Thursday, August 14, 2008
DOT 113-08
Contact: Brian Turmail
Tel.: (202) 366-4570
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters Announces Historic Drop in
Highway Fatalities and Rate
Motorcycle fatalities still rising, Secretary Peters says, while announcing
increased safety, drunk driving outreach and enforcement efforts
WASHINGTON – The number of people who died on the nation’s roads dropped again
last year, reaching historically low levels, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary
E. Peters announced today.
Secretary Peters said that in 2007, the overall number of traffic fatalities
fell to 41,059, the lowest number since 1994. In addition, the fatality rate per
100 million vehicle miles traveled was 1.37, the lowest fatality rate on record,
she noted.
The Secretary added that 2.49 million people were injured in highway crashes
last year, the lowest seen since the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration began collecting injury data in 1988.
“Thanks to safer vehicles, aggressive law enforcement and our efforts, countless
families were spared the devastating news that a loved one was not coming home
last year,” Secretary Peters said. “You can be sure that we’re not stopping
here, the quest is not over until that bottom line number is zero.”
She noted, for example, that motorcycle safety continues to be a problem.
Motorcycle fatalities now account for 13 percent of all fatalities and, in 2007
alone, the number of motorcycle riders or passengers killed on the nation’s
roads increased 6.6 percent over the previous year, the Secretary said.
To address these challenges, Secretary Peters announced the launch of new
advertisements that focus on motorcycle safety and drunk driving. They can be
viewed at
http://www.stopimpaireddriving.org/planners/crackdown2008/planner/index.cfm
Tomorrow, the Department will kick off its annual impaired driving enforcement
crackdown called, “Drunk Driving. Over the limit. Under Arrest.” The effort runs
through Labor Day.
During today’s announcement, made outside of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan
Police Department’s Second District headquarters, Secretary Peters viewed a
motorcycle safety demonstration.
Secretary Peters added that the Department will continue its efforts to combat
impaired driving, increase safety belt use and improve motorcycle safety.
“As these new statistics show, we are making progress, but far too many of our
friends, neighbors and family members are still getting killed or seriously
injured,” Secretary Peters said.
The Department collects crash statistics annually from 50 states, the District
of Columbia and Puerto Rico to produce annual reports on fatalities and
injuries. To view the 2007 report in its entirety, please visit
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811017.PDF
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