The study was conducted by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Between 2009 and 2010, fatalities fell by 3% (33,800 to 32,800). Since 2005, fatalities fell by 25% (from 43,500). This is despite an increase of 21 billion miles travelled nationally in 2010.
A striking statistic is the fatality rate (1.09 per 100 million vehicles), which is the lowest it has been since 1949. 2009 saw a fatality rate of 1.13.
The Northwest felt the strongest decline in traffic fatalities (12%), though the Northeast lagged behind.
The Department of Transportation is patting itself on the back for the steps it has taken to reduce highway dangers. They owe these statistics to long-running campaigns against drunk-driving and for seatbelt-wearing, as well as their efforts to improve vehicle and road safety.
Still, the Department is concerned about distractions, particularly texting while driving, which currently contributes too much to traffic dangers. The Department is taking its message to the internet, national summits, and proposed legislation.
As a practicing car crash and accident personal injury attorney in New York, I deal with accident deaths and negligence on the highway every day. If you would like more information about how accident cases work in the state of New York, I encourage you to explore my educational website. If you have legal questions, I pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at lawmed10@yahoo.com to answer your questions. That's what I do every day. I welcome your call.
Gerry practices law exclusively in the State of New York. Within New York he practices primarily in the following counties: New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk. Technically, Brooklyn is known as "Kings County," and Manhattan and New York City are known as "New York County." Staten Island is known as "Richmond County." These counties make up the New York metropolitan area.
