 1,693 | -2.1 |
| Hawaii | 140 | 161 | 15.0 |
| Idaho | 275 | 267 | -2.9 |
| Illinois | 1,363 | 1,254 | -8.0 |
| Indiana | 938 | 899 | -4.2 |
| Iowa | 450 | 439 | -2.4 |
| Kansas | 428 | 468 | 9.3 |
| Kentucky | 985 | 913 | -7.3 |
| Louisiana | 963 | 982 | 2.0 |
| Maine | 169 | 188 | 11.0 |
| Maryland | 614 | 651 | 6.0 |
| Massachusetts | 441 | 430 | -2.5 |
| Michigan | 1,129 | 1,085 | -3.9 |
| Minnesota | 559 | 494 | -12.0 |
| Mississippi | 931 | 911 | -2.1 |
| Missouri | 1,257 | 1,096 | -13.0 |
| Montana | 251 | 263 | 4.8 |
| Nebraska | 276 | 269 | -2.5 |
| Nevada | 427 | 432 | 1.2 |
| New Hampshire | 166 | 127 | -23.0 |
| New Jersey | 747 | 772 | 3.3 |
| New Mexico | 488 | 484 | -0.8 |
| New York | 1,434 | 1,456 | 1.5 |
| North Carolina | 1,547 | 1,559 | 0.8 |
| North Dakota | 123 | 111 | -9.8 |
| Ohio | 1,321 | 1,238 | -6.3 |
| Oklahoma | 803 | 765 | -4.7 |
| Oregon | 487 | 477 | -2.1 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,616 | 1,525 | -5.6 |
| Rhode Island | 87 | 81 | -6.9 |
| South Carolina | 1,094 | 1,037 | -5.2 |
| South Dakota | 186 | 191 | 2.7 |
| Tennessee | 1,270 | 1,287 | 1.3 |
| Texas | 3,536 | 3,475 | -1.7 |
| Utah | 282 | 287 | 1.8 |
| Vermont | 73 | 87 | 19.0 |
| Virginia | 947 | 963 | 1.7 |
| Washington | 649 | 630 | -2.9 |
| West Virginia | 374 | 410 | 9.6 |
| Wisconsin | 815 | 724 | -11.0% |
| Wyoming | 170 | 195 | 15.0 |
| United States | 43,510 | 42,642 | -2.0% |
| Note: The number of deaths reported here may differ from the number reported elsewhere due to timing differences in reporting deaths associated with earlier crashes.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. |
| |
|
DRIVERS IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES BY AGE, 2006
Age group |
Number of licensed drivers |
Percent of total |
Drivers in fatal crashes |
Involvement rate (1) |
Drivers in all crashes |
Involvement rate (1) |
| Under 16 | 211,351 | 0.1% | 275 | NA | 151,000 | NA |
| 16-20 | 12,778,636 | 6.3 | 7,286 | 57.02 | 1,600,000 | 12,522 |
| 21-24 | 17,061,951 | 8.4 | 6,454 | 46.77 | 1,127,000 | 8,168 |
| 25-34 | 35,494,949 | 17.5 | 11,223 | 31.62 | 2,130,000 | 6,001 |
| 35-44 | 39,998,816 | 19.7 | 10,310 | 25.78 | 1,968,000 | 4,920 |
| 45-54 | 40,462,007 | 20.0 | 9,201 | 22.74 | 1,805,000 | 4,460 |
| 55-64 | 29,929,733 | 14.8 | 5,864 | 19.59 | 983,000 | 3,283 |
| 65-74 | 17,009,811 | 8.4 | 3,022 | 17.77 | 468,000 | 2,752 |
| Over 74 | 13,125,655 | 6.5 | 2,954 | 22.50 | 326,000 | 2,481 |
| Total | 202,810,438 | 100.0% | 57,695 (2) | 28.45 | 10,558,000 | 5,206 |
(1) Per 100,000 licensed drivers.
(2) Includes 1,065 drivers of unknown age.
NA=Not applicable.
Source: U.S Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Administration; Federal Highway Administration. |
| |
|
MOTOR VEHICLE DEATHS
PER 100,000 PERSONS BY AGE, 2006
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
| |
|
SEX OF DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES, 1997-2006 (1)
|
Fatal crashes |
Injury crashes |
|
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Year |
Number |
Rate (2) |
Number |
Rate (2) |
Number |
Rate (2) |
Number |
Rate (2) |
| 1997 | 40,594 | 44.18 | 14,816 | 16.32 | 2,296,000 | 2,499 | 1,643,000 | 1,809 |
| 1998 | 40,433 | 43.47 | 14,967 | 16.30 | 2,158,000 | 2,319 | 1,576,000 | 1,717 |
| 1999 | 40,639 | 43.16 | 14,717 | 15.83 | 2,134,000 | 2,267 | 1,609,000 | 1,730 |
| 2000 | 41,443 | 43.27 | 14,682 | 15.48 | 2,192,000 | 2,289 | 1,573,000 | 1,659 |
| 2001 | 41,548 | 43.38 | 14,829 | 15.53 | 2,090,000 | 2,182 | 1,547,000 | 1,620 |
| 2002 | 41,995 | 43.03 | 14,876 | 15.34 | 2,000,000 | 2,049 | 1,481,000 | 1,528 |
| 2003 | 42,177 | 42.95 | 15,106 | 15.43 | 1,990,000 | 2,026 | 1,525,000 | 1,557 |
| 2004 | 41,876 | 42.06 | 15,272 | 15.38 | 1,912,000 | 1,920 | 1,482,000 | 1,493 |
| 2005 | 42,947 | 42.84 | 14,967 | 14.92 | 1,837,000 | 1,832 | 1,425,000 | 1,421 |
| 2006 | 41,659 | 41.24 | 14,562 | 14.33 | 1,763,000 | 1,745 | 1,387,000 | 1,366 |
|
|
| |
|
|
Property damage-only crashes |
Total crashes |
|
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Year |
Number |
Rate (2) |
Number |
Rate (2) |
Number |
Rate (2) |
Number |
Rate (2) |
| 1997 | 4,808,000 | 5,232 | 2,967,000 | 3,268 | 7,144,594 | 7,775 | 4,624,816 | 5,094 |
| 1998 | 4,634,000 | 4,982 | 2,902,000 | 3,162 | 6,832,433 | 7,345 | 4,492,967 | 4,894 |
| 1999 | 4,509,000 | 4,789 | 2,800,000 | 3,011 | 6,683,639 | 7,099 | 4,423,717 | 4,757 |
| 2000 | 4,559,000 | 4,760 | 2,904,000 | 3,062 | 6,792,443 | 7,092 | 4,491,682 | 4,737 |
| 2001 | 4,518,000 | 4,717 | 2,903,000 | 3,041 | 6,649,548 | 6,943 | 4,464,829 | 4,677 |
| 2002 | 4,436,000 | 4,545 | 2,999,000 | 3,093 | 6,477,995 | 6,638 | 4,494,876 | 4,635 |
| 2003 | 4,528,000 | 4,610 | 3,020,000 | 3,084 | 6,560,177 | 6,680 | 4,560,106 | 4,657 |
| 2004 | 4,405,000 | 4,424 | 3,037,000 | 3,058 | 6,358,876 | 6,387 | 4,534,272 | 4,566 |
| 2005 | 4,357,000 | 4,347 | 3,007,000 | 2,998 | 6,236,947 | 6,222 | 4,446,967 | 4,434 |
| 2006 | 4,232,000 | 4,190 | 2,968,000 | 2,922 | 6,036,659 | 5,976 | 4,369,562 | 4,301 |
(1) Drivers age 16 and over.
(2) Rate per 100,000 licensed drivers.
Source: U.S Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Administration. |
| |
|
DRIVING BEHAVIORS REPORTED FOR DRIVERS AND MOTORCYCLE OPERATORS
INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES, 2006 (1)
Behavior |
Number |
Percent |
| Failure to keep in proper lane or running off road | 16,470 | 28.5% |
| Driving too fast for conditions or in excess of posted speed limit or racing | 12,262 | 21.3 |
| Under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication | 7,349 | 12.7 |
| Inattentive (talking, eating, etc.) | 4,560 | 7.9 |
| Failure to yield right of way | 4,238 | 7.3 |
| Overcorrecting/oversteering | 2,450 | 4.2 |
| Failure to obey traffic signs, signals, or officer | 2,408 | 4.2 |
| Swerving or avoiding due to wind, slippery surface, other vehicle, object, nonmotorist on roadway, etc. | 2,162 | 3.7 |
| Operating vehicle in erratic, reckless, careless or negligent manner | 2,086 | 3.6 |
| Vision obscured (rain, snow, glare, lights, building, trees, etc.) | 1,545 | 2.7 |
| Making improper turn | 1,526 | 2.6 |
| Drowsy, asleep, fatigued, ill, or blacked-out | 1,480 | 2.6 |
| Driving wrong way on one-way traffic or wrong side of road | 762 | 1.3 |
| Other factors | 9,426 | 16.3 |
| None reported | 19,990 | 34.6 |
| Unknown | 1,011 | 1.8 |
| Total Drivers | 57,695 | 100.0 |
| (1) The sum of the numbers and percentages is greater than total drivers as more than one factor may be present for the same driver.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. |
| |
| |
|
