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Iowa State Police
Some of the vehicles involved in a pileup on Interstate 35 in Iowa are seen Thursday. Two people were reported killed in the crash.
After nearly a decade of decline, U.S. highway fatalities appear to be on the upswing again, according to new government data, with the death total climbing faster than at any time since 1975.
The 7.1 percent jump during the first nine months of the year has safety experts scrambling for an explanation, though at least some of the blame may go to the economy, with more Americans driving longer distances as their personal financial situation has improved, post-recession.
“There is a relationship between the economy, gas prices, driving and fatalities,” noted Jonathan Adkins, deputy executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “However, the increase can’t be explained solely because of an improving economy and more discretionary driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 25,580 Americans were killed in motor vehicle crashes during the first nine months of 2012. That was approximately 1,700 more than died during the same period the year before.
Traffic fatalities fell to their lowest level in more than six decades during 2011, according to a study released by federal regulators earlier this month. The death toll was a still-significant 32,367, but that was down from 43,510 as recently as 2005, when a variety of factors began a dive in highway fatalities.
Last year’s tally was not only the lowest overall total since the late 1940s but saw fatalities fall to a record low based on deaths per 100 million miles driven.
According to the NHTSA, motorists did log more miles during the first three quarters of 2012, but the increase of 14.2 billion miles, or 0.6 percent, doesn’t come close to accommodating the overall rise in the death toll. On a miles-driven basis, fatalities rose to 1.16 per 100 million miles compared to 1.09 for the same 9-month period last year, and 1.10 per 100 million miles for all of 2011.
According to GHSA’s Adkins, “Other factors may be at play. For example, 2012 had one of the warmest winters on record. That may have resulted in a longer motorcycle riding season and more pedestrian activity and hence, more fatalities.”
Toyota Furia concept could be next Corolla
Safety officials have been lamenting the steady increase in the number of states, such as Michigan, that have recently abandoned helmet laws. While fatalities among those in passenger vehicles has been dropping sharply in recent years, motorcycle deaths have risen markedly. Also up are pedestrian deaths, with the government reporting a 4 percent rise for 2010, the most recent year for which statistics are available.
The increase in traffic during the winter may also have had a disproportionate impact on the overall fatality rate. Significantly, roadway deaths rose 13 percent during the first quarter of 2012, while the increase was a more modest 4.9 percent during the warm third quarter.
Police spotters to catch texting drivers in test
NHTSA officials have been warning that what Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has called an “epidemic” of distracted driving” could reverse recent downward trends. But the agency has not weighed in on whether it is linking such problems as texting while driving with this year’s rise in highway fatalities.
Yet to be seen is whether increased freeway speed limits are implicated. But despite some concerns as states continue to relax those limits – Texas opening the nation’s fastest roadway, at 85 mph, this autumn. However, previous years showed little direct linkage, the death toll dropping even as most states had approved steadily higher speeds.
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Leave a Comment:
Better ban vehicles now..
Don't smoke weed and drive?
Ban asian drivers
Where does the head of the UAW stand on this. What are they going to do about it.
Yep, where are the anti-vehicle surrogates ?
Guess they are too busy with that ban guns rally.
Just think what the future is going to look like after the automotive groups start using "lighter" material to build vehicles to meet Mr. Obama's MANDATE on vehicle mileage.
I'll give you my car when you pry it from my cold dead a$$!
I was wondering how long it would be before someone said to ban vehicles. (^_^)
Sounds as stupid as banning guns doesn't it? YES
What really amazes me is that in the 2 1/2 years I have been stationed here in Germany I have never seen that kind of ice and snow on the Autobahn.
The Germans know there will be cars on the Autobahn and so they keep the ice and snow clear. Why in the world can't American governments and/or cities do the same thing. This is not acceptable. Get off of your ever widening butts and do thing right, keep the roads clear of ice and snow.. We drive too you know!!!
There are no dead animals on the road for more than a few minutes. Someone calls and they are taken care of right away, there are no Big Rig tire pieces (road allegators) on the road, someone calls and they are taken care of right away.
The police do more to protect the drivers by keeping the roads clear of garbage and alerting Ice trucks of potentially dangersous areas. They NEVER sit around a corner waiting for a speeder. They have camera's on the road to do that and the speed is so much greater here than in most of America that there should be more to worry about Right? Thank goodness for clean roads.
"Why in the world can't American governments and/or cities do the same thing"
Fed and state gov's are way too busy being greedy an corrupt, not only that but the nore money they spend here at home leaves them with less to throw at the reast of the world in their attempt to dominate it. US gov is this nation and it's peoples own worst enemy, bar none.
Thank you Midnightridr, I almost forgot about the greed keeping them busy.
Here's to Jonathan Adkins' brilliant observation that he see's a relationship between increased driving and increased fatalities. I would have never made that connection.
Vehicles and guns are different things. One is made as a mode of transportation, the other is made as an instrument of death.
Yep looks like we need stricter car laws.
Hey Jack Dulouz
Cars and guns are not different things, they are both made by men as tools to serve a purpose. How they are used is where the problem begins.Try looking at the percentage of deaths by cars in the country as opposed to death by guns you will find that percentage wise cars kill many more people than guns.
'Debora' thinks that local government 'greed' and 'corruption' is at fault. She's either 1) high 2) ignorant 3) living in China.
"Cars and guns are not different things." This is your argument? This analogy is just dumb and too far of a stretch.
Being manufactured by humans is the only thing they have in common. The purpose of each is drastically different. The fact that I have to spell this out is telling.
I blame it on the states who have given a driver's license to illegal aliens who don't understand the language or the illustrations of the road signs.
As for the recession being over... what a crock. It's because it's still going strong and people haven't been able to afford the usual upkeep of their vehicles, so essential safety measures have been neglected.
And yes, the texting and additional features on cell phones that occupy the attention of drivers is also a contributing factor.
A motor vehicle is nothing but a tool used to transport persons from point A to point B as well as the ability to take life. 25,000 plus people are killed by this tool in nine months of this year. A gun is a tool as well, that serves as protection as well as the ability to take life. Neither should be outlawed.
Protect the 2nd Amendment to the Fullest Extent and you protect the entire Bill of Rights!
bd
They take drivers license away from people who shouldn't have them too.
Until the conversational enema phrase ... "yeah, but"... is eliminated from the debate for a societal change, only the resultant consequence of an action will be addressed.
Hey, how about that “physics thing?” No inanimate object, of its own volition, has very overcome inertia with a motive or intent to inflicting injury or death. It is only by the action (s) of an individual responding/reacting to circumstance that inertia is overcome. Address that which created the circumstance under which a person was moved from thought to action and a greater step will be taken towards a goal of finding a TRUE solution.
Now you are free to say, “yeah, but…” have your conversational enema; discount/neutralize my comment and move safely about the cabin muttering epithets about gun nuts, all the while denying the existence of REAL carnage. 25,580 deaths in 9 months…..R-e-a-l-l-y?
Driving isn't a right covered by the Constitution; it's a privilege.
debi
Well then, I guess we better go back and allow felons to have guns. Because it's a "right covered by the Constitution".
Nowhere does it say in the Constitution felons must give up their Second Amendment.
debi
But yet, a felon does. So, did a felon lose their right or their privilege?
Unconstitutionally, their right was taken.
Debi give it up, he made a total fool of you.
Felons have no rights to begin with once they are convicted of a felony.
"They take drivers license away from people who shouldn't have them too."
Right on, and it works about as well as gun control, which doesn't work at all. Criminals could care less whether or not they have a drivers license.
Opinions are like a$$holes, and unfortunately, everybody's got one.
What an idiotic, uneducated and untrue statement.
Midnightridr is correct. They take a driver's license away from people who shouldn't have them but it doesn't stop them from driving at all.
That's a pretty lame argument.
Too many people in this country are of the belief that if you are caught committing a crime, you become sub human and a citizen no longer deserving to be covered under the Constitution and that's wrong.
Those caught committing a crime are punished with incarceration. Why should they be punished for the rest of their life and made to wear the red letter "A"? Those caught have paid for their crime.
This country is brimming with "bad" people, many who are lucky enough to never get caught or can afford high priced legal counsel. OJ is very possibly a very good example. If we took the rights away from everyone who has done bad things, caught or not, there would be no need for a Constitution.
its time dear leader ban vehicles that carry more than 4 people. these assault vehicles have taken too many innocent lives. where is code lesbian when we need them?
funniest thing i've heard all month
I see nothing funny in making light of the current gun debate. 20 young children lost their lives because a maniac with an assault rifle went on a rampage. It has nothing to do with vehicles. Grow up.
Jack, why don't you and the rest of your liberal friends start a crusade to ban maniacs/crazy people?
We liberals would like to see mental healthcare made available to more people. We also would like to see that taken into consideration when it comes to buying guns. Crazy liberals...we just try too hard to solve problems.
can you name a problem a liberal has solved besides the problem of illegal mexicans not having drivers licenses? didnt think so.
Stop the slaughter ban cars and trucks now, jail the president of GM Ford and Chrysler.
I want all drivers of these to Take a test to see if they can mentally be able to operate such a deadly machine
People feel supersafe in an SUV. BUT hey let down their guard, don't follow road rules and think they ar invinceable. You should live in a retirement community like I do. These people should never crive SUVs but they do- they feel safe- They themselves aren't SAFE! GADS!
I was broadsided by a Toyota Four runner in my Toyota MR2.According to the automobile club of Southern California,who is my insurer,they stated that pickup trucks,vans and Suv's drivers are aggressive and the result of many of the accidents on the road.In short the drivers behind the wheels of those vehicles are bullies.I think people who drive Vans,pick ups and Suv's should have to take a driving test in those vehicles and pay more for their insurance with more medical and collision coverage.I'm still waiting for the scam insurance company,TOPA in Los Angeles,to pay for my out of pocket and punitive damages.They said that their insured who broadsided me when I was more than half way out in an intersection(a four way stop on a clear day)yelling with his window rolled down for me to,Get out of the way,It's your fault." was not at fault.The law may require people to be insured but most don't have enough coverage and the insurance companies don't want to pay the claims.
Ban all gasoline now. These cars are killing people.
It's the drivers not the cars who are killing people because they are drunk,sleep deprived or plain old don't care that they are driving a heavy piece of metal that can ruin a person's life,take a person's life or cause them unbearable pain for years to come.I know you were being facetious but really drivers are getting worse in California.
Lets not forget talking on cell phones,texting, putting on makeup,watching video's ect. All while pushing a 5000 pound vehicle down the road at 70 mph about 15 feet behind the car in front of them. I think there are many more irresponsible vehicle owners than gun owners.
Seeing is believing. Once they make that split second f-up that they cannot undo it tends to teach them a lesson they'll never forget, provided they are fortunate enough to survive it.
soooo.. do we totally dismiss the fact that no one likes to FLY anymore?
Let's see: fee for carryon, fee for baggage, fee (if overweight) for 2 seats, frisk, Xray for the world to see, take off shoes, raise your arms so they can Xray your breasts too, you've got something in your pocket, step over here please, stand in front of clear glass where the world can see you while someone puts they're latexed hands all over your body parts. Disabled are horribly treated, get off the plane because you're wearing a t-shirt we don't like. Get off the plane because you're wearing a skirt we don't like. Get off the plane... we don't like you for whatever reason we can come up with. Oh, and we get to frisk your kid too! Yep, this has NOTHING to do with why more people are driving.
From the FAA
According to the forecast, the total number of people flying commercially on U.S. airlines will increase by 0.2 percent to 732 million in 2012, then to 746 million in 2013, and then increase more rapidly to 1.2 billion in 2032. The aviation system is expected to reach one billion passengers per year in 2024.
Apparently not everyone over-reacts to inconveniences of flying.
wow people could give a crap about this subject, You stand a better chance of dying in a car accident then being shot and people could give a crap.
As your username implies...You are among the few who truly sees the light. Thank you for you for stating your observations.
It's the smart phones stupid. People can't even walk straight while texting, they fall into water fountains or off the subway platform..........but they can drive a two ton vehicle at 40 mph and text at the same time with no problem................right
Between the airlines nickel and diming you to death and the TSA gestapo practically strip searching you before you board, many are returning to the highways instead of flying. More traffic equals more fatalities. Not too hard to figure out.
Life is full of risks, and Freedom is worth every one of them.
It's because some people are too stupid to get behind the wheel of a vehicle.
lets go back to the 60's early 70's...take out the airbags and other "safety" features.all they are doing is to make drivers more complacent.drivers think the car will save them when they crash..."i'm fine talking on the phone or texting or eating"...car will save my stupid ass.make them learn how to drive.
Mike, back in the 60's and 70's the word "texting" wasn't even coined yet, and talking on the phone while driving was only available to Agent Maxwell Smart talking into his shoe, but I know what you mean.
Mike,that's really a good idea.I don't know why the community collapsed your comments.People have a flase sense of security with all of the new safety features.If I were in charge people who are caught on their cellphone while driving would have their license taken away for life.If they got caught driving after that they'd be sent to prison.Nobody is that important that they think it's ok to kill other motorists because they selfishly wanted to talk or text while driving.
25,580 / 314,976,000 = .0081212% of the US population. There were roughly 4,252,176 births in 2012. Not to diminish the loss of life but these accidents are not even putting a dent in the population. But in the name of safety we have to do more to protect people. I say most of these accidents are natural selection. Carry on!
The problem with a traffic accident is that often the one that is being selected was not the cause.
Bad things happen to good people. It still doesn't put a dent in the population. More population = more drivers = more accidents but the death toll from car accidents will never put a dent in the population = not as big of a deal as it's made out to be.
Your facts may lead you to believe that people who lose their lives to traffic accidents is not big deal but it is a big deal to their families.
Want an explanation? Go out and drive 50 miles and you will understand what these morons are trying to stay away from. The American driver is getting worse and enforcement is down. So more stupid people and less enforcement of laws that already don't have enough punishment in them to prevent people from being stupid. THATS the problem. They can spin it all they want in the article but it's just that simple.
It is time to boycott the merchants of death, Government Motors (to include GM and Chrysler), Ford, Toyota, Subaru, BMW, Lexus etc. Obama and his merry gang of thug leftists are owners of the assault vehicle manufacturing apparatus and are elbow deep in this ongoing national tragedy. Time to add this horrible item to Joe "J.O.B.S." Biden task force to tackle!
Notice the lack of interest in this article and post compared to the NRA CEO speech. Just goes to show you that gun opponents are more interested in their agenda and listening to propaganda than saving lives.
bdj, because banning guns would not inconvenience them one bit. While reading about cars that kill 2-3times more people every year than guns would only confuse them with facts they'd rather not consider.
their agenda ??? many of the commenters on those articles are anti-gun people. ------ and of course, we all know that NONE of what the libs want is propanganda,
Maybe it's all the extra bells and whistles auto makers put in the cars to entertain the passengers, when the driver is supposed to be paying attention to the road. Ban all music in cars. Ban all movies in the back seat. Ban GPS units and force people to watch the road instead of their cute little route being shown in the dashboard. Stop putting backup cameras in cars and force people to look behind them when backing. Ban proximity sensors that show there's a vehicle in the next lane and force people to look before they change lanes. Stop putting heads up radar in luxury cars and force drivers to slow down at night and in inclement weather. Take ABS off cars and force people to learn how to use their brakes properly. Teach drivers to slow down and not go speeding through clouds of dust, smoke, fog or heavy rain. It is mostly common sense, but the way people are led to believe their cars are smarter than they are, the human race is almost devoid of common sense at this point in time, anyway. Never mind.
p.s. ---- you better ban kids in cars also ---- i'd be willing to bet that disruptive kids are a bigger threat to a drivers concentration than all of those things you mentioned banning.
@ronpal, of course... we would have to start with kids because it is so much more tragic... Oh, except when it comes to abortion (55,000,000 and counting).
true
While I agree in theory to what you say the fact of the matter is most people are to stupid to have any of this affect them, deaths would just increase. Common sense says people should do and learn all these things already but then the key word I used was common sense which is in short supply these days.
Devoid of common sense now? I was about 11 years old when I decided that the average person had the intelligence of a dumb brick and that was decades ago.
Obviously based on the current mentallity we must ban all cars, roads with curves and fog as well as they are all inherantly unsafe. Even though most cars have all the safety aids they can think of the nut behind the wheel is either asleep or texting or doing their makeup and maybe even talking on the phone and lets not forget the TV in the back seat for their little ones so the parents don't have to speak to them while the drive and text or talk with their friends.
More people are driving farther to work. I've noticed in my area alot more drivers commuting just to find a job.
Perhaps we could just regulate vehicles to travel no faster than 5 mph.
Solution: Make all Highways One-way and no left turn.
many of the streets in the town i am currently in are one way ----- as many accidents as i witness on a regular basis, i'd have to say that policy is not very effective.
Kinda like a freeway right? Been there done that,doesn't work
Ban all high capacity cars now!!!!
They kill people!!!!!
(Now doesn't it sound stupid)
Well no kidding! If you aren't doing 75 to 80 on I-5 in Oregon, you'll get run over. The cops (you know, the ones that protect us) are no where to be found.
true ----- and the trucks are supposed to be going only 55. ---- that, like that happens much.
Speed limit has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with fuel economy / consumption and pollution reduction.
TN4 ---- that is total BS ---- you obviously have no concept of the relationship between speed and fuel economy. ------ if our govt really wanted us to pollute less, and to use less fuel, all highway limits would be 60mph or lower.
I wonder if any of the smart NHTSA people cared to correlate the amount of accidents due to texting/use of devices with the increase.
I know that in the last few years I have to honk more and more people not staying in lane or making wide turns.
The latest smartphones also need more attention and actions to send a text than previous generations of phones.
Common sense, people.
Just like keeping assault weapons around unstable kids...