Deaths and Injuries On the Road

• There is a death caused by a motor vehicle crash every 12 minutes; there is a disabling injury every 14 seconds.
  Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages 1 to 33.
• The age groups most affected by motor vehicle crashes are 15-24 and 75+.
• There were an estimated 5,800 pedestrian deaths and 90,000 injuries.
• Walking in the roadway accounted for only 9% of all pedestrian deaths and injuries.
• About 2 in every 5 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related traffic accident at some time in their lives.
• Bicycling resulted in about 800 deaths in collisions with motor vehicles.

Death Trends

• Motor vehicle-related deaths increased 1% from 2000 to 2001 and also increased 1% from 1999. The 2001 mileage death rate of 1.54 was down 1% from 2000 and the lowest rate on record. (Mileage death rate: the number of fatalities per 100 million vehicle-miles of travel) 

Recommendations to Reduce Motor-Vehicle Deaths and Injuries

• Strengthen seat belt laws nationwide. Safety belt laws currently allow for primary enforcement in only 17 states plus the District of Columbia.
• Parents and care-givers should make certain children are properly buckled in age-appropriate safety seats. Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71% for infants less than 1 year old and by 54% for children 1 - 4 years old.

• Every state should enact graduated licensing laws, which are now in effect in only 41 states and the District of Columbia. Graduated licensing laws allow all novice drivers to gain critical experience behind the wheel in lower risk settings before driving in more difficult environments. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers.