( U. S. ) Traffic Fatalities in 2010 Drop to Lowest Level in Recorded History

[mariomike]

I believe this news from the U.S. is likely relevant to North American traffic fatality statistics.

"WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the number and rate of traffic fatalities in 2010 fell to the lowest levels since 1949, despite a significant increase in the number of miles Americans drove during the year.":
http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/NHTSA-05-11

"The decrease in fatalities for 2010 occurred despite an estimated increase of nearly 21 billion miles in national vehicle miles traveled."

I would also add laminated and tempered glass, crumple zones, side impact protection beams, collapsible steering columns and padded dashboards.  As well as improved fuel system integrity and fire retardant materials.

 

[PuckChaser]

Fatalities are one thing, which is great that its dropping, but how many total collisions were there? How many catastrophic injuries that resulted in permanent disability?

The cars are getting safer but I think people are using those safety features as a crutch and not driving defensively.

 

[mariomike]

The cars are getting safer but I think people are using those safety features as a crutch and not driving defensively.

I bet there are many more accidents now than there ever were. Years ago, many of them would have resulted in death or serious injury. As you say, the safety features give people a sense of security. Most of the old death traps we used to lift broken people out of, before the seat-belt law and MADD, are gone. Car fires, at least on the passenger side of the firewall, are much less common now.  Convertibles are pretty rare too. Most new ones seem to have roll-over bars. On the other hand, these massive pick-up trucks and SUVs people are buying now are potential killers. When I see one coming up fast in my rear-view mirror, I try to manoeuvre my 21 year old LeSabre sedan out of their way. 

In Toronto, fire incidence has declined sharply from 1980. As a result, "Tiered Response" to traffic accidents has been introduced.
By 2001, Canadian fire deaths in vehicles had decreased to 7%. ( National Fire Protection Association )
9-1-1 and cell phones have also played a part.

I know the official word is "collision", but I usually referred to them as accidents when speaking to those involved. I found that when I used the word accident, people did not feel we were blaming them, and were more open about disclosing the facts to us about what really happened. We just wanted to understand the mechanism of trauma so we could help them, rather than argue who was at fault.

Between 1949 and now, a significant event, known as "The White Paper", was "Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society". It was a report published in 1966 by the National Academy of Sciences that is considered a landmark in the development of EMS. After 1970, the annual traffic death rate began to decline markedly.

Alcohol was said to be a factor in about two-thirds of fatal vehicle accidents around 1970. By 1995, that figure was down to 41 per-cent. ( American statistic. )

Funny thing I remember back when I was buying my first car and took one for a test drive with the salesman. When he saw me buckle-up he cracked, "What do you think you are, a race car driver?" This was before the 1975 seat belt law.

 

[mariomike]

This was yesterday afternoon on HWY 407 in Mississauga,

"Two were pronounced dead at the scene. A third person was in critical condition but pronounced dead an hour later.
Paramedics say all three of the victims were inside the Chevy."
http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/three-killed-in-crash-on-highway-407-in-brampton-ont-1.3000271

What caught my eye was the year of manufacture of the Chevrolet. 1948!

I don't know if the year of manufacture had much, or anything, to do with the deaths of those inside it, but out of curiosity, I looked up the number of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles travelled in the US.

In 1948 it was: 7.73 
By 2014 ( last year reported ) it was: 1.08
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year

The falling death rates have been pretty consistent over the years. Although an American source, presumably it has some relevance to Canadian highway safety.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Cars are getting safer all the time.  If I had a choice between getting in a smash with a current compact car (Mazda 3 for example) or a really beautiful classic (40's, 50's, 60's,70's) boat like a (Crown Vic for example), I'd want to be in the Mazda 3.  Your chances of coming out ahead with a current car is far and above the old girls.

 

[mariomike]

Cars are getting safer all the time.  If I had a choice between getting in a smash with a current compact car (Mazda 3 for example) or a really beautiful classic (40's, 50's, 60's,70's) boat like a (Crown Vic for example), I'd want to be in the Mazda 3.  Your chances of coming out ahead with a current car is far and above the old girls.

But, the Crown Vics were fun to drive - as I am sure you too fondly remember. They saw a lot of urban action.

 

[jollyjacktar]

But, the Crown Vics were fun to drive - as I am sure you too fondly remember. They saw a lot of urban action.

Thinking more along the lines of a 55 Crown Vic that a collector owned where I grew up.  She was big, beautiful and I am sure not as safe as the Vic you and I know so well.

 

[mariomike]

Seeing what was left of that '48 Chev. yesterday on the 407 was tough to look at.

 

[mariomike]

No surprise to emergency services. But, may be of interest to pedestrians.

Tall trucks, SUVs are 45% deadlier to US pedestrians, study shows

Trucks and sport utility vehicles with hood heights greater than 40 inches are about 45% more likely to cause fatalities in pedestrian crashes than shorter vehicles with sloped hoods, according to new research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

www.reuters.com

 

[Colin Parkinson]

No surprise to emergency services. But, may be of interest to pedestrians.

Tall trucks, SUVs are 45% deadlier to US pedestrians, study shows

Trucks and sport utility vehicles with hood heights greater than 40 inches are about 45% more likely to cause fatalities in pedestrian crashes than shorter vehicles with sloped hoods, according to new research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

www.reuters.com

So are ear buds and head into phone while crossing.

 

[mariomike]

Right.

Nothing new about cars vs pedestrians.

I think all Reuters was saying was, "Tall trucks, SUVs are 45% deadlier to US pedestrians".

Anyone in 9-1-1 would know that. But, the statistic might, or might not, be as well known to the public.

I don't think they were blaming careless drivers, or careless pedestrians.

 

[dapaterson]

I don't wear headphones or earbuds, but have had many near fatal encounters with SUV drivers for who traffic law is merely a set of vague aspirational guidelines.

Driver's licenses should be hard to get and easy to lose. Should be tied to vehicle types and require additional training for larger, more dangerous vehicles.

 

[KevinB]

I don't wear headphones or earbuds, but have had many near fatal encounters with SUV drivers for who traffic law is merely a set of vague aspirational guidelines.

Driver's licenses should be hard to get and easy to lose. Should be tied to vehicle types and require additional training for larger, more dangerous vehicles.

Can can try to pry my assault SUV from my cold dead hands

On a serious note however, people are clearly getting dumber, that applies to both pedestrians and drivers.

 

[Good2Golf]

can try to pry my assault SUV from my cold dead hands

What would we get out of your cold dead hands first? SUV or AR?

 

[KevinB]

What would we get out of your cold dead hands first? SUV or AR?

Well I'll be dead - so...

 

[Quirky]

So are ear buds and head into phone while crossing.

You've just triggered the entire population of downtown folk in our major cities.

 

[Furniture]

I don't wear headphones or earbuds, but have had many near fatal encounters with SUV drivers for who traffic law is merely a set of vague aspirational guidelines.

Much of the problem is that people who are self absorbed and most likely to ignore pedestrians, are also drawn to "status" symbol vehicles like large SUVs.

BMW Drivers Really Are Jerks, Studies Find

Not much is going to stop them short of police everywhere hammering them with massive tickets and suspensions.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Much of the problem is that people who are self absorbed and most likely to ignore pedestrians, are also drawn to "status" symbol vehicles like large SUVs.

BMW Drivers Really Are Jerks, Studies Find

Not much is going to stop them short of police everywhere hammering them with massive tickets and suspensions.

A lot of immigrant drivers come from places where pedestrians are super cautious of crossing a street and are not likely expecting a pedestrian to causally step in front of a moving vehicle with expectation they will stop. On the other hand there are the elderly Chinese ladies who believe in the power of the "Hand"

 

[Furniture]

A lot of immigrant drivers come from places where pedestrians are super cautious of crossing a street and are not likely expecting a pedestrian to causally step in front of a moving vehicle with expectation they will stop. On the other hand there are the elderly Chinese ladies who believe in the power of the "Hand"

That is a fair point as well, people coming to Canada to visit or live parentally tend to bring part of their driving culture with them. Just as we would bring our driving culture to wherever we moved. I was definitely a bit of a fish out of water when driving in Italy.

 

[RangerRay]

That is a fair point as well, people coming to Canada to visit or live parentally tend to bring part of their driving culture with them. Just as we would bring our driving culture to wherever we moved. I was definitely a bit of a fish out of water when driving in Italy.

Hell, it took me months to adjust to driving in Manitoba after I moved here from BC.