Distracted driving dangers in the US

Distracted driving and lack of seatbelt use pose dangers in the US.
By MJ Woof June 1, 2023 Read time: 2 mins
US road safety is poor, with distracted driving and insufficient use of seatbelts increasing fatalities and serious injuries – image © courtesy of Mike Woof

Official data highlights the dangers of distracted driving and lack of seatbelt use in the US and these problems may be worsening. There were 3,522 people killed in crashes on US roads in 2021, and increase from the 3,142 road deaths caused by distracted driving in the US in 2020. The data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
 
Not using seatbelts is another key safety issue in the US. NHTSA data shows that in 2021, 11,813 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts. One of the highest percentages of unbelted road fatalities for all age groups is for young adults aged 18-34, with 59% of those killed not wearing a seatbelt at the time of impact.

The NHTSA’s Occupant Protection Traffic Safety report shows that pickup truck drivers and passengers have had the highest percentage of unrestrained fatalities across all vehicle types for nearly 20 years. In 2021, 60% of pickup truck drivers and 64% of pickup truck passengers killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts. 

However, the number of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes from 2018 to 2021 has increased every year. In 2018, there were 9,545 unrestrained fatalities. In 2021, 11,813 passenger vehicle occupants who died in a crash (45%) were not wearing a seat belt. 

Data shows that over the years, a greater percentage of unrestrained fatalities occur at night than during the day. In 2021, 57% of people who died in night-time crashes were unrestrained, compared to 43% who died during the day.

Meanwhile, road safety improvements effectively stalled in the US in 2022 at around 31,800 deaths from road crashes for the year. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that road crashes in the US came with a financial cost of US$340 billion in 2019.

There were 3,434 pedestrians killed on US roads in the first six months of 2022, an increase of 5% from the same period in 2021. Of concern is the fact that the figures for pedestrian deaths in 2021 were already showing a record high over the previous 40 years.

Highway & Network Management

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Odessa road safety campaign wins award
    May 22, 2013
    A road safety project carried out in the port city of Odessa has won a key award. The Prince Michael International Road Safety Award 2013 was presented by Prince Michael of Kent in St Petersburg. The project was financed by the European Union and was run between June and November 2011. Following the safety campaign, an analysis of data revealed a major improvement in road safety in the country. In 2010 the largest cause of road death was speeding, accounting for 36% of the fatalities. Also the wearing of se
    Read More
  • Ireland’s road safety is improving, slowly
    November 11, 2019
    Ireland’s road safety levels are improving, but perhaps more slowly than is desirable. In 2018 there were 142 road deaths in Ireland. A significant improvement over the last 20 years where compared with the 458 road deaths in the country seen in 1998. Of note is that for 2014-2018, 25% of all fatal crashes and 20% of crashes involving serious injuries occurred during the 22.00-06.00 period when traffic volumes are typically low. In addition, 75% of crashes occurring from 2013-2016 in the 22.00-06.00 period
    Read More
  • New Zealand road risk for motorists
    April 27, 2018
    New crash data from New Zealand points to a worrying trend for car occupants. In around 30% of fatal crashes, lack of seatbelt use is a primary factor in occupant deaths. An analysis of 200 fatal crashes in which occupants were not using seatbelts shows that 75% of those killed were male. Meanwhile 84% of the incidents occurred on rural roads. Many of those killed were young drivers while alcohol also played a role in many of the incidents. Research suggests that around 90% of vehicle occupants in New
    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