NHTSA Now Masthead with U.S. DOT NHTSA Logo
Volume 9, No. 6
August 11, 2003

2002 Highway Fatalities Highest
Since 1990; Injuries Hit an All-Time Low

By Rae Tyson, Office of Communications and Consumer Information

As highway crashes continue to claim the lives of thousands, the grim statistics under-score the need for better state laws, stricter enforcement and safer driving behavior.

Alcohol-related fatalities remained at 41 percent of the total with 17, 419 deaths in 2002, up slightly from 17,400 in 2001. Historically, the majority of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes were not wearing safety belts; that trend continued in 2002 with 59 percent unrestrained.

The number of injured dropped from 3.03 million in 2001 to 2.92 million in 2002, a record low, with the largest decrease in injuries among occupants of passenger cars. Among other factors, the decline in injuries can be attributed to tougher federal safety standards and improved vehicle design.

Secretary Norman Y. Mineta emphasized his commitment to safety and personally urged states to pass tough laws prohibiting drunk driving and requiring the use of safety belts.

SAFETEA (Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003), the Bush Administration’s surface transportation legislative proposal, would provide more than $15 billion over six years for highway safety programs. This is more than double the amount provided by its predecessor, TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century). The majority of this funding would be through a new core highway safety infrastructure program instead of the existing Surface Transportation Program safety set-aside.

In addition, SAFETEA would create a new safety belt incentive program to strongly encourage states to enact primary safety belt laws and achieve substantially higher safety belt use rates. SAFETEA also would combine the several safety programs administered by NHTSA into a consolidated grant program.

Under SAFETEA, states would have broad new flexibility to transfer safety funds among diverse safety programs administered by the Department if they develop performance-based comprehensive strategic highway safety plans that identify their highest priority safety improvements.

“If you drink and drive or fail to wear your safety belt, taking those risks may cost you your life,” said NHTSA Administrator Dr. Jeff Runge. “On the other hand, driving sober and wearing a belt will significantly increase your chance of survival on the highway.”

Though overall fatalities increased to 42,815 in 2002 from 42,196 in 2001, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) remained at 1.51, a historic low. According to Federal Highway Administration estimates, VMT increased in 2002 to 2.83 trillion, up from 2.78 trillion in 2001.

NHTSA earlier estimated that highway crashes cost society $230.6 billion a year, about $820 per person.

Fatalities in rollover crashes accounted for 82 percent of the total fatality increase in 2002. In 2002, 10,666 people died in rollover crashes, up 5 percent from 10,157 in 2001. The number of persons killed in sport utility vehicles (SUVs) that rolled over rose 14 percent. Sixty-one percent of all SUV fatalities involved rollovers.

NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) also shows that, in 2002:

  • Motorcycle fatalities increased for the fifth year in a ro w following years of steady improvement.
    A total of 3,244 riders died, up slightly from 3,197 in 2001. It was the smallest increase in motorcycle fatalities in five years. However, deaths among riders 50 and over increased 26 percent.

  • Alcohol-related fatalities have been rising steadily since 1999. However, deaths in low alcohol-involvement crashes (.01-.07 blood alcohol concentration (BAC)) dropped 5.5 percent from 2001 to 2,401 deaths.

  • Fatalities from large truck crashes dropped from 5,111 in 2001 to 4,897
    in 2002, a 4.2 percent decline.

  • Fatalities among children seven and under dropped to historic low levels.

  • In 2002, 968 children seven and under were killed, down from 1,059 in 2001.

  • Pedestrian deaths also declined, to 4,808, a 1.9 percent drop from 2001.

  • In fatal crashes between passenger cars and LTVs (light trucks and vans, a category that includes SUVs), the occupants of the car were more often fatally injured. When a car was struck in the side by an LTV, the fatality was 20.8 times more likely to have been in the passenger car. In a head-on collision between a car and an LTV, the fatality was 3.3 times more likely to be among car occupants.

NHTSA annually collects crash statistics from 50 states and the District of Columbia to produce the annual report on traffic fatality trends. Summaries of the FARS report are available on the NHTSA website at: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/Rpts/2003/Assess02.pdf .

Region III Kicks Off Checkpoint Strikeforce 2003

Region III Administrator, Dr. Baker, at the microphone

Region III Administrator, Dr. Baker, discusses the DUI Crackdown and Checkpoint Strikeforce.

June 27, 2003. More than 100 law enforcement and highway safety advocates from all over NHTSA Region III came together in Martinsburg West Virginia to kickoff the July impaired driving Crackdown and Regional Checkpoint Strikeforce Campaign. The WV Eastern Panhandle Safe Communities Program sponsored the dinner and press conference. Speakers included Region III Administrator Dr. Elizabeth A. Baker, WV Governors Rep Commissioner Roger Pritt, Superintendent WV State Police Col. Howard Hill, Local MADD President Mark Cheeseman, and WV Law Enforcement Liaison J.D. Meadows. Eighteen law enforcement agencies from Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia were present. They included state and local police as well as Sheriffs Departments. Representatives from MADD National, WV Governor Wise’s office and WV Senator Capito’s office were also present.

The highlight of the evening ended with all the departments participating in sobriety checkpoints following the kickoff. Several border-to-border checkpoints were conducted at state and local borders with multiple agencies participating. A total of 23 agencies involving more than 120 officers conducted 12 checkpoints. Preliminary numbers show more than 2,500 vehicles checked, 21 DUI arrests, 9 drug arrests and 11 other criminal charges. More border-to border checkpoints are planned for the next six months during the Region III Checkpoint Strikeforce Campaign. West Virginia also conducted checkpoints along the borders of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky in conjunction with the crackdown kickoff.