The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that U.S. traffic deaths have fallen for the second straight year and are anticipated to continue to decline in 2019, according to a new report.
About the Report
The new report was compiled by using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The federal agency also introduced its new Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool, a unique crash query tool that allows users to find data related to fatal accidents and also generate estimates of crashes.
Report Findings
According to the most recent report, 36,560 people died in traffic collisions in 2018. This represented a significant decline of 2.4% of the number of traffic-related fatalities in 2017 despite a slight uptick in miles driven for the year. In 2017, 37,473 people died in traffic collisions. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled decreased by a total of 3.4% in 2018, the lowest rate since 2014. The numbers are promising after an uptick in traffic fatalities during the last few years were attributed to people driving more due to an improved economy.
Collisions resulting in fatalities in the following vehicles dropped in 2018:
- Motorcycles
- Passenger cars
- Sports utility vehicles
- Vans
- Pickup trucks
The report also aggregated data for 2019 and calculated that approximately 16,890 people have died in traffic incidents in 2019, a 3.4% decline from the same time period a year before.
Other promising findings reported by the NHTSA include:
- Motorcycle accident fatalities declined by 4.7%
- Drunk driving fatalities declined by 3.6%
- Speeding-related fatalities declined by 5.7%
- Fatalities among children 14 and younger declined by 10.3%
- Fatalities attributed to distracted driving decreased by 12.4% from 2017
Reasons for the Decline in Traffic Fatalities
In his statement, the acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, James Owens, said that new vehicles are safer than older ones. When collisions occur, new vehicles have advanced safety technology that reduces the severity of crashes. Additionally, technology such as lane departure assistance or automatic emergency braking help prevent accidents from occurring in the first place. Air bags and electronic stability control have also helped reduce the number of traffic fatalities.
The NHTSA administrator also pointed to work with local governments and safety advocates to prevent impaired driving, distracted driving and speeding, as well as increase seat belt use.
Room for Improvement
Unfortunately, not all of the report’s news was positive. Administrators found that the number of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities increased to the highest number of fatalities in 28 years. Pedestrian deaths increased by 3.4% to 6,283 fatalities and cyclist deaths rose by 6.3% to 857. Specifically, the report demonstrated:
- 76% of pedestrian fatalities occurred after dark
- 38% of pedestrians had some alcohol in their system at the time of fatal accidents
- 74% of collisions did not occur at intersections
- 50% of cyclist fatalities occurred after dark
- 26% of cyclists had some alcohol in their system at the time of fatal accidents
- 60% of cyclist fatalities did not occur at intersections
The organization said that it is considering the role of SUVs which may make spotting pedestrians and cyclists more difficult and including new technologies in vehicles like pedestrian detection systems.
Additionally, 885 people were killed in large trucks, the highest number since 1988. Crashes involving large trucks were responsible for the death of 4,951 people in 2018. The number of fatalities involving large trucks has increased by 46.5% over the last ten years. However, the federal government is currently considering making changes that would allow commercial drivers to work 17 hours in one day and would remove a required 30-minute break, changes that many safety experts anticipate will increase the number of fatigue-related crashes.
Additionally, the NHTSA points out that all traffic crashes are preventable, so much work remains to be completed to make the country’s roads safer for all motorists. Currently, the NHTSA does not require that new vehicles be equipped with automatic emergency braking or that commercial trucks be equipped with electronic speed limiters, which would help prevent accidents.
Help for Accident Victims
Individuals who are injured in traffic accidents may sustain significant damages, including medical expenses, property damage, lost wages and pain and suffering. They may be able to file a claim against the at-fault driver to recover compensation for these damages. An experienced personal injury lawyer can assist with this process, conduct an investigation to determine how the accident occurred and handle communications with the insurance company. He or she can negotiate on your behalf for maximum compensation. Talk to one of our knowledgeable lawyers during a free consultation where you learn about your rights and the potential value of your claim.
