Road Deaths Declining

Traffic deaths are at their lowest levels since 1949, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA’s study shows that an estimated 32,310 people died in traffic accidents in the U.S. last year, which is down 1.7% compared to 2010.

New England and Great Lakes states saw the biggest decrease in car accident deaths in 2011, with the former down 7.2% and the latter down 3.3%. However, traffic deaths were up 3.3% in California, Arizona and Hawaii in 2011.

For the most part, though, the numbers have been in a steady decline throughout the country during the last five years, with fatality rates decreasing 26% from 2005 to 2011.

AAA says several factors have caused the decline, namely that U.S. motorists drove 1.2% fewer miles last year and gas prices increased 6.7%. Vehicles are also getting safer, with more safety features becoming standard equipment on new cars each year.

U.S. road deaths fall to lowest number since '49 (The Detroit News)

 

Comments

Still too many.

There is virtually no driver training in the US. Vehicle design requirements are a joke here.
A 'driver's license' is a mere formality.
25+ million illegal aliens.
22.5% unemployment, 45% non-employment rate of working age adults.
Plenty avenues for improvement.

"George: There is virtually no driver training in the US."

Driver training is mandated by the individual states. some have good requirements, others not.

In MN for instance you need 30 hours of classroom time, 6 hours of driving time with an instructor, and 30 hours of driving time with a parent/guardian.

Six hours of driving time with an instructor... but that's all? Just six hours in the car? No training at night? What about inclement weather? No vehicle control drills? And, time with a parent/guardian doesn't mean anything to me -- would you trust the yahoos out there to teach their own kids how to drive?

Let's face it: our driver training here in the US is a joke. It really is. I wish I could go back in time and teach my younger self everything I've learned so far.

So how would you improve driver training to teach people not to tailgate or run redlights or drink and drive or fall asleep at the wheel or text and drive or apply makeup and drive or drive aggressively?

This blog alarmed me. Being extra careful in driving make you live longer. Having a car also gives us responsibility to be more responsible.