Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
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Table 2
Fatalities by Transportation Mode

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Mode 1970 1980 1990 2000 2001
Large air carriera 146 1 39 92 531
Commuter air carriera N 37 R7 5 13
On-demand air taxia N 105 51 71 60
General aviationa 1,310 1,239 767 592 553
Highwayb 52,627 51,091 44,599 R41,945 42,116
Railroadc 785 584 599 512 548
Transitd N N 339 295 U
Commercial ship          
Vessel 178 206 85 32 U
Nonvessele 420 281 101 87 U
Recreational boating 1,418 1,360 865 701 U
Gas and hazardous liquid pipeline 30 19 9 38 7

a Includes people on planes and on the ground. For large air carriers, fatalities resulting from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks include only those persons onboard aircraft.

b Includes occupants, nonoccupants, and motor vehicle fatalities at railroad crossings.

c Includes fatalities from nontrain incidents as well as train incidents and accidents. Also includes train occupants and nonoccupants except motor vehicle occupants at grade crossings.

d Fatalities resulting from all reportable incidents, not just accidents. Includes commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, motorbus, demand-responsive, van pool, and automated guideway.

e Fatalities unrelated to vessel accidents, e.g., individual falling overboard and drowning.

Key: N = data do not exist or are not cited because of reporting changes; R = revised; U = unavailable.

Source: Various sources, as cited in USDOT, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Transportation Statistics 2002 (Washington, DC: 2002), table 2-1.