U.S. D.O.T. says 2010 traffic fatalities lowest they've ever been
04-01-11, 03:21 PM
#1
U.S. D.O.T. says 2010 traffic fatalities lowest they've ever been
U.S. D.O.T. says 2010 traffic fatalities lowest they've ever been
United States Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that traffic deaths in 2010 were the lowest they've ever been, falling three percent from 2009's record low. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration projections, traffic fatalities fell from 33,808 in 2009 to 32,708 in 2010.
The Department of Transportation and NHTSA see the news as evidence that their public awareness campaigns, and stricter enforcement of traffic laws nationwide are working. According to NHTSA, traffic fatalities have steadily dropped in the last five years, falling 25 percent since 2005.
Specifically, the DOT and NHTSA cited programs like Over the Limit, Under Arrest, Click-it or Ticket and LaHood's anti-distracted driving campaign as contributing factors to the drop in fatalities.
The biggest regional drop was in the Pacific Northwest, where fatalities plummeted 12 percent from last year. Arizona, California and Hawaii tied for second, each dropping 11 percent over 2009.
While we applaud most of the campaigns championed by NHTSA and the DOT, we can't help but think that there are probably some larger factors at work here – namely, that Americans are motoring around in vehicles that are safer than ever before thanks to the proliferation of improved safety systems like stability control.
TRAFFIC FATALITIES IN 2010 DROP TO LOWEST LEVEL IN RECORDED HISTORY
DOT Estimates Three Percent Drop Beneath 2009 Record Low
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the number and rate of traffic fatalities in 2010 fell to the lowest levels since 1949, despite a significant increase in the number of miles Americans drove during the year.
"Last year's drop in traffic fatalities is welcome news and it proves that we can make a difference," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Still, too many of our friends and neighbors are killed in preventable roadway tragedies every day. We will continue doing everything possible to make cars safer, increase seat belt use, put a stop to drunk driving and distracted driving and encourage drivers to put safety first."
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) early projections, the number of traffic fatalities fell three percent between 2009 and 2010, from 33,808 to 32,788. Since 2005, fatalities have dropped 25 percent, from a total of 43,510 fatalities in 2005. The same estimates also project that the fatality rate will be the lowest recorded since 1949, with 1.09 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, down from the 1.13 fatality rate for 2009. The decrease in fatalities for 2010 occurred despite an estimated increase of nearly 21 billion miles in national vehicle miles traveled.
A regional breakdown showed the greatest drop in fatalities occurred in the Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, where they dropped by 12 percent. Arizona, California and Hawaii had the next steepest decline, nearly 11 percent.
"The decrease in traffic fatalities is a good sign, but we are always working to save lives," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "NHTSA will continue pressing forward on all of our safety initiatives to make sure our roads are as safe as they can possibly be."
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has taken a comprehensive approach to reducing roadway fatalities by promoting strong traffic safety laws coupled with high-visibility enforcement and through rigorous vehicle safety programs and public awareness campaigns.
In 2009, Secretary LaHood launched a national anti-distracted driving campaign modeled on other successful NHTSA efforts to reduce fatalities, such as its Over the Limit Under Arrest and Click It Or Ticket campaigns to curb drunk driving and increase seat belt use. The U.S. DOT has launched a dedicated website, Distraction.gov, to provide the public with a comprehensive source of information on distracted driving. DOT has also hosted two national summits devoted to the issue, crafted sample legislation which states can use to adopt distracted driving laws, and initiated pilot law enforcement programs in Hartford, CT and Syracuse, NY.
NHTSA has also taken action to improve vehicle safety. The agency has urged automakers to swiftly and voluntarily report safety defects to keep the driving public safe. NHTSA has also encouraged the development and use of technologies to prevent crashes, such as electronic stability control, forward collision warning and lane departure warning systems. The agency also unveiled an updated 5-star rating system in 2010, which established more rigorous crash-test standards and began providing consumers with improved information about which cars perform best in collisions.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has also been encouraging the use of Safety Edge technology -- which reduces drivers' risk of running off the road by shaping pavement edge -- on new road and highway projects. FHWA has also promoted the use of rumble strips and cable median barriers to separate opposing directions of traffic to reduce the incidence of crossover head-on collisions.
DOT Estimates Three Percent Drop Beneath 2009 Record Low
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the number and rate of traffic fatalities in 2010 fell to the lowest levels since 1949, despite a significant increase in the number of miles Americans drove during the year.
"Last year's drop in traffic fatalities is welcome news and it proves that we can make a difference," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Still, too many of our friends and neighbors are killed in preventable roadway tragedies every day. We will continue doing everything possible to make cars safer, increase seat belt use, put a stop to drunk driving and distracted driving and encourage drivers to put safety first."
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) early projections, the number of traffic fatalities fell three percent between 2009 and 2010, from 33,808 to 32,788. Since 2005, fatalities have dropped 25 percent, from a total of 43,510 fatalities in 2005. The same estimates also project that the fatality rate will be the lowest recorded since 1949, with 1.09 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, down from the 1.13 fatality rate for 2009. The decrease in fatalities for 2010 occurred despite an estimated increase of nearly 21 billion miles in national vehicle miles traveled.
A regional breakdown showed the greatest drop in fatalities occurred in the Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, where they dropped by 12 percent. Arizona, California and Hawaii had the next steepest decline, nearly 11 percent.
"The decrease in traffic fatalities is a good sign, but we are always working to save lives," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "NHTSA will continue pressing forward on all of our safety initiatives to make sure our roads are as safe as they can possibly be."
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has taken a comprehensive approach to reducing roadway fatalities by promoting strong traffic safety laws coupled with high-visibility enforcement and through rigorous vehicle safety programs and public awareness campaigns.
In 2009, Secretary LaHood launched a national anti-distracted driving campaign modeled on other successful NHTSA efforts to reduce fatalities, such as its Over the Limit Under Arrest and Click It Or Ticket campaigns to curb drunk driving and increase seat belt use. The U.S. DOT has launched a dedicated website, Distraction.gov, to provide the public with a comprehensive source of information on distracted driving. DOT has also hosted two national summits devoted to the issue, crafted sample legislation which states can use to adopt distracted driving laws, and initiated pilot law enforcement programs in Hartford, CT and Syracuse, NY.
NHTSA has also taken action to improve vehicle safety. The agency has urged automakers to swiftly and voluntarily report safety defects to keep the driving public safe. NHTSA has also encouraged the development and use of technologies to prevent crashes, such as electronic stability control, forward collision warning and lane departure warning systems. The agency also unveiled an updated 5-star rating system in 2010, which established more rigorous crash-test standards and began providing consumers with improved information about which cars perform best in collisions.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has also been encouraging the use of Safety Edge technology -- which reduces drivers' risk of running off the road by shaping pavement edge -- on new road and highway projects. FHWA has also promoted the use of rumble strips and cable median barriers to separate opposing directions of traffic to reduce the incidence of crossover head-on collisions.
04-02-11, 08:56 AM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
United States Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that traffic deaths in 2010 were the lowest they've ever been, falling three percent from 2009's record low. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration projections, traffic fatalities fell from 33,808 in 2009 to 32,708 in 2010.
Specifically, the DOT and NHTSA cited programs like Over the Limit, Under Arrest, Click-it or Ticket and LaHood's anti-distracted driving campaign as contributing factors to the drop in fatalities.
While we applaud most of the campaigns championed by NHTSA and the DOT, we can't help but think that there are probably some larger factors at work here – namely, that Americans are motoring around in vehicles that are safer than ever before thanks to the proliferation of improved safety systems like stability control.
Last edited by mmarshall; 04-02-11 at 09:02 AM.
04-02-11, 09:32 AM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
Another factor I forgot to menton is the vast proliferation of stop-signs (particularly 3 and 4-way), speed-bumps, DO-NOT-ENTER signs, barricades, etc.... and other "traffic-calming" devices, which keep multiplying like rabbits across suburban areas. I personally consider many of them to be PITAs (and people who drive like me generally don't need them), but there's little argument that, even with aggressive drivers, they do make some difference and lower average speeds.
04-02-11, 10:27 AM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Another factor I forgot to menton is the vast proliferation of stop-signs (particularly 3 and 4-way), speed-bumps, DO-NOT-ENTER signs, barricades, etc.... and other "traffic-calming" devices, which keep multiplying like rabbits across suburban areas. I personally consider many of them to be PITAs (and people who drive like me generally don't need them), but there's little argument that, even with aggressive drivers, they do make some difference and lower average speeds.
04-02-11, 10:40 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
The biggest traffic-fatality threat in suburban neighborhoods (besides high-school drag-racing) is usually kids and pets playing in the streets. Kids, of course, should be taught to not play in the streets, but let's face it....kids will be kids, and aggressive drivers in these neighborhoods can be a real problem. I myself detest traffic-calming devices (they are, for me, a careful driver, an unnecessary PITA), but I understand the desire of local civic-groups for them....and I might feel differently if I myself had kids.
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04-02-11, 11:55 AM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Sadly fatilities in suburbs happen more frequently for reasons other than what some might assume to be "usually" threat of kids/pets playing and high-school racing. That doesn't mean the deaths of kids and pets is any less tragic, btw.
04-02-11, 04:31 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Again, more stereotyping/hearsay/generalizations without data unfortunately. Please consider ending it before it gets even more OT.....
Sadly fatilities in suburbs happen more frequently for reasons other than what some might assume to be "usually" threat of kids/pets playing and high-school racing. That doesn't mean the deaths of kids and pets is any less tragic, btw.
Sadly fatilities in suburbs happen more frequently for reasons other than what some might assume to be "usually" threat of kids/pets playing and high-school racing. That doesn't mean the deaths of kids and pets is any less tragic, btw.
Have a nice evening.
Last edited by mmarshall; 04-02-11 at 04:35 PM.
04-02-11, 04:46 PM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
I'll end the discussion with you on this topic if you want, but the deaths of children in suburban neighborhoods from traffic is not a stereotype or hearsay. It is a fact...just like the fact that lot of young people get hurt or killed in Mustangs, although Mustangs do not have a monopoly on this by any means.
Have a nice evening.
Have a nice evening.
Here's the hearsay and non-factual stereotyping stuff I was referring to:
"The biggest traffic-fatality threat in suburban neighborhoods (besides high-school drag-racing) is usually kids and pets playing in the streets."
Maybe you've noticed a lot of young people are hurt and killed tragically in a variety of cars/trucks/SUVs/motorcycles and that other serious traffic hazards are in the suburbs too. Regardless thanks for ending the discussion on this unrelated topic for all of us (your choice, I only asked for consideration).
Good evening, have a good Sunday.
Last edited by IS-SV; 04-03-11 at 10:26 AM.
04-02-11, 05:52 PM
#12
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http://maps.google.com/maps?q=barry+...oRNk71XI8CWnvw
I hate these the most ^ they have been popping in crowded side streets allover the Chicago neighborhood's over the past decade.
I hate these the most ^ they have been popping in crowded side streets allover the Chicago neighborhood's over the past decade.
04-03-11, 08:41 AM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
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nice self-congratulation by lahood and nhtsa.
of course factors like massively increased gas prices which means people are DRIVING LESS or people are driving more CAREFULLY to save gas could come into play.
these are the same clowns who inflicted 55mph national speed limits for decades and claimed deaths would skyrocket when it ended. they were completely wrong.
of course factors like massively increased gas prices which means people are DRIVING LESS or people are driving more CAREFULLY to save gas could come into play.
these are the same clowns who inflicted 55mph national speed limits for decades and claimed deaths would skyrocket when it ended. they were completely wrong.
04-03-11, 03:02 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Agreed.....perhaps a litle overdone.
Three years ago, in 2008, the high gas prices, at least in my area, did significantly affect traffic-density. Today, for some reason, that doesn't seem to be the case as much.....we still have the famous D.C.-area gridlock. Of course, where you are in FL, maybe it is affecting traffic more.....do you notice that in your area?
To an extent. Speed combined with alcohol is, of course, much more dangerous than just speed alone. Take New Mexico, for example, which has often had the nation's highest traffic death-rate per mile. It is a state that, for whatever reason, has an extremely high level of drunken-driving. I believe I know the reason why, but it would be controverial and un-PC to say it....so I won't.
of course factors like massively increased gas prices which means people are DRIVING LESS
these are the same clowns who inflicted 55mph national speed limits for decades and claimed deaths would skyrocket when it ended. they were completely wrong.