Highway Safety

MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a preliminary report that shows that 37,313 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008, down 9.1 percent from 41,059 in 2007.  2008 fatalities were at the lowest level since 1961. The fatality rate, measured as deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, was 1.28, the lowest rate ever recorded, and down from 1.36 in 2007. The number of vehicle miles traveled fell by about 3.6 percent in 2008 compared with 2007.

NHTSA property damage figures shown below are based on accidents reported to the police and do not include "fender bender" accidents.

 

Motor Vehicle Crashes, 1998-2007

MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES, 1998-2007

Year Fatal Injury Property damage only Total crashes
1998 37,107 2,028,941 4,268,525 6,334,573
1999 37,140 2,054,256 4,187,640 6,279,036
2000 37,526 2,069,905 4,286,194 6,393,624
2001 37,862 2,002,710 4,282,391 6,322,963
2002 38,491 1,928,984 4,348,233 6,315,708
2003 38,477 1,924,912 4,364,566 6,327,955
2004 38,444 1,861,617 4,280,966 6,181,027
2005 39,252 1,816,105 4,303,993 6,159,350
2006 38,648 1,745,924 4,188,641 5,973,213
2007 37,248 1,711,304 4,275,269 6,023,821
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Traffic Deaths, 1998-2007

TRAFFIC DEATHS, 1998-2007

Year Fatalities Annual percent change Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled Fatality rate per 100,000 registered vehicles
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 42,708 -1.8 1.42 16.99
2007 41,059 -3.9 1.37 15.93
NA=Data not available.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

  • The number of people injured in motor vehicle crashes fell by 3.3 percent from 2.575 million in 2006 to 2.491 million in 2007.
  • The injury rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled fell by 2.4 percent in 2007

 According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle occupants accounted for 74 percent of traffic deaths in 2007.  Motorcycle riders accounted for 13 percent of deaths. Pedestrians accounted for another 11 percent; pedalcyclists and other nonoccupants accounted for the remainder.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Deaths By State, 2006-2007

MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC DEATHS BY STATE, 2006-2007

  Number of deaths 
State 2006 2007 Percent change
Alabama  1,207 1,110 -8.0%
Alaska  74 84 14.0
Arizona  1,293 1,066 -18.0
Arkansas  665 650 -2.3
California  4,240 3,974 -6.3
Colorado  535 554 3.6
Connecticut  311 277 -11.0
Delaware  148 117 -21.0
D.C. 37 44 19.0
Florida  3,357 3,214 -4.3
Georgia  1,693 1,641 -3.1
Hawaii  161 138 -14.0
Idaho  267 252 -5.6
Illinois  1,254 1,249 -0.4
Indiana  902 898 -0.4
Iowa  439 445 1.4
Kansas  468 416 -11.0
Kentucky 913 864 -5.4
Louisiana  987 985 -0.2
Maine  188 183 -2.7
Maryland  652 614 -5.8
Massachusetts  429 417 -2.8
Michigan  1,086 1,088 0.2
Minnesota  494 504 2.0
Mississippi  911 884 -3.0
Missouri  1,096 992 -9.5
Montana  264 277 4.9
Nebraska  269 256 -4.8
Nevada  431 373 -13.0
New Hampshire  127 129 1.6
New Jersey 771 724 -6.1
New Mexico  484 413 -15.0
New York  1,454 1,333 -8.3
North Carolina  1,554 1,675 7.8
North Dakota  111 111 0.0
Ohio  1,238 1,257 1.5
Oklahoma  765 754 -1.4
Oregon 478 455 -4.8
Pennsylvania  1,525 1,491 -2.2
Rhode Island  81 69 -15.0
South Carolina  1,045 1,066 2.0
South Dakota  191 146 -24.0
Tennessee  1,284 1,210 -5.8
Texas  3,531 3,363 -4.8
Utah  287 299 4.2
Vermont  87 66 -24.0
Virginia  962 1,027 6.8
Washington  633 568 -10.0
West Virginia  410 431 5.1
Wisconsin  724 756 4.4
Wyoming 195 150 -23.0
United States 42,708 41,059 -3.9%

 

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Motor Vehicle Deaths Per 100,000 Persons By Age, 2007
Motor Vehicle Deaths Per 100,000 Persons By Age, 2007

Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Sex Of Drivers Involved In Crashes, 1998-2007 (1)

SEX OF DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES, 1998-2007 (1)

  Fatal crashes       Injury crashes      
  Male  Female   Male   Female  
Year Number Rate (2)    Number Rate (2) Number Rate (2)    Number   Rate (2) 
1998 40,433 43.47 14,967 16.30 2,157,635 2,319 1,576,387 1,717
1999 40,639 43.16 14,717 15.83 2,133,988 2,267 1,609,119 1,730
2000 41,443 43.27 14,682 15.48 2,192,408 2,289 1,572,734 1,659
2001 41,548 43.38 14,829 15.53 2,089,927 2,182 1,546,973 1,620
2002 41,995 43.03 14,876 15.34 2,000,043 2,049 1,481,476 1,528
2003 42,177 42.95 15,106 15.43 1,989,702 2,026 1,524,785 1,557
2004 41,876 42.06 15,272 15.38 1,911,852 1,920 1,482,315 1,493
2005 42,947 42.84 14,967 14.92 1,836,711 1,832 1,425,161 1,421
2006 41,912 41.49 14,661 14.43 1,762,552 1,745 1,387,324 1,366
2007 40,804 39.82 14,099 13.65 1,719,000 1,677 1,339,000 1,296

SEX OF DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES, 1998-2007 (1) (cont'd)

SEX OF DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES, 1998-2007 (1) (cont'd)

  Property damage-only crashes    Total crashes   
  Male  Female   Male   Female  
Year Number Rate (2) Number Rate (2) Number Rate (2) Number

Rate (2)
1998 4,634,026 4,982 2,902,443 3,162 6,832,094 7,345 4,493,797 4,895
1999 4,508,593 4,789 2,800,178 3,011 6,683,220 7,099 4,424,014 4,758
2000 4,558,957 4,760 2,903,579 3,062 6,792,808 7,092 4,490,995 4,737
2001 4,517,730 4,717 2,903,319 3,041 6,649,205 6,942 4,465,121 4,677
2002 4,436,198 4,545 2,999,111 3,093 6,478,236 6,638 4,495,463 4,636
2003 4,527,515 4,610 3,019,961 3,084 6,559,394 6,679 4,559,852 4,657
2004 4,404,779 4,424 3,037,126 3,058 6,358,507 6,387 4,534,713 4,566
2005 4,357,188 4,347 3,007,038 2,998 6,236,846 6,222 4,447,166 4,435
2006 4,232,184 4,190 2,967,964 2,922 6,036,648 5,976 4,369,949 4,302
2007 4,345,000 4,241 3,066,000 2,968 6,105,000 5,968 4,418,000 4,278
(1) Drivers age 16 and over, including motorcycle riders and restricted and graduated drivers license holders in some states.
(2) Rate per 100,000 licensed drivers.

Source:  U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Driving Behaviors Reported For Drivers And Motorcycle Operators Involved In Fatal Crashes, 2007

DRIVING BEHAVIORS REPORTED FOR DRIVERS AND MOTORCYCLE OPERATORS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES, 2007

Behavior Number Percent
Failure to keep in proper lane or running off road 15,571 28.0%
Driving too fast for conditions or in excess of posted speed limit or racing 11,948 21.5
Under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication 7,551 13.6
Inattentive (talking, eating, etc.) 4,704 8.4
Failure to yield right of way 4,004 7.2
Overcorrecting/oversteering 2,465 4.4
Failure to obey traffic signs, signals, or officer 2,423 4.4
Swerving or avoiding due to wind, slippery surface, other vehicle, object, nonmotorist on roadway, etc. 2,106 3.8
Operating vehicle in erratic, reckless, careless or negligent manner 1,857 3.3
Making improper turn 1,621 2.9
Vision obscured (rain, snow, glare, lights, building, trees, etc.) 1,481 2.7
Drowsy, asleep, fatigued, ill, or blacked-out 1,404 2.5
Driving wrong way in one-way traffic or on wrong side of road 693 1.2
Other factors 9,303 16.7
None reported 19,030 34.2
Unknown 738 1.3
Total Drivers (1) 55,681 100.0%

(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.