Transportation Safety In The United States
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Transportation safety in the United States encompasses safety of
transportation in the United States The vast majority of passenger travel in the United States occurs by automobile for shorter distances and airplane or railroad for longer distances. Most cargo in the U.S. is transported by, in descending order, railroad, truck, pipeline, or bo ...
, including automobile crashes, airplane crashes, rail crashes, and other mass transit incidents, although the most fatalities are generated by road incidents annually killing 32,479 people in 2011 to over 42,000 people in 2022. The number of deaths per passenger-mile on commercial airlines in the United States between 2000 and 2010 was about 0.2 deaths per 10 billion passenger-miles. For driving, the rate was 150 per 10 billion vehicle-miles: 750 times higher per mile than for flying in a commercial airplane. For a person who drives a million miles in a lifetime (somewhat above average) this amounts to a 1.5% chance of death. There is a considerable and growing gap between the United States and other comparable countries in terms of roadway deaths, with the United States having higher death rates. In 2014, two different U.S. government estimated that there were 33,736 or 32,744 motor vehicle traffic deaths in 2014. The
National Safety Council The National Safety Council (NSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, public service organization promoting health and safety in the United States. Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, NSC is a member organization, founded in 1913 and granted a congress ...
(NSC), a nonprofit safety advocacy group, estimates U.S. motor vehicle deaths in 2016 were 40,200, a 14% increase from its 2014 estimate. After decades of improvements in road safety for pedestrians, the pedestrian death rate in the United States has skyrocketed since 2009 while most comparable countries have experienced declining pedestrian death rates. In 2020, fatalities increased to about 38,680 deaths, from about 36,000 in 2019, even with fewer drivers on the road and fewer miles traveled. The increase was attributed to more risky driving behavior, including speeding, failing to wear seat belts, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 2021 and 2022 experienced even more deaths, having 42,939 and 42,795 motor vehicle fatalities, respectively.


Overall statistics

In the United States, most fatalities are generated by road vehicles. Safety overall has steadily improved in the United States for many decades. Between 1920 and 2000, the rate of fatal automobile crashes per vehicle-
mile The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a imperial unit, British imperial unit and United States customary unit of length; both are based on the older English unit of Unit of length, le ...
decreased by a factor of about 17. Except for a pause during the
youth bulge A population pyramid (age structure diagram) or "age-sex pyramid" is a graphical illustration of the distribution of a population (typically that of a country or region of the world) by age groups and sex; it typically takes the shape of a pyramid ...
of the 1960s (a time when many young, inexperienced drivers were on the road), progress in reducing fatal crashes has been steady. Safety for other types of U.S.
passenger A passenger is a person who travels in a vehicle, but does not bear any responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination or otherwise operate the vehicle, and is not a steward. The vehicles may be bicycles, ...
transportation Transport (in British English) or transportation (in American English) is the intentional Motion, movement of humans, animals, and cargo, goods from one location to another. Mode of transport, Modes of transport include aviation, air, land tr ...
has also improved substantially, but long-term
statistical data Statistics (from German: ', "description of a state, a country") is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. In applying statistics to a scientific, industrial, or socia ...
are not as readily available. While the fatality rate roughly leveled off around 2000–2005 at around 1.5 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled, it has resumed a downward trend and reached 1.27 in 2008. The
National Safety Council The National Safety Council (NSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, public service organization promoting health and safety in the United States. Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, NSC is a member organization, founded in 1913 and granted a congress ...
, using methodology that differs from the NHTSA, reports a rate (including deaths of pedestrians and cyclists killed in motor vehicle crashes) of 1.25 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles (or 12.5 deaths per billion vehicle miles) traveled in 2016. Between 2008 and 2011, the economic recession, by a reduction in distance traveled, contributed to reducing fatalities.


Traffic safety by mode by traveled distance (public transportation)


Government regulation


Federal organizations

Several federal organizations deal with transportation safety in the United States: * The
National Transportation Safety Board The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and inci ...
(NTSB) investigates accidents and makes recommendations to the regulatory agencies. * The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation, focused on automobile safety regulations. NHTSA is charged with writing and enforcing Feder ...
(NHTSA) in the
United States Department of Transportation The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the president of the United States a ...
issues mandatory safety regulations for road vehicles. * The
Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...
issues: ** The '' Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices'', which has mandatory nationwide standards for traffic signs and road markings ** Road design standards for the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
** Technical recommendations for roads on federal property (like national parks and forests) and in the
Indian Reservation Roads Program The Indian Reservation Roads Program (IRR) is part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and is meant to meet the transportation needs of American Indians in the United States, American Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives. These roads, also known ...
* Safety standards for commercial motor carriers and motor vehicle operators are the responsibility of the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation that regulates the trucking industry in the United States. The primary mission of the FMCSA is to reduce crashes, injuries, an ...
(FMCSA). * Railroad safety is the province of the
Federal Railroad Administration The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The purpose of the FRA is to promulgate and enforce railroa ...
. * Aviation safety is the responsibility of the
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
(FAA); * The
Federal Transit Administration The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administration ...
conducts oversight of public transport agency safety. * Pipeline safety is the responsibility of the
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is a United States Department of Transportation agency created in 2004, responsible for developing and enforcing regulations for the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound trans ...
(PHMSA). * Safe transportation of hazardous materials is the responsibility PHMSA. * Marine safety is the responsibility of the U.S. Coast Guard within the
Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior, home, or public security ministries in other countries. Its missions invol ...
. * Offshore pipeline safety is the responsibility of the
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE "Bessie") is an agency under the United States Department of the Interior. Established in 2011, BSEE is an agency responsible for improving safety and ensuring environmental protection ...
within the
Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal lands and natural resources. It also administers programs relatin ...
. * Workplace safety, including the safety of transportation workers, is the responsibility of the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA; ) is a regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. The United States Congress established ...
within the
Department of Labor A ministry of labour (''British English, UK''), or labor (''American English, US''), also known as a department of labour, or labor, is a government department responsible for setting labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workfor ...
. However, because states have separate sovereignty, their workers are not necessarily subject to federal work safety requirements. * Transport of hazardous waste is generally subject to regulation by PHMSA, but is subject to additional regulation by the
Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency may refer to the following government organizations: * Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland), Australia * Environmental Protection Agency (Ghana) * Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) * Environmenta ...
. * The
Nuclear Regulatory Commission The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with protecting public health and safety related to nuclear energy. Established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, the ...
sets standards for the design and manufacture of packages containing radioactive materials, while PHMSA regulates actual transport of the materials.


State and local responsibilities

State, territorial, tribal, and local governments are responsible for road design, speed limits, and traffic law enforcement for most roads. Many but not all states have vehicle inspection programs and vehicle regulations in addition to the NHTSA standards. The FHA's '' Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices'' is mandatory for all roads "open for public travel", but states may have supplementary regulations. The federal government is the primary funding source for the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
and regulates it more stringently, even though it is maintained and operated by state governments. Some roads are directly federally owned and operated, including those in the
Indian Reservation Roads Program The Indian Reservation Roads Program (IRR) is part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and is meant to meet the transportation needs of American Indians in the United States, American Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives. These roads, also known ...
and on federal property (such as nationals parks and forests). The
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway A highway is any public or private road ...
is a collaboration of state governments that publishes voluntary standards to help coordinate road design across jurisdictions. Many state and local jurisdictions have adopted Vision Zero programs, with the goal of reducing transportation fatalities to zero.


United States compared to other nations

The US ranks 41 out of 52 high-income nations based on road traffic deaths. US safety results are better than Russia, Saudi Arabia or Qatar. Nonetheless the fatality rate in the United States is high relative to most other high-income nations. The 2013 U.S. rate of 7.1 road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km is about double the 2013 rate in
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
, which was 3.5 road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km. (See:
List of countries by traffic-related death rate This list of countries by traffic-related death rate shows the annual number of road fatalities ''per capita per year'', ''per number of motor vehicles'', and ''per vehicle-km'' in some countries in the year the data was collected. According to ...
.) Also, United States is considered as "the most dangerous of wealthy nations for a child to be born into". This differences might be linked to a lack of traffic calming, higher prevalence of wide, multilane
stroads A stroad is a thoroughfare that combines the features of streets and roads. Common in the United States and Canada, stroads are wide arterials (roads for through traffic) that also provide access to strip malls, drive-throughs, and other auto ...
which encourage high speeds, reliance on stop signs instead of roundabouts, as well as a difference of approach in driving safety culture, for instance in the balance between liberty and mandatory or forbidden dangerous or unsafe behavior. To some extent this is due to geography and driver training, but more rigorous impaired driving enforcement and severe penalties in Sweden for
driving under the influence Driving under the influence (DUI) is the crime of driving, operating, or being in control of a vehicle while one is impaired from doing so safely by the effect of either alcohol (drug), alcohol (see drunk driving) or some other drug, whether re ...
may also explain the difference. While it might be argued that highways and vehicles in Sweden are different from those in the United States, the U.S. fatality rate is also about double the rate in the Canadian province of
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, which experienced 3.6 road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km according to preliminary 2014 data. Ontario, which is a vast province of more than 1 million square kilometers, has a similar mix of highway types including congested urban and rural highways. Ontario also has a similar mix of large transport trucks essentially identical to U.S. transport trucks, full-sized pickup trucks, SUVs and passenger cars, although there may be more small cars driven in Ontario compared to the United States. This suggests that differences in fatality rates are due to non-physical factors such as driver behavior. Comparing
motorways A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
(controlled-access, divided highways) in Europe and the United States, according to 2012 data,
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
had the safest motorways with a rate of 0.72 road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km, while the United States had 3.38 road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km on its
Interstate The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National H ...
-type highways, often called freeways. In
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
the death rate on such highways was 1.74 road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km, about half the U.S. rate for Interstate-type highways. In
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
significant sections to the
Autobahn The (; German , ) is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany. The official term is (abbreviated ''BAB''), which translates as 'federal motorway'. The literal meaning of the word is 'Federal Auto(mobile) Track'. Much of t ...
network do not have mandatory speed limits, when according to the German Road Safety Council (DVR) the number of deaths per kilometer of motorway is 30% lower when motorways have speed limit. Another difference between the US and Europe is that Europeans believe higher speed limits have an adverse impact on safety. For instance, in 2008 an ETSC report considers that «empirical evidence indicates that all instances of introduced speed limits on German motorways have caused very large casualty reductions.». According to the ETSC, in Germany, fatalities per kilometer of motorway is not linked to speed limit, but speed limit sections allows higher traffic volumes for a similar number of fatalities. That means that fatalities per traveled distance is lower where there are speed limits.


Road safety compared to European Union nations

Until the 1980s, the US had lower road death rates than European countries. Most European countries have consistently improved their road safety since then, and now have lower rates than the US. In 2020, fatalities increased to nearly 38,680 in the US due to fewer people driving on the road. The same year, fatalities decreased to 18,800 in the EU, due to fewer people driving on the road. That year there was % more fatalities in the US than in the EU, or % less in the EU than in the US.


Road safety compared to other UNECE nations by population

With 114 fatalities per million inhabitants in 2017, the United States has a lower fatality rate than
Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...
(147 per million inhabitants),
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
(139 per million inhabitants) and
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
(115 per million inhabitants).


Cultural and political differences


Automated enforcement

Red light and speed limit enforcement cameras are used in about half of U.S. states, and overall the country has been slower to adopt the technology than many other wealthy nations. Public opposition largely centers around the use of the cameras to raise revenue, with complaints that yellow lights are intentionally short (which has specified in some contracts for privately-run systems) or cameras are miscalibrated (as happened in San Francisco) and ticket drivers unfairly. Despite claims to the contrary, many studies have found the technology reduces crashes overall, especially dangerous "T-bone" right-angle crashes, but some have found that at the same time they can increase the number of rear-end collisions when inattentive or speeding drivers slam on the brakes to avoid a ticket. Other concerns include privacy and racial bias as to where the cameras are placed. Though automated enforcement has been challenged as unconstitutional in various ways, courts have generally not upheld these claims. A red light program in
St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...
was struck down by the state supreme court because it presumed the owner of the vehicle was driving. The 2012 transportation bill banned federal funding for automated traffic enforcement outside of school zones, continuned by the 2016 transportation bill. The 2021
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL),H.R. 3684 is a United States federal statute enacted by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Nov ...
reversed this ban and included $1.56 billion in funding that could be used for this or other transportation safety purposes. The Governors Highway Safety Association issued a report with recommendations for addressing community concerns: * Use revenue only to fund the system and other traffic safety measures * Install cameras only where justified by crash data, and also deploy other safety improvements * Engage the community in the planning process and widely publicize the locations chosen along with selection criteria * Make agreements with neighboring states so out-of-state drivers cannot avoid fines


Lack of strong road safety oversight

While strong regulation by the
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
has dramatically reduced aviation accidents, federal regulation for road safety is weak, and many matters are left up to the states. Congress sometimes uses financial incentives to encourage states to adopt certain safety measures, but this can result in slow adoption, or backsliding when the financial incentives end.


Safety compared to other nations by traveled distance


Traffic safety compared to other nations by traveled distance


Train safety compared to other nations by traveled distance


Compared to Canada

US trend is less favorable for the US than for Canada due to various factors such as vehicle, speed camera, transit, gasoline price and traveled distance.


Road safety

In 2021, road deaths were more common per one million inhabitants in the United States than in all other
OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; , OCDE) is an international organization, intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and international trade, wor ...
countries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration previously attributed most of these deaths to human error, but this has been criticized as misleading and inaccurate by the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, Jennifer Homendy, as well as other safety advocates.


Road to Zero

Road to Zero is a Vision zero initiative which aims to reach zero fatalities by 2050.


Rural vs Urban

Rural fatalities considered by (million) VMT is 50% higher in rural areas than in urban area, in 2021. From 2012 to 2021, yearly fatalities increased by 67% in urban area from 15371 people to 25598 people. In the same time, number of fatalities which occur each year decreased by 7% from 18367 people to 17103. In the US, in 2016, there were 18590 rural fatalities and 17656 urban fatalities. Thus 48% of deaths were in urban areas, and 52% in rural areas. Taking into account traveled miles, there was a risk of 1.96 fatalities per 100 million traveled miles on rural roads, and a risk of 0.79 fatalities per 100 million traveled miles on urban roads. In 2018, there were 16410 rural fatalities and 19499 urban fatalities, and 651 unlocated fatalilites. Thus 53% of deaths were in urban areas, 45% in rural areas, and 2% unlocated. In 2021, there were 17103 rural fatalities and 25598 urban fatalities, and 238 unlocated fatalilites. Thus 60% of deaths were in urban areas, 40% in rural areas, and 2% unlocated. In other countries, the rates were: * 47% killed in urban areas (speed limit lower than 60 km/h) in Canada in 2016, and 53% killed in rural area (speed limit upper than 60 km/h) * 37% killed on urban streets (speed limit usually lower than 50 km/h, except in Poland) in the European Union in 2015, with 8% on motorways and 55% on rural non motorway roads (speed limit usually upper than 50 km/h). During the 2010–2019 decade, * rural roads became safer from 18,089 fatalities in 2010 to 16,340 one in 2019 for a same traveled distance; * urban roadway deaths increased by 34 percent while urban distance traveled increased 15 percent: ** pedestrian fatalities increased by 62%, ** cyclist fatalities increased by 49%.


Fatality rates by state

As of 2019, Mississippi and Alabama lead the rate of motor vehicle deaths in the US by state with 25.2 and 20.6 deaths respectively per 100,000 population. The death rate per 100 million miles traveled in 2015 ranged from 0.52 in
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
to 1.89 in
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
. (The Massachusetts rate translates to about 3.25 fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km. The South Carolina rate translates to about 11.8 fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km.) In South Carolina,
North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...
and
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, more than 40% of road fatalities were attributed to driving under the influence (DUI). A plot of vehicle-miles traveled per capita vs fatalities per 100,000 population shows
Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...
, South Carolina and
West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
as outliers with higher than expected fatalities. Enforcement and compliance with seat belt laws varies by state. (Massachusetts, which had the lowest death rate per 100 million miles traveled in 2015, was among the states with the ''lowest'' use of seat belts.) Some states require motorcycle helmets while others do not, and the states of Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire have no helmet laws at all. Speed limits, traffic density, topography, climate and many other factors affect the divergent accident rates by state. Speed limits in Texas,
Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
, and
Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
are
prima facie ''Prima facie'' (; ) is a Latin expression meaning "at first sight", or "based on first impression". The literal translation would be "at first face" or "at first appearance", from the feminine forms of ' ("first") and ' ("face"), both in the a ...
rather than absolute. This allows motorists in those states to defend against a speeding charge if it can be proven that the speed was reasonable and prudent. In good driving conditions, many drivers in prima facie states presume (usually correctly) that police will allow some tolerance in enforcement. Even in states with absolute speed limits, enforcement and penalties vary from one state to another. For these and other reasons, state-to-state comparisons are difficult. There are many studies examining increases in Interstate speed limits from 55 mph to 65, 70 and 75 mph. Some found that fatality rates increased significantly on Interstate highways where speed limits were raised. One study that examined the change from 55 to 65 mph found higher Interstate speed limits improved overall highway safety by drawing traffic from less safe secondary highways to safer Interstate highways. Since the changes to 80 mph speed limits in some states (and 85 mph on one section of a toll highway in Texas) are relatively recent, robust analysis is not yet available. Anecdotal evidence suggests actual vehicle speeds did not increase as much as speed limits did. Also, police may be enforcing the new higher limits more strictly than they enforced the prior limits. In some states, police have reallocated resources to focus more on impaired and distracted driving. The higher speed limits are predominantly in rural states, which tend to be Republican states. To many Republican voters, speed limits (and seat belt laws) are seen as intrusions on personal liberty. According to transportation historian Owen Gutfreund, state governments may raise speed limits because raising the speed limit “sounds like such an easy regulatory win.” It's a simple way to “get government out of your face.” On the other hand, according to the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute (IIHS-HLDI) is an American nonprofit organization. It was established in 1959, and it is noted for its safety reviews of vehicles in various simulated traffic situations, ...
, Farmer performed a new study comparing deaths per billion miles traveled by state and roadway type — between 1993 and 2013 — on rural roads (the study does not cover the urban roads) concluded that each 5 mph (8 km/h) increase in the maximum speed limit is related to a 4 percent fatalities increase on some roads and an 8 percent increase on interstates and freeways. Anyway such effect and safer cars mitigate together.


By class of road users

Class of road user involved in crash death vary from state to state. Anyway, in 2016, amongst many US states, Wyoming has a higher percentage of deaths involving occupants of SUVs and pickups, Massachusetts has highest proportions of car occupant deaths, District of Columbia has the highest percentage of motorcyclist deaths. The District of Columbia and New York have the highest percentage of pedestrian deaths. Although the number of motorcyclist deaths is lower than car occupants, it is greater by traveled distance.


Pedestrians and cyclists

As cars have become safer for occupants (due to
airbag An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag designed to inflate in milliseconds during a collision and then deflate afterwards. It consists of an airbag cushion, a flexible fabric bag, an inflation module, and an impact sensor. ...
s, structural
crashworthiness Crashworthiness is the ability of a structure to protect its occupants during an impact. This is commonly tested when investigating the safety of aircraft and vehicles. Different criteria are used to figure out how safe a structure is in a crash, ...
and other improvements) the percent of
pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, by wheelchair or with other mobility aids. Streets and roads often have a designated footpath for pedestrian traffic, called the '' sidewalk'' in North American English, the ''pavement'' in British En ...
fatalities as a percent of total motor vehicle fatalities steadily increased from 11% in 2004 to 15% in 2014 according to NHTSA data. Bicyclists accounted for 2 percent of all traffic deaths in 2014.


Large trucks

According to the IIHS rear crash safety of large trucks could be improved by 44% with forward collision warning systems and by 41% with automatic emergency braking. In the US, automated emergency braking (AEB) is not mandatory for heavy vehicles while it is in the European Union.


Rates per driver's license

One can also calculate auto fatalities per driver's license. From 1990 to 2009, this number has also been improving: from 1 death per 3,745 driver's licenses in 1990 to 1 per 6,200 driver's licenses in 2009. Crowded, traffic-choked Northeastern cities including Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Boston, Providence, Philadelphia, Newark, Hartford, New Haven, Springfield and Worcester, Massachusetts, were most likely to have car accidents. The NHTSA through its Fatality Analysis Reporting System stated that auto fatalities continue to be the leading cause of death for young adults.


Risk factors

Rural non-Interstate highways are particularly risky. Most are two-lane non-divided highways built to lower standards than Interstate highways. Drivers are more likely to be drunk or not wearing seat belts. Speeding is common.
Deer A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) ...
,
elk The elk (: ''elk'' or ''elks''; ''Cervus canadensis'') or wapiti, is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. ...
and
moose The moose (: 'moose'; used in North America) or elk (: 'elk' or 'elks'; used in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is the world's tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer and the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is also the tal ...
crossing the highway add to the risk compared to urban highways. In the event of an accident in a remote area, injured victims may not receive emergency medical care in time to save their lives. Many accidents when driving personal vehicles are caused by distracted driving. According to the
American Automobile Association American Automobile Association (AAA) is a federation of motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a privately held not-for-profit national member association and service organization with over 60 million members in the United States and Cana ...
(AAA), distraction plays a factor in 60% of moderate to serious teen car crashes. Specifically, passenger and cell phone interaction accounted for 27% of crashes, the leading cause. Drivers looking away from the target (roadway) also accounted for 19%. Non-use of seat belts is a significant risk factor. According to Col. Tom Butler, chief of the
Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...
Highway Patrol, preliminary 2015 data indicated that 178 of the 224 vehicle occupant fatalities were of individuals not wearing seat belts. The fine in Montana for not wearing a seat belt in 2015 was $20. Although speed limits increased from 75 mph to 80 mph on rural interstates that year, the biggest statewide increase in both crashes and deaths occurred on secondary roads. Forty-three people died on Montana two-lane roads outside of towns that are neither U.S. or state highways. Average trip duration may be greater in rural states, which may mean driver fatigue is a more salient risk factor in rural states than in more densely populated states. Most data on the number of hours driven in a day and accident rates is for commercial drivers who are required to keep driving logs. (See next section.) Human factor is one of the more significant in various factors leading to fatalities. With the increase in the volume of American cars, the number of deaths of drivers and passengers inside these rolling castles has decreased by 22%. But the number of pedestrians has increased by 57%. If Americans had stuck to smaller vehicles, 8,000 pedestrian lives would have been saved between 2000 and 2018, estimates Justin Tyndall, assistant professor of economics at the University of Hawaii. According to FDOT: * «When speeding is compared to fault, drivers traveling at any speed over 4 MPH over the posted limit were highly overrepresented in fault. As the amount of speeding increases, the degree of overrepresentation increases; however, even at 5–9 miles over the limit, drivers were overrepresented in fault by a factor of over 2.0. ». * «drinking drivers were between 3.5 and 18 times as likely to be at fault in the crash, depending on the amount of alcohol ingested. »


Cause

Several causes are involved: Hand held phone in car (color balanced).JPG, Distracted driving, a chief concern with mobile phone usage Bafometro-BrDSC 7400.jpg, Single usage Éthylotest Honda Fit - Impact Still.jpg, 2016
Honda Fit The Honda Fit ( Japanese: ホンダ・フィット, Hepburn: ''Honda Fitto'') or Honda Jazz is a small car manufactured and marketed by Honda since 2001 over four generations. It has a five-door hatchback body style and is considered a super ...
striking a wall head-on at 56 km/h Driving in the rain (5124407306).jpg, Driving in the rain Roadkill on Route 170 Okatie Hwy by the Chechessee River, SC, USA, jjron 09.04.2012.jpg,
Roadkill Roadkill is a wild animal that has been killed by collision with motor vehicles. Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increasingly been the topic of academic research to understand the causes, and how they can be mitigated. History Essenti ...
ed deer on the Okatie Highway, South Carolina, US Mercury Tracer, whitetail deer hit damage, July 2008.jpg, A car after colliding with a
white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known Common name, commonly as the whitetail and the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized species of deer native to North America, North, Central America, Central and South America. It is the ...
in
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
Route25eastwestbrook.jpg, A traffic light in
Westbrook, Maine Westbrook is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States and a suburb of Portland, Maine, Portland. The population was 20,400 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the fastest-growing city in Maine between 2010 and 2020. ...
. Notice the red arrow to the left of the two green straight lights. AP - Scotopic Vision.jpg, By night. Top: human; bottom: wider view Tire pressure gauge.jpg, Tire pressure gauge


Age


Calendar factors

The five most fatal days count more the 115 yearly fatalities making at least 575 fatalities in a five years period. *
July 4 Events Pre-1600 * 362 BC – Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans. * 414 – Emperor Theodosius II, age 13, yields power to his older sister Aelia Pulcheria, who reigned as regent and procla ...
is the
Independence Day (United States) Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing ...
. On that day, in the US, fatalities are 25% higher than a regular day, each year. *
November 1 Events Pre-1600 * 365 – The Alemanni cross the Rhine and invade Gaul. Emperor Valentinian I moves to Paris to command the army and defend the Gallic cities. * 996 – Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk, Bishop of Freisin ...
*
August 2 Events Pre-1600 *338 BC – A Ancient Macedonian army, Macedonian army led by Philip II of Macedon, Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes, Greece, Thebes in the Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC), Battle of Chaeronea, secu ...
*
October 25 Events Pre-1600 * 285 or 286 – Execution of Crispin and Crispinian, Saints Crispin and Crispinian during the reign of Diocletian, now the patron saints of leather workers, curriers, and shoemakers. * 473 – Emperor Leo I (emperor), ...
*
August 30 Events Pre-1600 * 70 – Titus ends the siege of Jerusalem after destroying Herod's Temple. * 1060 – The Mirdasids defeat the Fatimid Caliphate at the Battle of al-Funaydiq, signalling the definitive loss of Aleppo for the Fatimi ...
Saturday is part of the
weekend The weekdays and weekend are the complementary parts of the week, devoted to labour and rest, respectively. The legal weekdays (British English), or workweek (American English), is the part of the seven-day week devoted to working. In most o ...
. On that day, in the US, fatalities are 20% higher than a regular day, each year.


Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

The VMT may vary according to location; in 2021, it ranges from 0.31 in urban Vermont to 2.53 in rural South Carolina. It is sometimes understood that fatalities increase with the increase of VMT, but this is not systematic as fatalities might remain quite stable while the VMT change.


Modal comparison

When U.S. fatalities occurring in motor vehicles versus mass transit are compared, the difference is enormous. According to the cited study, there are more than 30,000 deaths each year in the U.S. on public roads. For all types of mass transit there are less than 150 fatalities each year.


Driving versus flying

The number of deaths per passenger-mile on commercial airlines in the United States between 2000 and 2010 was about 0.2 deaths per 10 billion passenger-miles, while for driving, the rate was 1.5 per 100 million vehicle-miles for 2000, which is 150 deaths per 10 billion miles for comparison with the air travel rate. The per mile risk for vehicle transportation is therefore 750 times higher than the per mile risk for commercial air travel. The greatest risk in flying is in takeoff and landing, meaning that longer aircraft trips are safer per mile. Commuter planes used on shorter flights have higher risk than larger jet aircraft. Driving on U.S. Interstate highways, which are almost always controlled-access divided highways, is safer than driving on most other roads and highways. Unlike the large U.S. air carriers and commuter airlines, which on average have less than 20 fatalities annually, each year
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...
fatalities number in the hundreds. Most general aviation accidents involve single-engine, piston-powered airplanes used in recreational aviation.


Aviation vs rail


Rail and bus

Rail and bus (motorcoach) accidents also account for fatalities, although public transportation is far less dangerous than driving a personal vehicle. From 2014 to 2016, fatal rail fatalities were 227, 234 and 231; with trespassers, fatalities are 749 for 2016.


Pilots and drivers

Driver fatigue is a concern, particularly for commercial drivers.
Hours of service Hours of service (HOS) regulations are issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and govern the working hours of anyone operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in the United States. These regulations apply to truck d ...
regulations are issued by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation that regulates the trucking industry in the United States. The primary mission of the FMCSA is to reduce crashes, injuries, an ...
(FMCSA) and govern the working hours of anyone operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in the United States. The relationship between number of hours driven and the percent of commercial truck crashes related to driver fatigue is an
exponential Exponential may refer to any of several mathematical topics related to exponentiation, including: * Exponential function, also: **Matrix exponential, the matrix analogue to the above *Exponential decay, decrease at a rate proportional to value * Ex ...
relationship. (See graph.) Although the accident rate per 100 million miles for professional truckers is low, the high number of miles driven by a truck driver makes truck driving a risky occupation. Trucking transportation occupations accounted for one quarter of all work-related fatalities in 2015, more than any other U.S. job, according to the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics' annual workplace fatality report. The fatal injury rate in 2015 was 14.7 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in transportation and material moving occupations (which includes both truckers and air transportation workers.) This was a significantly lower rate than for workers in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations, but high compared to most other occupation categories. The report did not break out the fatal injury rate per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers among aircraft pilots and flight engineers but did note that they had a high fatal injury rate compared to all workers. There were 57 fatalities among aircraft pilots and flight engineers in 2015.


Safety by state

Between 2006 and 2015, number of killed people changed from 42642 to 35092 (−17%). During this period, around half of the states reduced the number of death by more than 20%, for instance: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. In the same time, some states have killed more people, for instance North Dakota and Texas.


Road safety states trends


NTSB most Wanted List are on roadway safety

NTSB chair considers a change is needed because The five NTSB’s Most Wanted List to prevent accidents, reduce injuries, and save lives are: * Implement a Comprehensive Strategy to Eliminate Speeding-Related Crashes * Protect Vulnerable Road Users through a Safe System Approach * Prevent Alcohol- and Other Drug-Impaired Driving * Require Collision-Avoidance and Connected-Vehicle Technologies on all Vehicles * Eliminate
Distracted Driving Distracted driving is the act of driving while engaging in other activities which distract the driver's attention away from the road. Distractions are shown to compromise the safety of the driver, passengers, pedestrians, and people in other vehic ...
(
Distracted driving Distracted driving is the act of driving while engaging in other activities which distract the driver's attention away from the road. Distractions are shown to compromise the safety of the driver, passengers, pedestrians, and people in other vehic ...
)


See also

*
List of motorcycle deaths in U.S. by year This is a list of numbers of motorcycle deaths in U.S. by year from 1994 to 2014. United States motorcycle fatalities increased every year for 11 years after reaching a historic low of 2,116 fatalities in 1997, then increased to over 5,000 arou ...
* Alcohol-related traffic crashes in the United States * List of motor vehicle deaths in U.S. by year * List of U.S. states by road deaths *
Road safety Road traffic safety refers to the methods and measures, such as traffic calming, to prevent road users from being killed or seriously injured. Typical road users include pedestrians, cyclists, Driving, motorists, passengers of vehicles, and p ...
*
Air safety Aviation safety is the study and practice of managing risks in aviation. This includes preventing aviation accidents and incidents through research, educating air travel personnel, passengers and the general public, as well as the design of airc ...
*
Risk analysis In simple terms, risk is the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about the effects/implications of an activity with respect to something that humans value (such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environ ...
*
Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is a United States federal law, enacted by United States Congress, Congress to improve railroad safety. Among its provisions, the most notable was the mandate requiring positive train control (PTC) techn ...
* Work-related road safety in the United States * Traffic code in the United States


Notes


References

* {{Citation , url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/01/the-hidden-inequality-of-who-dies-in-car-crashes/ , newspaper=
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
, title= The hidden inequality of who dies in car crashes , first1= Emily , last1= Badger , first2= Christopher , last2= Ingraham , date= October 1, 2015 Transport safety Transportation in the United States