Recession Bright Spot: Less Highway Deaths

Study: 9.1% Drop In 2008 Is Lowest In 47 Years; Bad Economy Fueled Decrease In Drivers

(AP)  Less money in the pockets of Americans means fewer highway deaths. As the economy slid deeper into recession and gas prices reached $4 a gallon last year, the number of people killed in auto accidents hit its lowest level in five decades.

In addition to fewer miles logged by drivers worried about expenses, experts also cited record-high seat-belt use, tighter enforcement of drunken driving laws and the work of advocacy groups that encourage safer driving habits.

Preliminary figures released by the government Monday show that 37,313 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes last year. That's 9.1 percent lower than the year before, when 41,059 died, and the fewest since 1961, when there were 36,285 deaths.

A different measure, also offering good news, was the fatality rate, the number of deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. It was 1.28 in 2008, the lowest on record. A year earlier it was 1.36.

"The silver lining in a bad economy is that people drive less, and so the number of deaths go down," said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Not only do they drive less but the kinds of driving they do tend to be less risky - there's less discretionary driving."

Fatalities fell by more than 14 percent in New England, and by 10 percent or more in many states along the Atlantic seaboard, parts of the Upper Midwest and the West Coast, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"Americans should really be pleased that everyone has stepped up here in order to make driving safer and that people are paying attention to that," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

In the past, tough economic times have brought similar declines in roadway deaths. Fatalities fell more than 16 percent from 1973 to 1974 as the nation dealt with the oil crisis and inflation. Highway deaths dropped nearly 11 percent from 1981 to 1982 as President Ronald Reagan battled a recession.

The government said vehicle miles traveled in 2008 fell by about 3.6 percent, to 2.92 trillion miles, indicating many people adjusted their driving habits as gas prices fluctuated and the economy tumbled. The number of miles driven by motorists had risen steadily over the past three decades.

The figures are preliminary; final numbers and state-by-state totals are expected later in the year.

Several states have pushed tougher seat belt laws that allow law enforcement officers to stop motorists whose sole offense was failing to buckle up. In 27 states and the District of Columbia, there are such enforcement laws. The remaining states have laws that allow tickets for seat belt violations only if motorists are stopped for other offenses. New Hampshire has no seat belt law for adults.

Seat belt use in 2008 climbed to 83 percent, a record. Fourteen states and the nation's capital had rates of 90 percent or better. Michigan had the highest seat belt use rate with 97.2 percent, followed by Hawaii with 97 percent and Washington state at 96.5 percent. Massachusetts had the lowest rate, 66.8 percent, while it was under 70 percent in New Hampshire and Wyoming.

Many states have tried to improve their enforcement of driving laws and public outreach. In South Dakota, for example, state troopers are required to devote several hours a year to give presentations discouraging drunken driving or promoting seat belt use.

"There isn't a civic group in the state that should have to worry about what's going to be on the next agenda for them if they want to have somebody come talk about traffic safety," said Jim Carpenter, South Dakota's highway safety director. Carpenter said an estimated 119 motorists died on South Dakota roads in 2008, compared with 146 in 2007 and 191 in 2006.

But many safety groups said it was unclear if the fatality numbers will continue to drop once the economy improves. If the projections hold, 2008 would be the first year since 1992 when traffic fatalities dipped below 40,000. Even with the declines, more than 100 people die on U.S. roads everyday.

"We still have too many people who are dying in car crashes," said Jacqueline Gillan, vice president for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

[honest_pols]

LONGTIME OVERDUE TO REDISTRIBUTE WEALTH IN AMERICA

Efforts must be made to go as far as confiscating monies, assets, properties, etc, from the so called 'financiers', bankers, brokers, real estate magnates, etc. Often equally responsible are their lawyers, their accountants, and other of their agents, willfully contributing to their dishonest, misleading, swindling, cheating, lying and stealing from their victims and the public.

Enough of these parasitic destroyers of our entire economy, who should be put to hard labor for the monies they wrongfully acquired, much of which is hidden in offshore, secret bank accounts!

[walt1944]

It is reported that highway deaths are down substantially since the middle of last year.

The reasons are because:

1. In the middle of last year, gasoline prices were heading for Mars (even if we weren't) so no one could afford to go anywhere.

2. Towards the end of the year up to today, gasoline prices are back down to the $2 a gallon range, but millions of people are out of work meaning that they are staying home and that they STILL CAN'T AFFORD to go anywhere!

It is expected that as the recession/DEPRESSION deepens, millions more will be thrown out of work, jobs will become extinct, and people will not only be unable to put gas in their cars, they won't be able to afford them at all!

We will return to the days of horse and buggy, with many using bicycles to get around just like the Chinese used to 50 years ago! Today, the Chinese will be driving the cars while all of us will have a horse grazing in our back yards.

Thank you VERY MUCH, former-Great Emperor George W. Bush II and all stupidly-loyal Neocon Fascist Nazi Republicans everywhere, along with GGRREEDDYY Corporate America!!!

HAIL OBAMA!!!

[AttyFAM]

"Fewer" deaths, not "Less" deaths.
Where are the editors?

[valh1]

Highway deaths are down due to the recession, but notice they haven' posted the suicide rates due to the recession.
Or the people who kill their entire families and themselves, or the guy's who are laid off and go and mow down a bunch of people.
We are only supposed to see rainbows and smiley faces because the Big O is going to save us all.

[jsd330]

Highway deaths are down due to the recession, but notice they haven' posted the suicide rates due to the recession.

[Slrman]

Yes, it is "fewer" not "less" there was a time when journalists were not ignorant semi-literate despoilers of the language. But that time has passed. And for those you you who are so stupid as to politicize this and blame it in the "liberals". Remember, most teachers are liberals as are most that can think for themselves and not blindly follow what they are told.

Mostly, it has seemed to be the neocons and the disgraceful Bush who have murdered the language. Does anyone here want to point out how well-spoken and erudite (look it up repugnicans) Shrub is? Compare his public appearances with Obama's and hide yourselves in shame. If I have written one word that is not true, I challenge anyone to prove it wrong.

[endurorob]

How do they come up with the number of miles driven every year? They have an average of 1.28 deaths per 100 million miles driven. How do they know hao many miles I or you drive?

[flreason]

Oops...this isn't a tragedy. I had the recent shootings in New York and Washington state on my mind.

[flreason]

"It should say "Recession Bright Spot: FEWER Highway Deaths" The article author got the distinction between LESS and FEWER correct. Why couldn't the headline writer?"
Posted by braniff77

Thank you for stating exactly what I was thinking! Journalism used to set the gold standard for English usage. Now newspapers and on-line publications are rife with grammatical and spelling errors. The media appear to have eliminated proofreaders in their cost-cutting frenzy. They don't seem to realize that dumbing down professional journalism reinforces its decline.

As for this tragedy...the current financial collapse, coupled with the proliferation of automatic firearms and few purchase restrictions, is resulting in too many mass killing incidents. How many deaths of innocent citizens and children will it take to convince lawmakers and the American public of the need for restrictions on automatic rifles? The gun lobby may parade their patriotism, but they are financed by the gun manufacturers...and their primary concern is maximizing corporate profits, with little regard for public safety.

[ubrew12]

Reminds me of a joke from Flight of the Conchords:
Robot A: "In the future, there are no more elephants!"
Robot B: "There is no more unethical treatment of elephants either!"

[jamesguy]

Fewer highway deaths. Not less deaths. There's no such thing as a fraction of a death. Dead is dead.

[geneonlbk]

Fewer Highway Deaths!

[braniff77]

It should say "Recession Bright Spot: FEWER Highway Deaths" The article author got the distinction between LESS and FEWER correct. Why couldn't the headline writer?