In 2008 there were an estimated 10,111,000 vehicles involved in police-reported crashes, 94 percent (9,538,000) of which were passenger vehicles. There were 50,430 vehicles involved in fatal crashes, of which 78 percent (39,448) were passenger vehicles. More than 25,000 passenger vehicle occupants lost their lives in traffic crashes in 2008, and an estimated 2.35 million were injured. A passenger vehicle is a motor vehicle weighing less than 10,000 pounds and includes passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans, SUVs, and other light trucks. Passenger vehicles make up over 90 percent of the fleet of registered vehicles, and account for over 90 percent of total vehicle miles traveled (VMT). From 1999 to 2008, passenger vehicle registrations increased 20 percent overall. Light trucks experienced a 38-percent increase in registrations, while passenger cars had an increase of only 10 percent (see Figure 1). Among the light truck categories, pickup truck registrations increased 14 percent and van registrations increased 8 percent; however, SUV registrations increased by 120 percent. (Author/publisher)
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