Introduction
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 37,461 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2017. That’s down from 37,757 deaths during 2016. In 2017, drivers lost their lives at a rate of 1.18 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). The percentage of teen drivers involved in fatal car accidents dropped from 25 percent in 2000 to 18 percent in 2014.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that on average, there were 37,461 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2017. That’s down from 37,757 deaths during 2016.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that on average, there were 37,461 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2017. That’s down from 37,757 deaths during 2016.
The number of motor vehicle deaths has declined over the past decade with a high of 42,636 fatalities recorded in 2008 and an all-time low of 32,744 fatalities in 2014.
The number of fatalities has been declining since at least 2005 when 34,808 people lost their lives due to car accidents.
In 2017, drivers lost their lives at a rate of 1.18 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
In 2017, drivers lost their lives at a rate of 1.18 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). This number is an important measure of risk because it’s the average annual number of fatalities for every 100 million miles driven by all types of vehicles on the road in the United States.
The rate varies depending on what type of vehicle you’re driving–it’s higher for light trucks and SUVs than it is for cars, but has been decreasing over time as fatalities from these types of vehicles have decreased as well. The fatal crash rate has also been shown to be higher in rural areas than urban ones; however, this trend seems to be reversing itself over time due to improvements in safety features such as airbags and antilock brakes that are more common among newer models than older ones.
The percentage of teen drivers involved in fatal car accidents dropped from 25 percent in 2000 to 18 percent in 2014.
The percentage of teen drivers involved in fatal car accidents dropped from 25 percent in 2000 to 18 percent in 2014. This is an encouraging trend, but it’s still too high. Teenagers are more likely than any other age group to be involved in fatal crashes because of distracted driving and alcohol-impaired driving.
Teenagers make up about 6 percent of licensed drivers nationally, but they’re responsible for 13 percent of all vehicle miles traveled (VMT). That means that teens are spending more time on the road than older adults even though their experience level is lower and their chances for getting into an accident go up dramatically when they’re behind the wheel–especially if they’re distracted by texting or talking on their cell phone while driving:
In 2016, the number of pedestrians killed by cars reached 5,987 — up from 4,977 in 2015 and 4,488 in 2014.
The number of pedestrians killed by cars reached 5,987 in 2016 — up from 4,977 in 2015 and 4,488 in 2014. While these numbers are alarming enough on their own, they’re even more so when you consider that they represent all types of vehicles: cars, trucks, buses and even motorcycles.
Pedestrians are at risk of being hit by a car because drivers often fail to see them before it’s too late. Drivers need to be more careful around pedestrians and pedestrians need to pay attention to their surroundings so they don’t get hit by a vehicle as well!
The highest number of pedestrian deaths occurs on Friday nights at 8 p.m., followed by Saturday nights at 6 p.m., then Sunday afternoons at 12 p.m.
The most dangerous times for pedestrians are Friday and Saturday nights, especially 8 p.m. on Fridays. However, the risk is not limited to those two days: Sunday afternoons from 12-6 p.m. also pose a high risk for pedestrian accidents to occur.
The data shows that there are approximately 461 deaths per year due to car-pedestrian accidents in the United States alone; this accounts for about 12% of all traffic fatalities each year (NHTSA).
Alcohol-impaired driving is responsible for nearly one third of all fatal crashes involving teenagers and young adults ages 17-24; another third to one-fourth involve a distracted driver (e.g., talking on a cell phone or texting).
If you are a teenager or young adult, it is important to be aware of the dangers of driving while impaired. Alcohol-impaired driving is responsible for nearly one third of all fatal crashes involving teenagers and young adults ages 17-24; another third to one-fourth involve a distracted driver (e.g., talking on a cell phone or texting). Texting while driving is illegal in most states, but you can still get ticketed for doing so if caught by police officers or other law enforcement officials.
As humans we have an inherent tendency to overuse our physical bodies and take risks in life that are avoidable
As humans we have an inherent tendency to overuse our physical bodies and take risks in life that are avoidable. Risk taking is natural and it can be beneficial to us, but it can also lead us down a path of destruction and death.
If you are someone who has been involved in a car accident caused by risky driving, then this guide will help you understand why it happened so that you can avoid similar situations in the future.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in learning more about the causes of fatal car accidents, check out our blog post on the topic. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of statistics and trends that will help you understand what’s going on behind the scenes at your local DMV office or police station.