In an age where automotive safety devices are as sophisticated as they've ever been, some unpleasant things have happened on U.S. highways in 2012. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic fatalities in the first quarter of 2012 jumped an astonishing 13.5 percent, to the highest death rate since 2008. Sources suggest this is the second-largest quarterly boost in U.S. traffic fatalities since the NHTSA has kept track of such quarterly stats, beginning in 1975.
More than anticipated
Since 1975, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has been monitoring traffic deaths. It showed a massive increase from 2011 to 2012; in fact, the increase was the biggest one seen in traffic deaths since 1979. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration was very surprised to see the increase because traffic fatalities have been decreasing for some time. The Detroit News points out that in the first quarter of 2011, the traffic fatality rate was 0.98 per 100 million miles logged. That increased to 1.10 deaths per 100 million miles in the first quarter of 2012.
If you want exact numbers, there was an increase in death rates from 6,720 for the 2011 first quarter to 7,630 deaths in the first quarter of 2012. For the past seven years, the road fatalities in the country have been decreasing. This year has broken that record.
Possible factors
When there are cold winter months, fewer people like to leave home and drive on the roads. Since there was warmer weather this winter, more people were driving.
"However, the winter of 2012 was also unseasonably warmer than usual in most areas of the country," noted the NHTSA in an official statement. "Consequently, the fatality rate for the first quarter should not be used to make inferences for the fatality rate for the whole of 2012."
Traffic fatalities in 2011 had fallen 1.7 percent overall for the year, symbolizing the lowest known death rate on U.S. roads since 1949. In a May 2012 report, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration noted that 32,310 people were listed as vehicular fatalities over the course of 2011, down 1.7 percent from the 32,885 who died on U.S. highways in 2010. After hitting a death mark of 42,708 in 2005, traffic deaths decreased by a total of 26 percent heading into 2011.
More miles driven, but not by much
The Washington Post explained that the drive time last year decreased to its lowest point since 2003, probably due to gas costs and the recession. Drivers drove 35.7 billion miles fewer in 2011 than they did the year before, a 1.2 percent drop. In 2012, the amount of miles driven only increased by 9.7 billion miles.
This year's number of traffic fatalities really surprised the Governors Highway Safety Association executive director Barbara Harsha.
"While it is too early to draw conclusions about the data and the reasons for the increase, the strengthening economy and the warm winter may be factors," she said. "Any increase in traffic deaths is unacceptable and we remain absolutely committed to working with our partners at NHTSA and across the country to keep the roadways safe."
More than anticipated
Since 1975, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has been monitoring traffic deaths. It showed a massive increase from 2011 to 2012; in fact, the increase was the biggest one seen in traffic deaths since 1979. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration was very surprised to see the increase because traffic fatalities have been decreasing for some time. The Detroit News points out that in the first quarter of 2011, the traffic fatality rate was 0.98 per 100 million miles logged. That increased to 1.10 deaths per 100 million miles in the first quarter of 2012.
If you want exact numbers, there was an increase in death rates from 6,720 for the 2011 first quarter to 7,630 deaths in the first quarter of 2012. For the past seven years, the road fatalities in the country have been decreasing. This year has broken that record.
Possible factors
When there are cold winter months, fewer people like to leave home and drive on the roads. Since there was warmer weather this winter, more people were driving.
"However, the winter of 2012 was also unseasonably warmer than usual in most areas of the country," noted the NHTSA in an official statement. "Consequently, the fatality rate for the first quarter should not be used to make inferences for the fatality rate for the whole of 2012."
Traffic fatalities in 2011 had fallen 1.7 percent overall for the year, symbolizing the lowest known death rate on U.S. roads since 1949. In a May 2012 report, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration noted that 32,310 people were listed as vehicular fatalities over the course of 2011, down 1.7 percent from the 32,885 who died on U.S. highways in 2010. After hitting a death mark of 42,708 in 2005, traffic deaths decreased by a total of 26 percent heading into 2011.
More miles driven, but not by much
The Washington Post explained that the drive time last year decreased to its lowest point since 2003, probably due to gas costs and the recession. Drivers drove 35.7 billion miles fewer in 2011 than they did the year before, a 1.2 percent drop. In 2012, the amount of miles driven only increased by 9.7 billion miles.
This year's number of traffic fatalities really surprised the Governors Highway Safety Association executive director Barbara Harsha.
"While it is too early to draw conclusions about the data and the reasons for the increase, the strengthening economy and the warm winter may be factors," she said. "Any increase in traffic deaths is unacceptable and we remain absolutely committed to working with our partners at NHTSA and across the country to keep the roadways safe."
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