US road safety concern at increasing fatalities

Concern has been expressed over the rise in road fatalities in the US. An analysis of road crash data has been called for in a bid to identify the primary causes of the increase in road deaths for 2015 compared with the previous year. During 2015 there were 35,092 road deaths in the US, a gain of 7.2% over the previous year. A combination of low fuel prices and a steady increase in the country’s economic activity have been known to be factors in the gain in road deaths. US citizens drove a record total distance in 2015, an increase of 3.5% over the previous year. However there are other factors that have yet to be identified as playing a role. Driver distraction from the use of cellphones at the wheel as well as speeding and driving under the influence are also known to have been factors in the gain in US road deaths. Of those vehicle occupants killed in crashes, over 50% were not wearing seatbelts at the time of impact. The 2467 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will seek to increase seatbelt use amongst vehicle occupants. Particular concern has been seen for the increase in deaths amongst vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Deaths amongst motorcyclists also increased by 8%, emphasising the need for compulsory helmet use by US motorcycle riders at a time when many states have taken the retrograde step of relaxing such laws.