A statistical projection of traffic fatalities in 2010 shows that an estimated 32,788 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents a decline of about 3 percent as compared to the 33,808 fatalities that occurred in 2009. If these projections are realized, fatalities will be lowest on record (since 1949). Also, in 2010, fatalities declined in the first (down 11.4%) and second (down 5%) quarters and increased in the third (up about 1.6%) and fourth quarters (up about 1.8%), as compared to the respective quarters in 2009. The fourth quarter of 2010 is the second consecutive quarter of increase after 17 consecutive quarters of decreases up to the second quarter of 2010. Traffic fatalities have been steadily declining over the last 5 years since reaching a near-term peak in 2005, decreasing by about 25 percent from 2005 to 2010. Preliminary data reported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) shows that vehicle miles travelled (VMT) in 2010 increased by about 20.5 billion miles, or about a 0.7 percent increase. On a quarterly basis, the VMT dropped by 0.7 percent during the first quarter and increased by 0.8 percent in the second quarter, increased by 1.4 percent in the third quarter and increased by 1.2 percent in the fourth quarter. Also shown in Table 1 are the fatality rates per 100 million VMT, by quarter and for the whole year. The fatality rate for 2010 are projected to decline to the lowest on record, to 1.09 fatalities per 100 million VMT, down from 1.13 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2009. (Author/publisher)
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