The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. NHTSA was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970. NHTSA is charged with ensuring and promoting traffic safety through various safety and consumer education programs, research programs, and investigatory functions. Every year, NHTSA gathers statistics regarding traffic accidents and releases year-end reports. NHTSA recently released its report summarizing traffic accident statistics for the year 2012.
In 2012, both motor vehicle crashes and fatalities as a result of such crashes increased. This represented the first increase in six years. 33,561 individuals died as a result of motor vehicle accidents, which includes both occupants and non-occupants. This is a 3.3% increase over the number of deaths that occurred in 2011, which was 32,479. Men consistently comprise about 70% of all individuals killed in traffic crashes.
By far, the most individuals were killed as occupants in passenger vehicle accidents—a total of 21,667 deaths occurred as a result of such accidents. These accidents include those involving passenger cars and light trucks. 697 deaths resulted from accidents involving occupants in heavy trucks. Finally, 4,957 deaths resulted from motorcycle accidents. 5,692 individuals who were non-occupants (pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.) were killed in motor vehicle accidents.
The number of individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents also experienced the first statistically-significant increase in decades. The last occurred in 1995. In 2012, 2.36 million individuals were injured in traffic accidents, which is a 6.5% increase of the number injured in 2011. As with fatalities, by far, the most individuals were injured as occupants in passenger vehicle accidents—a total of 2,091,000 individuals. 25,000 injuries resulted from accidents involving occupants in heavy trucks. Finally, 93,000 injuries resulted from motorcycle accidents. 135,000 individuals who were non-occupants were injured in motor vehicle accidents in 2012.
Sadly, alcohol-related fatalities increased in 2012 by 4.5% over 2011 to 10,322. These fatalities represent 31% of all 2012 fatalities involving traffic accidents. Most of these fatalities involved passenger cars, accounting for 4,104. 3,696 individuals were killed in alcohol-related accidents involving light trucks; 1,390 individuals were killed in alcohol-related accidents involving motorcycles; and 80 individuals were killed in alcohol-related accidents involving large trucks.
In 2012, there were a total of 30,800 fatal crashes. There were a total of 5,615,000 crashes. This is a 5.2% increase over 2011, in which there were 5,338,000 crashes.
Approximately 52% of the individuals killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2012 were not using proper safety restraints. Slightly more individuals were killed in daytime accidents (51%) than in nighttime accidents (48%).
Rural road crashes accounted for 18,170 deaths; urban road crashes accounted for 15,296. 18,887 deaths resulted from roadway departure crashes; 8,766 deaths resulted from accidents at intersections. A full copy NHTSA’s report can be found at
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811856.pdf.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, it is important to retain an attorney experienced in this type of personal injury lawsuit. You need an attorney who understands the various stages of a personal injury lawsuit, from issuing a demand letter to the insurance company, to requesting medical records, to engaging in investigating the underlying facts, to setting the matter for trial, if necessary. Barrett Law, PLLC has been striving to protect the rights of individuals injured as a result of motor vehicle accidents for decades. We are here to protect you. Please contact us today at (800) 707-9577.