The overall number of traffic fatalities in 2007 reached its lowest level since 1994. The 2007 “Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Fatalities and People Injured” shows a 3.9 percent decline in people killed in the United States, from 42,708 in 2006 to 41,059. This reduction in fatalities is the largest in terms of both number and percentage since 1992. Passenger-car occupant fatalities declined for the fifth consecutive year, while light-truck occupant fatalities dropped for the second consecutive year. However, motorcyclist fatalities continued their 10-year increase, reaching 5,154 in 2007, the highest number since National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started collecting fatality crash data in 1975. Motorcyclist fatalities now account for 13 percent of total fatalities.

The data shows a decrease in fatalities for all person types except motorcyclists. The number of people injured in crashes was estimated to be below 2.5 million for the first time since NHTSA began collecting injury data in 1988. In 2007, about 2.49 million people were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes, compared to 2.58 million in 2006. This constitutes the eighth consecutive yearly reduction in people injured.

The number of people injured declined in all categories except motorcyclists and pedestrians. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled fell to an historic low of 1.37 fatalities. The overall injury rate also declined. The 2007 rates are based on the latest (May 2008) traffic volume trend estimates from the Federal High-way Administration. Overall VMT decreased by 0.6 percent compared to 2006 – from 3,014,116 million to 2,996,232 million. VMT data will be updated when FHWA officially releases the 2007 “Annual Highway Statistics.” Alcohol impaired driving fatalities (fatalities in crashes involving a driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter or greater declined by 3.7 percent in 2007.

Thirty-five states and Puerto Rico had reductions in the number of fatalities. States with the largest reduction (100 or more) in the number of fatalities were California (-266), Arizona (-227), Texas (-168), Florida (-143), New York (-121), and Missouri (-104). South Dakota (-24%), Vermont (-24%), Wyoming (-23%), followed by Delaware (-21%) had the greatest percentage reductions. The largest increases (50 or more) were in North Carolina ( 121) and Virginia ( 65). The largest percentage increases were found in the District of Columbia ( 19%), Alaska ( 14%), and North Carolina ( 7.8%).

NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System is a census of all crashes of motor vehicles traveling on public roadways in which a person died within 30 days of the crash. Data for the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System comes from a nationally representative sample of police-reported motor vehicle crashes of all types, from property-damage-only to fatal.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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