Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents--National Summary statistics

[Based on data from the Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS). FARS gathers data on accidents that result in loss of human life. FARS is operated and maintained by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA). FARS data are gathered on motor vehicle accidents that occurred on a roadway customarily open to the public, resulting in the death of a person within 30 days of the accident; collection of these data depend on the use of police, hospital, medical examiner/coroner, and Emergency Medical Services reports, State vehicle registration, driver licensing, and highway department files, and vital statistics documents and death certificates. See source for further detail]


Item	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1995	1996	1997	1997	1998
																	revisions			revisions
Fatal crashes, total	45,284	44,000	39,092	37,976	39,631	39,196	41,090	41,438	42,130	40,741	39,836	36,937	34,942	35,780	36,254	37,241	37,241	37,494	37,324	37,324	37,081
One vehicle involved	28,306	26,832	23,851	23,048	23,697	22,875	24,275	24,154	24,716	23,742	23,445	21,910	20,388	20,569	20,526	21,250	21,256	21,134	20,807	20,807	20,897
Two or more vehicles involved	16,978	17,168	15,241	14,928	15,934	16,321	16,815	17,284	17,414	16,999	16,391	15,027	14,554	15,211	15,728	15,991	15,985	16,360	16,517	16,517	16,184

Persons killed in fatal crashes	51,091	49,301	43,945	42,589	44,257	43,825	46,087	46,390	47,087	45,582	44,599	41,508	39,250	40,150	40,716	41,817	41,817	42,065	42,013	42,013	41,471

Occupants	41,927	40,424	35,646	34,843	36,284	36,043	38,234	38,565	39,170	38,087	37,134	34,740	32,880	33,574	34,318	35,291	35,291	35,695	35,725	35,725	35,359
Drivers	28,816	28,200	24,690	24,138	25,589	25,337	26,630	26,833	27,253	26,389	25,750	23,930	22,584	23,142	23,691	24,390	24,390	24,534	24,667	24,667	24,729
Passengers	12,972	12,055	10,867	10,595	10,586	10,619	11,498	11,623	11,805	11,624	11,276	10,688	10,211	10,361	10,518	10,782	10,784	11,058	10,944	10,944	10,519
Other	139	169	89	110	109	87	106	109	112	74	108	122	85	71	109	119	117	103	114	114	111

Nonmotorists	9,164	8,877	8,299	7,746	7,973	7,782	7,853	7,825	7,917	7,495	7,465	6,768	6,370	6,576	6,398	6,526	6,526	6,370	6,288	6,288	6,112
Pedestrians	8,070	7,837	7,331	6,826	7,025	6,808	6,779	6,745	6,870	6,556	6,482	5,801	5,549	5,649	5,489	5,584	5,584	5,449	5,321	5,321	5,220
Pedalcyclists	965	936	883	839	849	890	941	948	911	832	859	843	723	816	802	833	833	765	814	814	761
Other	129	104	85	81	99	84	133	132	136	107	124	124	98	111	107	109	109	156	153	153	131

Occupant fatalities by type
of vehicle, total
Passenger cars
Mini-compact (95 inches)	3,141	3,475	3,284	3,373	3,555	3,571	3,728	3,815	3,813	3,812	3,556	3,039	2,714	2,635	2,339	2,207	2,207	2,037	1,763	1,763	1,488
Subcompact (95 to 99 inches)	4,158	4,432	3,881	4,000	4,346	4,422	4,842	5,007	4,975	4,928	4,753	4,655	4,314	4,333	4,721	4,584	4,584	4,581	4,457	4,457	4,022
Compact (100 to 104 inches)	927	1,052	1,210	1,499	2,081	2,635	3,350	3,943	4,764	5,099	5,310	5,338	5,354	5,707	6,322	6,899	6,899	7,288	7,195	7,195	7,002
Intermediate (105 to 109 inches)	3,878	4,107	3,919	3,985	4,287	4,391	4,803	4,917	5,016	5,055	4,849	4,681	4,418	4,483	4,407	4,666	4,666	4,670	4,794	4,794	4,788
Full size (110 to 114 inches)	4,831	4,245	3,651	3,489	3,269	2,974	3,217	2,937	2,840	2,641	2,386	2,073	2,120	2,067	2,074	2,116	2,116	2,147	2,242	2,242	2,290
Largest (115 inches and over)	6,746	5,955	4,779	4,470	4,160	3,612	3,686	3,160	2,904	2,610	2,249	1,967	1,676	1,608	1,486	1,297	1,297	1,270	1,239	1,239	1,098
Unknown	3,768	3,379	2,606	2,163	1,922	1,607	1,318	1,353	1,496	929	989	632	791	733	648	654	654	512	509	509	476
Motorcycles	4,961	4,746	4,270	4,104	4,431	4,417	4,309	3,834	3,492	3,036	3,129	2,703	2,291	2,336	2,190	2,114	2,114	2,046	2,028	2,028	2,177
Other motorized cycles	183	160	183	161	177	147	257	202	170	105	115	103	104	113	130	113	212	115	88	88	107
	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Light trucks	7,378	6,926	6,154	5,977	6,173	6,286	6,896	7,577	7,921	8,219	8,347	8,301	8,012	8,511	8,904	9,568	9,512	9,932	10,249	10,249	10,647
Pickup	5,483	5,097	4,605	4,496	4,686	4,640	5,090	5,502	5,880	5,870	5,979	5,671	5,385	5,538	5,574	5,938	5,938	5,904	5,887	5,887	5,900
Utility	895	871	735	769	723	855	927	1,050	1,040	1,135	1,214	1,476	1,335	1,521	1,757	1,935	1,935	2,147	2,380	2,380	2,701
Van	1,000	958	814	712	764	791	879	1,025	1,001	1,214	1,154	1,154	1,292	1,365	1,508	1,639	1,639	1,832	1,914	1,914	2,015
Other	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)			87	65	56		49	68	68	31
Medium trucks	285	235	154	172	153	157	145	125	125	128	134	115	99	90	109	96	96	87	122	122	91
Heavy trucks	977	898	790	810	921	820	781	727	786	730	571	546	486	515	561	552	552	534	601	601	637
Buses	46	56	35	53	46	57	39	51	54	50	32	31	28	18	18	33	33	21	18	18	36
Other vehicles	257	276	258	271	575	333	244	293	310	277	296	328	405	306	317	307	307	340	343	343	343
Unknown	283	327	267	91	135	211	198	143	119	147	164	138	68	119	92	85	85	115	77	77	157
	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-3	0	0	0	0
Persons involved in fatal crashes	113,289	112,460	102,120	99,316	103,348	104,045	109,073	111,457	112,958	109,866	107,777	99,369	95,691	97,589	98,945	102,102	102,102	103,347	102,197	102,197	100,978

Occupants	103,049	102,423	92,867	90,673	94,317	95,482	100,273	102,644	104,086	101,401	99,297	91,707	88,367	90,150	91,644	94,621	94,621	96,159	95,050	95,050	94,127
Drivers	62,957	62,154	56,029	54,656	57,512	57,883	60,335	61,442	62,253	6,435	58,893	54,391	51,901	53,401	54,549	56,164	56,164	57,001	56,688	56,688	56,543
Passengers	39,892	40,015	36,693	35,848	36,634	37,477	39,776	41,013	41,656	40,816	40,229	37,108	36,330	36,599	36,898	38,252	38,252	38,913	38,184	38,184	37,388
Other	200	254	145	169	171	122	162	189	177	150	175	208	136	150	197	205	208	245	178	178	196
Nonoccupants	10,240	10,037	9,253	8,643	9,031	8,563	8,800	8,813	8,872	8,465	8,480	7,662	7,324	7,439	7,301	7,481	7,478	7,188	7,147	7,147	6,851

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) (100 million)	15,273	15,528	15,950	16,528	17,203	17,742	18,349	19,212	20,256	21,070	21,444	21,721	22,471	22,964	23,576	24,227	24,227	24,858	25,617	25,617	26,254
Licensed drivers (1,000)	145,295	147,075	150,234	154,389	155,424	156,868	159,487	161,818	162,853	165,555	167,015	168,995	173,125	173,149	175,403	176,628	176,628	179,539	182,709	182,709	184,980
Registered vehicles (1,000)	161,490	164,118	165,397	169,334	171,729	177,098	181,357	183,872	188,981	191,694	192,915	192,314	194,427	188,350	192,497	197,065	197,065	201,631	203,568	203,568	207,588

Fatalities by road type
Interstate	4,427	4,520	4,078	4,033	4,301	4,148	4,279	4,634	5,142	4,971	4,993	4,574	4,350	4,566	4,713	4,835	4,835	5,245	5,332	5,332	5,367
Federal-aid primary	(NA)	(NA)	15,038	14,295	14,848	14,526	15,229	15,561	15,185	14,732	14,203	13,158	12,052	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)
Federal-aid secondary	(NA)	(NA)	5,979	6,017	6,547	6,429	6,539	6,597	6,919	6,769	6,892	6,249	5,849	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)
Federal-aid urban	(NA)	(NA)	8,153	7,424	7,933	8,116	8,635	8,432	8,534	8,398	8,432	7,511	6,582	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)
NonFederal-aid	(NA)	(NA)	10,224	10,634	10,436	10,408	11,242	11,004	10,844	10,579	10,039	9,924	8,826	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)
Unknown	(NA)	(NA)	473	186	192	198	163	162	463	133	40	92	1,591	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)	(NA)

Fatal crashes by the highest blood
alcohol concentration (BAC) in crash:
0.00 percent	(NA)	(NA)	43.3	45.0	46.7	48.5	48.3	49.3	50.1	51.1	50.6	52.1	54.5	56.5	59.1	58.7	58.7	59.1	61.5	61.5	61.5
0.01 to 0.09 percent	(NA)	(NA)	10.7	10.4	10.6	10.3	10.9	10.7	10.2	9.8	9.7	9.4	9.1	8.5	8.4	8.6	8.6	8.7	8.1	8.1	8.2
0.10 percent and over	(NA)	(NA)	46.1	44.7	42.7	41.2	40.8	40	39.7	39.1	39.7	38.5	36.4	34.9	32.5	32.6	32.6	32.1	30.3	30.3	30.3

Rates:
Fatality rate by age group:
Under 5 years old	6.9	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.0	5.2	5.3	5.4	5.4	5.4	4.9	4.6	4.5	4.5	4.8	4.3	4.3	4.6	4.1	4.1	4.0
5 years to 15 years old	8.7	7.8	7.1	6.9	7.3	7.4	7.7	7.8	7.4	7.0	6.4	6.1	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.0	5.9	5.7	5.6	5.6	5.2
16 years to 24 years old	46.0	42.3	38.1	36.2	37.9	37.1	40.2	38.8	40.0	36.7	35.2	33.0	29.5	30.1	30.7	30.8	31.1	30.7	29.3	29.3	28.5
25 years to 44 years old	24.6	24.3	20.9	20.1	20.3	19.6	20.5	20.6	20.3	20.0	19.7	17.7	16.6	16.8	16.3	17.2	17.2	17.0	16.6	16.6	16.4
45 years to 64 years old	17.2	16.6	14.6	14.3	14.6	14.5	14.2	14.9	15.0	15.0	14.9	13.5	13.1	13.0	13.3	13.6	13.4	13.8	14.2	14.2	14.0
65 years to 79 years old	19.6	19.0	17.6	17.1	18.6	18.0	18.7	18.8	19.5	19.1	18.8	18.0	17.9	17.9	18.7	18.5	18.5	18.7	19.2	19.2	18.7
80 years old and over	25.3	24.9	22.7	23.8	23.9	25.1	25.8	27.1	29.1	28.8	26.8	26.9	26.0	27.8	28.0	28.0	27.8	27.8	29.2	29.2	28.3

Fatalities per 100 million VMT	3.3	3.2	2.8	2.6	2.6	2.5	2.5	2.4	2.3	2.2	2.1	1.9	1.8	1.8	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.6	1.6
Fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers	35.2	33.5	29.3	27.6	28.5	27.9	28.9	28.7	28.9	27.5	26.7	24.6	22.7	23.2	23.2	23.7	23.7	23.4	23.0	23.0	22.4
Licensed driver per person	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7
VMT per registered vehicle	9,458	9,462	9,644	9,761	10,017	10,018	10,117	10,445	10,718	10,936	11,107	11,294	11,558	12,192	12,247	12,294	11,793	12,329	12,584	12,584	12,647
Fatalities per 100,000 registered vehicles	31.6	30.0	26.6	25.2	25.8	24.8	25.4	25.2	24.9	23.8	23.1	21.6	20.2	21.3	21.2	21.2	21.2	20.9	20.6	20.6	20.0
Fatal crashes per 100 million VMT	2.9	2.8	2.5	2.3	2.3	2.2	2.2	2.2	2.1	1.9	1.9	1.7	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.4
Involved vehicles per fatal crash	1.4	1.5	1.4	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5
Fatalities per fatal crash	1.2	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1
Average occupants per fatal crash	2.3	2.4	2.4	2.4	2.4	2.4	2.4	2.5	2.5	2.5	2.5	2.5	2.5	2.7	2.7	2.7	2.5	2.8	2.7	2.7	2.7
Fatalities per 100,000 population	22.5	21.5	18.9	18.2	18.7	18.4	19.1	19.1	19.2	18.4	17.9	16.5	15.4	15.6	15.6	15.9	15.8	15.9	15.7	15.7	15.3

NA Not available.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatal Accident Reporting System, annual.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ncsa/

Terms

Alcohol Involvement

NHTSA defines a fatal crash as alcohol-related or alcohol-involved if either a driver or a nonmotorist (usually a pedestrian) had a measurable or estimated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.01 grams per deciliter (g/dl) or above. NHTSA defines a nonfatal crash as alcohol-related or alcohol-involved if police indicate on the police accident report that there is evidence of alcohol present. The code does not necessarily mean that a driver or nonoccupant was tested for alcohol.

Blood Alcohol Concentration

The BAC is measured as a percentage by weight of alcohol in the blood (grams/deciliter). A positive BAC level (0.01 g/dl and higher) indicates that alcohol was consumed by the person tested. A BAC level of 0.10 g/dl or more indicates that the person was intoxicated.

Body Type

Detailed type of motor vehicle within a vehicle type.

Bus

Large motor vehicles used to carry more than ten passengers, including school buses, inter-city buses, and transit buses.

Combination Truck

A truck tractor not pulling a trailer; a tractor pulling at least one full or semi-trailer; or a single-unit truck pulling at least one trailer.

Construction/Maintenance Zone

An area, usually marked by signs, barricades, or other devices indicating that highway construction or highway maintenance activities are ongoing.

Crash

An event that produces injury and/or property damage, involves a motor vehicle in transport, and occurs on a trafficway or while the vehicle is still in motion after running off the trafficway.

Crash Severity

1. Fatal Crash. A police-reported crash involving a motor vehicle in transport on a trafficway in which at least one person dies within 30 days of the crash. 2. Injury Crash. A police-reported crash that involves a motor vehicle in transport on a trafficway in which no one died but at least one person was reported to have: (1) an incapacitating injury; (2) a visible but not incapacitating injury; (3) a possible, not visible injury; or (4) an injury of unknown severity. 3. Property-Damage-Only Crash. A police-reported crash involving a motor vehicle in transport on a trafficway in which no one involved in the crash suffered any injuries.

Crash Type

Single-vehicle or multiple-vehicle crash.

Day

From 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.

Driver

An occupant of a vehicle who is in physical control of a motor vehicle in transport, or for an out-of-control vehicle, an occupant who was in control until control was lost.

Ejection

Refers to occupants being totally or partially thrown from the vehicle as a result of an impact or rollover.

First Harmful Event

The first event during a crash that caused injury or property damage.

Fixed Object

Stationary structures or substantial vegetation attached to the terrain.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)

The maximum rated capacity of a vehicle, including the weight of the base vehicle, all added equipment, driver and passengers, and all cargo loaded into or on the vehicle. Actual weight may be less than or greater than GVWR.

Initial Impact Point

The first impact point that produced personal injury or property damage, regardless of First or Most Harmful Event.

Injury Severity

The police-reported injury severity of the person (i.e., occupant, pedestrian, or pedalcyclist). 1. Killed (Fatal) 2. Injured (Incapacitating injury, evident injury but not incapacitating, complaint of injury, or injured, severity unknown). 3. No injury.

Jackknife

Jackknife can occur at any time during the crash sequence. In this report, jackknifing is restricted to truck tractors pulling a trailing unit in which the trailing unit and the pulling vehicle rotate with respect to each other.

Junction

Area formed by the connection of two roadways, including intersections, interchange areas, and entrance/exit ramps.

Land Use

The crash location (urban or rural).

Large Trucks

Trucks over 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, including single unit trucks and truck tractors.

Light Trucks

Trucks of 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating or less, including pickups, vans, truck-based station wagons, and utility vehicles.

Manner of Collision

A classification for crashes in which the first harmful event was a collision between two motor vehicles in transport and is described as one of the following: Angle. Collisions which are not head-on, rear-end, rear-to-rear, or sideswipe. Head-on. Refers to a collision where the front end of one vehicle collides with the front-end of another vehicle while the two vehicles are traveling in opposite directions. Rear-end. A collision in which one vehicle collides with the rear of another vehicle. Sideswipe. A collision in which the sides of both vehicles sustain minimal engagements.

Most Harmful Event

The event during a crash for a particular vehicle that is judged to have produced the greatest personal injury or property damage.

Motorcycle

A two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle designed to transport one or two people, including motorscooters, minibikes, and mopeds.

Motor Vehicle in Transport

A motor vehicle in motion on the trafficway or any other motor vehicle on the roadway, including stalled, disabled, or abandoned vehicles.

Night

From 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.

Noncollision

A class of crash in which the first harmful event does not involve a collision with a fixed object, nonfixed object, or a motor vehicle. This includes overturn, fire/explosion, falls from a vehicle, and injuries in a vehicle.

Nonmotorist

Any person who is not an occupant of a motor vehicle in transport and includes the following: 1. Pedestrians 2. Pedalcyclists 3. Occupants of parked motor vehicles 4. Others such as joggers, skateboard riders, people riding on animals, and persons riding in animal-drawn conveyances.

Nonmotorist Location

The location of nonmotorists at time of impact. Intersection locations are coded only if nonmotorists were struck in the area formed by a junction of two or more trafficways. Non-intersection location may include nonmotorists struck on a junction of a driveway/alley access and a named trafficway. Nonmotorists who are occupants of motor vehicles not in transport are coded with respect to the location of the vehicle.

Objects Not Fixed

Objects that are movable or moving but are not motor vehicles. Includes pedestrians, pedalcyclists, animals, or trains (e.g., spilled cargo in roadway).

Occupant

Any person who is in or upon a motor vehicle in transport. Includes the driver, passengers, and persons riding on the exterior of a motor vehicle.

Other Vehicle

Consists of the following types of vehicles: 1. Large limousine (more than four side doors or stretched chassis) 2. Three-wheel automobile or automobile derivative 3. Van-based motorhome 4. Light-truck-based motorhome (chassis mounted) 5. Large-truck-based motorhome 6. ATV (all terrain vehicle, including dune/swamp buggy) and ATC (all terrain cycle) 7. Snowmobile 8. Farm equipment other than trucks 9. Construction equipment other than trucks (includes graders) 10. Other type vehicle (includes go-cart, fork lift, city streetsweeper).

Passenger

Any occupant of a motor vehicle who is not a driver.

Passenger Car

Motor vehicles used primarily for carrying passengers, including convertibles, sedans, and station wagons.

Pedalcyclist

A person on a vehicle that is powered solely by pedals.

Pedestrian

Any person not in or upon a motor vehicle or other vehicle.

Restraint Use

The occupants use of available vehicle restraints including lap belt, shoulder belt, or automatic belt.

Roadway

That part of a trafficway designed, improved, and ordinarily used for motor vehicle travel.

Roadway Function Class

The classification describing the character of service the street or highway is intended to provide. Includes the following: Interstates. Limited access divided facilities of at least four lanes designated by the Federal Highway Administration as part of the Interstate System. Other Freeways and Expressways. All urban principal arterial with limited control of access not on the Interstate system. Other Principal Arterials. Major streets or highways, many with multi-lane or freeway design, serving high-volume traffic corridor movements that connect major generators of travel. Minor Arterials. Streets and highways linking cities and larger towns in rural areas in distributing trips to small geographic areas in urban areas (not penetrating identifiable neighborhoods). Collectors. In rural areas, routes serving intra-county, rather than statewide travel. In urban areas, streets providing direct access to neighborhoods as well as direct access to arterials. Local Streets and Roads. Streets whose primary purpose is feeding higher order systems, providing direct access with little or no through traffic.

Rollover

Rollover is defined as any vehicle rotation of 90 degrees or more about any true longitudinal or lateral axis. Includes rollovers occurring as a first harmful event or subsequent event.

Seating Position

The location of the occupants in the vehicle. More than one can be assigned the same seat position; however, this is allowed only when a person is sitting on someones lap.

School Bus-Related Crash

Any crash in which a vehicle, regardless of body design, used as a school bus is directly or indirectly involved, such as a crash involving school children alighting from a vehicle.

Single-Unit Truck

A medium or heavy truck in which the engine, cab, drive train, and cargo area are all on one chassis.

Trafficway

Any road, street, or highway open to the public as a matter of right or custom for moving persons or property from one place to another.

Vehicle

See Motor Vehicle in Transport.

Vehicle Type

A series of motor vehicle body types that have been grouped together because of their design similarities. The principal vehicle types used in this report are passenger car, light truck, large truck, motorcycle, bus, and other vehicle. See the definition of each of the vehicle types elsewhere in this glossary.

Weekday

From 6 a.m. Monday to 5:59 p.m. Friday.

Weekend

From 6 p.m. Friday to 5:59 a.m. Monday.

http://www.allcountries.org/uscensus/1037_fatal_motor_vehicle_accidents_national_summary.html

These tables are based on figures supplied by the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce and are subject to revision by the Census Bureau.

Copyright © 2006 Photius Coutsoukis and Information Technology Associates, all rights reserved.