The 1994 traffic fatality count was 1,419 up 0.4% from the 1993 figure of 1,414. Compared with 1993, injuries were up 5.7% and total crashes were up 9.5%. These figures translated into a death rate of 1.7 per 100 million miles of travel, up 6.25% from the 1993 death rate of 1.6. Exposure factors in 1994 showed increases in vehicle registrations and the number of licensed drivers, and a decrease in travel mileage. They included motor vehicle registrations up 2.3% to 7.67 million; the number of drivers up 0.3% to 7.66 million; and vehicle travel mileage down 0.1% to 85.6 billion. While the consumption of alcohol continues to be major factor affecting crashes, an estimated 68% of fatal crashes do not involve alcohol. Traffic safety planners must not focus exclusively on safety belt use (now at 66.1% or alcohol involvement (32% of all fatal crashes), but incorporate other factors such as excessive speed, driver fatigue and the lack of "common courtesy" into their efforts to reduce traffic crashes. Data on crashes in this booklet were obtained from 1994 Michigan Traffic Crash Report Forms (UD-10) submitted by local police departments, sheriff jurisdictions, and the Department of State Police. Other related information was obtained from the Michigan departments of Public Health, State and Transportation.
Samenvatting