Traffic fatalities drop again, but the work remains

I have mixed feelings today as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration releases preliminary information about road fatalities in 2009.

Read ABC coverage: "Officials Cite Education, Economy for Driving Deaths Hitting Record Lows"

First, I recognize that the data NHTSA collected indicate a positive trend:

• A decline in highway deaths of  8.9% from 2008 to 2009
• The lowest fatality rate--1.16 deaths for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled--on record
• The lowest overall number of deaths--33,963--since 1954
• 15 straight quarters of decline in the number of overall roadway deaths

Like NHTSA Administrator David Strickland, I am extremely encouraged by the news that the trend toward greater road safety continues.

But, I am also disturbed that we are still talking about nearly 34,000 preventable deaths a year. There are still too many people dying in traffic accidents every year. Just too many.

Now, we think that NHTSA's safety campaigns are working very well.

We've worked hard to make sure drivers are getting our "Click it or Ticket" and "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" messages on seat-belt use and impaired driving. And I have been on a personal tear to raise awareness about distracted driving. Our roads are safer; our vehicles are safer; and people are driving less.

But our work is far from over. We will be breaking down the numbers over the next few months to see where we have the best opportunities to reduce the number of traffic deaths even further.

Because, although these numbers are moving in the right direction, we won't rest while there are still deaths on America's roads.

Remember, we all have work to do. So please, buckle up, put away your mobile devices, and keep your mind on the road. I want everyone to get home safely.

Comments

[Tom West]

Given the population of the US, that means the average American has about a 1 in 10,000 chance of dieing a traffic accident each year. In the UK, the figure is better than 1 in 20,000. Given this, will the DoT do more learn from other countries?

[mcas]

Most people wouldn't feel comfortable operating a forklift (top speed 10 MPH) but somehow the DOT encourages them to drive a similar vehicle at 60 MPH. meanwhile, you blog under the name 'FAST LANE'. Your department's investments and projects seem to encourage high-speed driving with pithy catchphrases to limit liability.

[Evan]

Does this include pedestrian deaths by car, or just people in cars?

[David Knight]

According to NHTSA's March 2010 Crash.Stats, 33,963 fatalities is a STATISTICAL PROJECTION--not actual number. It would be great to see us come down 25% in 4 years. Prove it, first.

[Chris Ratekin]

My question is--where are the fatalities of bicyclists and pedestrians with vehicles reflected (i.e., nonoccupants)? It doesn't appear here and might be especially telling vs. non-occupant miles traveled.

[Richard Leatherwood]

The problem with passing laws banning texting and cell phone use is the police do nothing to enforce the laws.
I see hundreds of text and cell calls daily and police just driving past those doing it... It a complete joke here in NJ....
I sit in a coffeeshop here in Ridgewood Nj watching as an officer sits in his car as drivers blast through crosswalks, make "California Stops" at stop signs and text & are on the phone... yet, there he sits....

[Howell Jones]

Mr. La Hood, Congratulations on the decrease of highway deaths in the country. I agree there is more that can be done. I believe that the structural integrity of the road surface plays a role also. Pot holes are a definite danger to the motoring public and should be a top priority. The pot hole does not only cause a flat tire which in it's self is dangerous especially at high speeds but it also can cause your vehicle to be pushed in to another lane or off the road. I believe this is most dangerous in the inexperienced driver and the older driver who's driving skills and reaction time might not be as good as the experienced driver in knowing how to handle this sudden problem. It is also very dangerous for the motorcyclist of which I am one and have bent the rim on a motorcycle by going over a sudden pot hole. Riding a motorcycle is a matter of being extremely alert when riding even more so than driving a car and a pot hole to a motorcycle can be deadly. I believe that addressing the pot hole problem is an no brainier that will as you say do better. With all that said more money for better and safer roads. Thank You

[Rob]

USDOT is doing many good things for transportation, and we all agree that there remains work to be done. In addition to these excellent initatives (safety belts, distracted dirving, etc.) geared toward improving driver safety behavior, a host of programs, policies, and intiatives are advacning more livable and suatainable communitites - a transformational period that Secretary LaHood and DOT staffers appear to be handling exceptionally well.

That written, and not to diminish the importance and effectiveness of seatbelt and distracted driving capmpaigns, both of which are critically important and outstanding intiatives with demonstrated effectiveness, we should also note that the drop in traffic deaths between 2002 and 2009 demonstrates a -.83 correlation against transit ridership. Thus, traffic safety stats demonstrate that as transit ridership increases over time, there is stong correlation to traffic deaths decreasing. Of course, correlation is not causation, and other variables are involved (like these great saftey programs), but there is also a lot of face validity in the relationship: Get people out of their cars and save lives - they can't die in an auto accident or kill someone else if they're not in a car.

[tyre changers]

It's a good news to see that road fatalities decreased and hopefully will be down to zero if possible.It can be,everyone should participate,keep the mind focus while driving and do not drive if you can't make it,example when drunk to avoid road accidents.

[S. Smith]

what about some of this Big 18 wheelers on the road that are running with anthing from brake lights, J breaks, breaks and engine prombles on this roads that are not working right and this big companys telling there drivers to drive any way. I know one company that tell there drivers that they are knot going to fixes the problem and those driver are fired because they want run this trucks with prombles and then this big companys try to keep this drivers from getting there unemployment, and this companys win buy not paying unemplyment to this drivers.

[Michael E. Bailey]

We have great safety programs for our roadways and these highway statistics demonstrate that. We could do even better. One thing that would bring the death toll down even more is addressing the issue of speed. Since people routinly drive 10mph over the posted speed limit, a limit of 65 really means for all practical purposes a limit of 75 and a number of people seem to feel free to drive even faster. The speed limit should be reduced to 55mph to preserve life and lessen injury, and because engines would not have to work as hard, lessen pollution. Speed enforcement is important. It is also important to shift people from cars to transit. It is not sustainable transportation to have one person to one car going to and from work each day. That is a 20th Century idea that has given us alot of the pollution problems we face today as wellas congestion and uncontrolled urban sprawl. A sustainable transportation system needs more and better transit, pedestrian paths, bicycle routes and interconnections among the three, but fewer cars on the roads. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Lisa]

I think awareness is the one way to decrease the number of accidents. Some of the automakers are also improving their safety standards by addressing problems experienced by distracted drivers such as sensors or automatic breaking systems. This will contribute to the decreased number of deaths.

[dylan grant]

thanks for the new updated stats i am doing a paper for government on if the driving age should be incraced and i feel it should yah i am only 17 but i see so many people txting and driving and also calling and driving its nuts today i almost got hit by a semi because of it so we all need to work on it but thanks this helps alot

[David]

Speed and distracted driving are definitely big factors in these preventable deaths and the fact is that these are all things that the driver can control. They can choose not to speed or not to text but they still do and people are still dying which is a real shame.