Based on a statistical projection, in 2008 fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes are estimated to have dropped to 37,313 – a 9.1-percent decline from the 41,059 fatalities reported in 2007. The actual count of fatalities will be reported in August 2009. Preliminary data reported by the Federal Highway Administration shows that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 2008 dropped by about 3.6 percent to 2,922 billion miles. The fatality rate, computed per 100 million VMT, dropped from 1.36 in 2007 to 1.28 in 2008. Figure 1 depicts the trend of fatalities and the fatality rate from 1966. If these projections are realized, fatalities and the fatality rate will be the low-est on record (since 1961). Also, the projected decline in 2008 will represent the third-largest decline, both in the number and percentage, on record (since 1961). The largest decline since 1961 was 16.4 percent in 1974, followed by a 10.9-percent decline in 1982. (Author/publisher)
Abstract