US road safety improvement

The US Department of Transportation reports that road deaths fell by 9.7% to 33,808 in 2009, compared with 37,423 in 2008.
March 1, 2012 Read time: 1 min
The 2364 US Department of Transportation reports that road deaths fell by 9.7% to 33,808 in 2009, compared with 37,423 in 2008. Traffic deaths in the US are now at the lowest level since 1950. Analysts say the drop reflects improved safety features in cars, better enforcement of drink driving laws and more people wearing seat belts.

The rate of deaths per 160 million km travelled dropped to a record low of 1.13 deaths in 2009. Alcohol-impaired driving deaths were also down 7.4% to 10,839, while motorcycle fatalities dropped 16% to 4,462. The estimated average distance travelled by motorists rose 0.2%.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Thailand’s major road safety problem
    October 23, 2015
    Thailand has a serious problem with regard to road safety, which needs to be addressed. This is leading to a high number of deaths and serious injuries, with a draining effect on the country’s economy as well as carrying a social impact. The 2015 Global Status Report on Road Safety published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that Thailand has the second-highest road-fatality figures globally. There were 14,059 people killed in road crashes in Thailand in 2012, with the country having a death rate
    Read More
  • Road safety improving, but vulnerable road users need protection
    January 11, 2013
    Preliminary data from France over the number of fatalities on the road network reveal safety improvements during 2012. The numbers killed dropped by 7-8%, although the final figures for December are not yet available. The preliminary figures suggest that around 3,600-3,700 were killed on French roads in 2012, compared with 3,970 in 2011. This reduction is in line with targets on cutting the death rate and Ministry of the Interior wants to bring the fatality rate to just 2,000 by 2020. This reduction has bee
    Read More
  • Taiwan road safety gain
    February 7, 2012
    Taiwan has seen an improvement in its road safety standards with fatalities dropping to 2,016 in 2009. This compares favourably with the 2,150 fatalities on the nation's roads in 2008.
    Read More
  • Australia’s road safety problems are a cause for concern
    January 23, 2019
    The Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) has highlighted key problems with road safety. According to the ARRB, these issues must be addressed if Australia’s road casualty rate is to be reduced. Road death tolls are being reduced as he latest results show, but more work needs to be done. According to the ARRB, the road death tolls in Victoria dropped 20% for 2018 when compared with the previous year. This is a major improvement, showing the gains made by Victoria’s road agency VicRoads and the state’s Tr
    Read More

Highlighted Content