In 2006, 42,642 people died on the Nation’s highways. Of these fatalities 30,521 (72%) were passenger vehicles occu-pants of all ages, and 28,911 (68%) were occupants 16 and older. This Research Note looked at those 2006 fatalities 16 and older to identify characteristics of those who were unre-strained. Specifically: Fifty-five percent of fatalities 16 and older were unrestrained, a reduction of 4 percentage points (from 59%) from 2002. The number and percentage of unrestrained fatalities was much higher during nighttime. Sixty-four percent of fatal-ities at night were unrestrained, compared to 46 percent during the day. The nighttime period with the highest percentage of unrestrained fatalities was midnight to 3 a.m. (71%). Younger driver and passenger fatalities were unrestrained at high rates, especially at night. Almost 70 percent of occupant fatalities in the 16 to 20 (68%), 21 to 24 (68%), and 25 to 34 (69%) age cohorts were unrestrained during nighttime. Males had higher percentages of unrestrained fatalities than females. About 70 percent of male nighttime fatali-ties were unrestrained. Pickup truck occupants had the highest percentages of unrestrained fatalities. More than three-fourths of the pickup truck occupants fatally injured during nighttime were unrestrained. (Author/publisher)
Abstract