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Occupant protection discussed in this fact sheet includes seat belts, car seats for those under 5, and frontal air bags in passenger vehicles. Passenger vehicles consist of passenger cars and light trucks (pickups, SUVs, and vans) with gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWRs) of 10,000 pounds or less. Vehicle occupants include drivers and passengers. Read the […]
In the context of pedestrian and bicyclist safety, the theory of Jacobsen’s 2003 “ Safety in Numbers” (SIN) posits an inverse relationship between the extent of walking and bicycling and the probability of motorist collisions with pedestrians and bicyclists. A literature review was conducted to summarize the state of research on SIN and identify potential […]
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considers a crash to be speeding-related if any driver in the crash was charged with a speeding-related offense or if a police officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash. A speeding-related fatality is any […]
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration works to reduce the occurrence of distracted driving and raise awareness of its dangers. This risky behavior poses a danger to vehicle occupants as well as pedestrians and pedalcyclists. Driver distraction is a specific type of driver inattention. Distraction occurs when drivers divert their attention from the driving task […]
T his fact sheet contains information on fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes based on data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and non-fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes from the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) General Estimates System (GES) and Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS). A change instituted with the release of 2020 data is […]
A statistical projection of traffic fatalities for 2021 shows that an estimated 42,915 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationwide. This represents an increase of about 10.5 percent as compared to 38,824 fatalities reported in 2020. This also represents the highest number of fatalities since 2005 and the highest annual percentage increase in the […]
In 2021, seat belt use in the United States ranged from 72.3 percent in the U.S. Virgin Islands to 97.2 percent in California. Twenty-three States, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands achieved seat belt use rates of 90 percent or higher. These results are from probability-based observational surveys conducted […]
Drivers are considered to be alcohol-impaired when their blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) are .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher. Thus, any fatal crash involving a driver with a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher is considered to be an alcohol-impaired-driving crash, and fatalities occurring in those crashes are considered to be alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities. The […]
Ford Motor Co. is warning rental car companies and other owners of 2021 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators to park their vehicles outside due to the risk of fire. The automaker has confirmed 16 fires, mostly in vehicles that were unattended. Fourteen of these fires were in rental cars. Until further notice, owners of these […]
Mercedes-Benz USA will conduct a voluntary recall of approximately 292,287 ML-, GL- and R-Class vehicles produced during the 2006-2012 model year period for potentially corroded brake boosters. The corrosion could severely affect braking capability, increasing the risk of a crash. Vehicle owners can visit NHTSA.gov/recalls and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if […]
