Traffic Safety:

Traffic Safety Facts 2004

In regards to safety on the road Americans are actually improving.  Whether it be improved road engineering, or improved awareness of our hazards the numbers are declining.  The government has been tracking fatalities since the mid sixties, and the average number of motorists dying on our roads was over 50,000 at that time.  An average of around 5.5 deaths per 100 million miles traveled.  That number is now down to around 1.5 per 100 million.

• Crashes on our nations roads are the leading cause of death from the ages of 3 to 33.
• Last year 42,636 motorists and non-motorists were killed in traffic crashes.  This is a record low!
• California showed improvement from last year, but still holds title to the # 1 spot for fatalities.  Texas holds the # 2 position.
• Alcohol is responsible for nearly 17,000 of those fatalities in 2004.
• Speeding is responsible for approximately 30% of fatalities, and 40% is speeding while negotiating a turn or curve on the road.  Alcohol is involved in many of the speeding fatality incidents.
• 55% of the fatalities were passenger not wearing a seatbelt.

So if you understand statistics, and want to greatly improve your chance of survival:

• Don't drink and drive
• Don't speed
• Wear a seatbelt

These are the best things you can do as a motorist to avoid becoming a fatality.

More information about safety and road rage

* Information provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration