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A statistical projection of traffic fatalities for the first quarter of 2024 shows an estimated 8,650 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, a decrease of about 3.2 percent as compared to 8,935 fatalities projected to have occurred in 2023, as shown in Table 1. The first quarter of 2024 represents the eighth consecutive quarterly […]
GHSA’s annual Spotlight on Highway Safety report offers the first look at state and national trends in pedestrian traffic deaths for 2023 based on preliminary data provided by State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs). The data analysis found that 29 states had fewer pedestrian deaths in 2023 compared to the year before, while 21 and Washington, […]
Speeding is part of our cultural identity. Automakers frequently advertise new cars tearing through empty cities or weaving through traffic well above safe speeds. Movies and television shows frequently push these boundaries further. And social media further glorifies lawbreaking by providing a platform for speedsters. It all perpetuates the idea that speeding is not only […]
A statistical projection of traffic fatalities for 2023 shows an estimated 40,990 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, a decrease of about 3.6 percent as compared to 42,514 fatalities reported to have occurred in 2022. The fourth quarter of 2023 represents the seventh consecutive quarterly decline in fatalities beginning with the second quarter of […]
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that 91,000 police-reported crashes resulting in 50,000 injuries and 800 fatalities annually—amounting to approximately 1%–2% of all crashes, injuries, and deaths—involve drowsy driving; however, the contribution of drowsy driving in motor vehicle crashes is difficult to measure. Although reports by police officers who investigate crashes sometimes indicate […]
When a vehicle breaks down or a minor crash has occurred, drivers and their families can become stranded on the side of the highway as traffic speeds past. Roadside assistance providers courageously dedicate themselves to helping motorists during this time of great vulnerability, often placing themselves in harm’s way to ensure that others are able […]
Roadside assistance providers such as motor vehicle towing personnel, mobile mechanics, and safety service patrollers often work on or alongside highways to help motorists stranded due to vehicle breakdowns or crashes. This places them at risk of being struck by passing vehicles. Research is needed to understand the circumstances of crashes in which roadside assistance […]
NHTSA has recently issued a projection report of traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for the first half of 2023 (Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Half (Jan–Jun) of 2023, Report No. DOT HS 813 514). That report shows an estimated 19,515 people died […]
A statistical projection of traffic fatalities for the first half of 2023 shows an estimated 19,515 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, a decrease of about 3.3 percent as compared to 20,190 fatalities projected to have occurred in the first half of 2022, as shown in Table 1. The second quarter of 2023 represents […]
Young drivers are nearly four times more likely to be involved in a fatal traffic crash than their older counterparts, but a GHSA report confirms that crash and fatality rates for drivers under 21 have improved drastically over the past two decades – more so than for other drivers. The report includes an analysis of […]