US road safety continues to improve

Road safety continues to improve according to the latest figures from the US Department of Transportation. The recorded data shows that in 2009 the US had the lowest level of traffic fatalities since 1954.
February 7, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

Road safety continues to improve according to the latest figures from the 324 US Department of Transportation. The recorded data shows that in 2009 the US had the lowest level of traffic fatalities since 1954. This is the 15th consecutive year that fatality rates have fallen. The projected fatality data for 2009 places the highway death count at 33,963, a drop of 8.9% as compared to the 37,261 deaths reported in 2008. The fatality rate for 2009 declined to the lowest on record, to 1.16 fatalities per 160 million vehicle km travelled (VKT), down from 1.25 fatalities per 160 million VKT in 2008.

It is extremely significant too that fatality rates are now lower than in 1954, when significantly fewer vehicles were on the roads and when average speeds were lower. Some of these safety gains can be attributed to laws against drink driving, instalment and mandatory use of seatbelts and improved car design with the development of crumple zones and ABS brakes. However US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood cautioned, “There are still far too many people dying in traffic accidents. Drivers need to keep their hands on the steering wheel and their focus on the road in order to stay safe.”

The 834 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) attributes the decline in 2009 to a combination of factors that include: high visibility campaigns like Click It or Ticket to increase seat belt use, and Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest which helps with the enforcement of state laws to prevent drunk driving and distracted driving. In addition, the decline is also the result of safer roads, safer vehicles and motorists driving less. “This continuing decline in highway deaths is encouraging, but our work is far from over,” said NHTSA head David Strickland. “We want to see those numbers drop further. We will not stop as long as there are still lives lost on our nation’s highways. We must continue our efforts to ensure seat belts are always used and stay focused on reducing distracted and impaired driving.”

NHTSA annually collects crash statistics from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to produce annual reports on traffic fatality trends.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Broadband threat to GPS accuracy
    February 14, 2012
    A coalition of leading manufacturers, contractors and associations from various industries called the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) has sent an open letter to US Secretary for Transporation, Ray LaHood, expressing concerns over a major threat to GPS signal accuracy.
    Read More
  • Developments in travel information display systems
    August 1, 2012
    David Crawford looks at recent developments in travel information display systems. It is important to remember that we are investing in Real-Time Passenger Information [RTPI] to increase ridership," says Robert Burke, Managing Director of New Zealand transit tracking technology specialist Connexionz, which has been involved in at-stop and remote passenger information since 1995. "Superior information improves the perception of public transport reliability and gives the passenger more choices and greater con
    Read More
  • ITS events vital forum for networking, calls to action
    February 6, 2012
    Tom Kern, executive VP of ITS America, on why he believes events like the forthcoming ITS World Congress are so important for the industry
    Read More
  • ITS events vital forum for networking, calls to action
    January 20, 2012
    Tom Kern, executive VP of ITS America, on why he believes events like the forthcoming ITS World Congress are so important for the industry. This October's World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems is coming home. Home to Orlando, that is. The first America's-based World Congress took place in Orlando in 1996 and now, 15 years later, the sixth Americas World Congress and 18th overall returns just in time to see how far Florida has come in the deployment of ITS technologies helping to make for safe, mob
    Read More

Highlighted Content