| paul123 |
US highway deaths hit 11-year high in 2001
By John Crawley
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Overall U.S. traffic fatalities rose slightly in 2001 to an 11-year high at more than 42,100 as motorists traveled 2.77 trillion miles, government statistics showed Wednesday.
Annual estimates released by the Transportation Department painted a mixed picture of highway safety. There was a clear reduction in overall injuries and child deaths, but little change in the number of alcohol-related fatalities. Pedestrian and motorcycle went up. Safety experts again said increased seat belt use would have saved thousands of lives.
"Though the loss of more than 42,000 people is unacceptable, the news about the nation's young people is positive," Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said in a statement. "Clearly, parents and caregivers are getting the message about the importance of proper restraints for children of all ages."
The number of motor vehicle crashes fell slightly to 6.32 million as the number of miles traveled rose incrementally over 2000.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said there were 37,795 crashes involving at least one fatality, Overall traffic deaths totaled 42,116 in 2001, up 0.4 percent from the 41,945 reported in 2000. The toll was the highest since 44,599 in 1990.
Traffic injuries declined 4.9 percent last year to 3.03 million.
About half of those killed in traffic accidents were riding in passenger cars. Roughly a quarter of all victims were in light trucks, including minivans, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles.
Jeffrey Runge, NHTSA administrator, said 60 percent of those killed in passenger vehicles were not wearing seat belts.
"There is no more effective safety device than a seat belt or child safety seat," said Runge, an emergency medicine physician. "It often makes the difference between life and death in a serious crash."
Regulators have eliminated long-term targets for seat belt use nationwide, wiping out a goal set by the Clinton administration of 90 percent by 2005. Runge said the standard was unworkable and told Congress earlier this year his agency would try for 78 percent by 2003.
The government traffic safety statistics also showed:
- Drunken driving deaths totaled 17,448, accounting for roughly 40 percent of all traffic fatalities last year. That was unchanged from 2000.
- The number of fatalities for children under 5 dropped 8.6 percent. There were 710 in 2000 compared to 649 in 2001. The number of fatalities for people 5 to 15 also dropped 8.6 percent from 2,121 in 2000 to 1,939 in 2001.
The numbers of traffic deaths for both groups was the lowest since the Transportation Department began recording those statistics in 1975.
Fatalities for teenagers also went down. |
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| paul123 |
Child Traffic Deaths at Record Low
.c The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of children who died in highway accidents last year was the lowest since the government started keeping records in 1975.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported Wednesday that 2,588 children under 16 died in highway accidents in 2001, fewer than original estimates released in April. Last year's figures represent an 8.6 percent decline from the previous record low of 2,831 children killed in 2000.
Many states now require children to be belted or ride in safety seats. Several automakers have developed programs to educate parents about proper use of restraints.
``Clearly, parents and caregivers are getting the message about the importance of proper restraints for children of all ages,'' Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said.
NHTSA said the overall number of traffic fatalities rose slightly, from 41,945 in 2000 to 42,116 in 2001.
The rate of alcohol-related deaths remained unchanged at 41 percent of all fatalities, or 17,448 deaths.
Motorcycle fatalities rose for the fourth straight year, to 3,181, the highest number in 11 years.
Motorcycle deaths reached their low point in 1997 with 2,116, or 21 deaths for every million miles driven. That was less than a third of the rate 20 years earlier.
The NHTSA figures are based on data collected by police at accident scenes nationwide. A preliminary tally was released in April.
On the Net:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov |
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| paul123 |
Traffic Deaths Glance
.c The Associated Press
Number of persons killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes, by
state:
State 2000 2001 Percent change<
Ala. 996 994 -0.2<
Alaska 106 85 -20.0<
Ariz. 1,036 1,048 1.2<
Ark. 652 611 -6.3<
Calif. 3,753 3,956 5.4<
Colo. 681 736 8.1<
Conn. 341 312 -8.5<
Del. 123 136 11.0 <
D.C. 48 68 42.0 <
Fla. 2,999 3,011 0.4<
Ga. 1,541 1,615 4.8<
Hawaii 132 140 6.1<
Idaho 276 259 -6.2 <
Ill. 1,418 1,414 -0.3<
Ind. 886 909 2.6 <
Iowa 445 447 0.4<
Kan. 461 494 7.2<
Ky. 820 845 3.0<
La. 938 954 1.7<
Maine 169 192 14.0 <
Md. 588 660 12.0 <
Mass. 433 477 10.0<
Mich. 1,382 1,328 -3.9<
Minn. 625 568 -9.1<
Miss. 949 784 -17.0<
Mo. 1,157 1,098 -5.1<
Mont. 237 230 -3.0<
Neb. 276 246 -11.0<
Nev. 323 313 -3.1<
N.H. 126 142 13.0<
N.J. 731 747 2.2<
N.M 432 463 7.2<
N.Y. 1,460 1,548 6.0<
N.C. 1,557 1,530 -1.7<
N.D. 86 105 22.0<
Ohio 1,366 1,378 0.9<
Okla. 650 676 4.0<
Ore. 451 488 8.2<
Pa. 1,520 1,530 0.7<
Puerto Rico 566 481 -15.0<
R.I. 80 81 1.3<
S.C. 1,065 1,059 -0.6<
S.D. 173 171 -1.2<
Tenn. 1,307 1,251 -4.3<
Texas 3,779 3,724 -1.5<
Utah 373 292 -22.0<
Vt. 76 92 21.0<
Va. 929 935 0.6<
Wash. 631 649 2.9<
W.Va. 411 376 -8.5<
Wis. 799 763 -4.5<
Wyo. 152 186 22.0 <
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |
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| jonnygoodboy |
quote:
Child Traffic Deaths at Record Low
Those child safety seats are really great. (How the heck did we all survive growing up rattling around in cars that often didn't even have seatbelts?)
My wife was in a car accident a few years ago with our (at the time) 1 year old son in the car seat. Combined speed of impact was about 45 mph. By the time I got there 20 minutes later, the boy was laughing and playing! No trauma. He enjoyed the fire trucks, paramedics, etc. One of the paramedics made the comment that with these 5-point restraint car seats, the kids in the seats are the safest in the vehicle. Hoorah!
(By the way, the Camry looked totalled, but wasn't. Runs great after repairs. The paramedics thought mommy was OK, but I took her to the ER to make sure. She's hard on cars -- I can't be quite sure how many scrapes the Camry's been in. Pretty tough car.) |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by jonnygoodboy
Those child safety seats are really great. (How the heck did we all survive growing up rattling around in cars that often didn't even have seatbelts?)
That's such a good question! I remember when I was about 12 riding in the back seat of my parent's car, when some idiot wasn't looking and glanced off the left front fender.
I was thrown to one side, and hit my forehead on a side pillar. No padding, just shiny chrome. I felt ok, just a little bump, but my parents took me to a hospital just to be sure it was not more serious.
I shudder to think what would have happened in a broadside or head-on collsion.. |
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| jonnygoodboy |
quote:
Originally posted by DaleB
...I was thrown to one side, and hit my forehead on a side pillar.
This explains a lot! :2: |
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| DaleB |
hahaha! They didn't know about long term effects, like excessive posting!!!
:D :D |
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