Report: Traffic deaths at lowest levels since 1950
Well, Tom Brady may have started out his day with a two-car wreck in Boston - a minivan ran a red light and smashed into his Audi sedan, according to reports - but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today that traffic fatalities are at their lowest levels in 60 years.
In 2009, the number of Americans dying on U.S highways fell to 33,808, down 9.7 percent from the previous year and the lowest tally since 1950.
Forty one states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, saw a decline in fatalities, led by Florida. Maryland had 547 traffic fatalities in 2009, compared with 591 in 2008, a decrease of 7.4 percent.
“At the Department of Transportation, we are laser-focused on our top priority: safety,” said Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “Today’s announcement shows that America’s roads are the safest they’ve ever been. But they must be safer. And we will not rest until they are.”
The report said traffic fatalities declined nationally across all categories of vehicles, including motorcycles. Motorcycle deaths fell for the first time in 11 years.
In addition to the drop in fatalities, the number of injuries decreased as did the number of alcohol-related fatalities. However, in Maryland, the number of alcohol-related fatalities actually increased by 12 percent - from 145 to 162. Other states that saw increases in alcohol related highway deaths included Vermont, Kansas, North Dakota, Rhode Island and Washington.
The nine states that saw an increase in highway traffic fatalities overall were Alaska, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Vermont.
Comments
When the State Highway Administration can get their head out of their ass and put in full stop lights at the rt 50/Sixty Foot Road intersection in Wicomico County -- the intersection where Sam Vincent was killed -- then maybe I will believe it.
But poor engineering choices by the SHA are still responsible for too many deaths.
Posted by: Gunpowder Chronicle | September 9, 2010 2:32 PM
Many predicted that with the increases in the speed limits nation wide the fatality's would increase.
Now we know how wrong they were
Possibly. But I also wonder about it having something to do with just fewer cars on the road since a lot of people don't have jobs=fewer commuters. -MDZ
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2010 3:49 PM
Wrecks are also more survivable today because of the engineering and safety features of more recent automobiles. And I dont necessarily disagree with the comment about highway speed limits, I think you will find that many of those wrecks occured on signalized thoroughfares and back roads.
Posted by: Pete | September 9, 2010 4:19 PM
The decrease in the absolute numbers is certainly good news but the deaths per XXX miles driven is critical too.
I agree with Gunpowder that SHA could do a lot to improve safety. Better engineering is important but many things would not cost much, just fix the signs and lane markings.
It has been pretty well documented, even on the SHA internet site, that speed does not cause crashes, speed differential does.
Posted by: John20723 | September 10, 2010 11:19 AM