NHTSA States 2011 Traffic Deaths Decline...BUT 24,050 Traffic Deaths in 9 Months

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports an estimated 1.6% decline in traffic fatalities during the first three quarters of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010.

This decline is hardly a reason for breaking out the party favors as 24,050 traffic fatalities occured during the first 9 months of 2011. 24,050 is over 1/2 of the entire population of Edina, MN and almost the entire population of Stevens Point, WI.

For the first 9 months of 2010, an estimated 24,437 people died in motor vehicle crashes.

While the estimated traffic fatalities decreased by an estimated 1.6% year over year, total vehicle miles traveled (VMT also declined by an estimated 1.3%.

According to the NHTSA, motor vehicle fatalities have been on a downward trend since 2005. Traffic fatalities have declined approximately 24% from the 43,510 fatalities in 2005. NHTSA has traffic fatality data going back to 1975. NHTSA Preliminary Report

A disturbing trend is the increase in teenage driver deaths.

From EHS Today:

The new GHSA report revealed that 211 16- and 17-year-old drivers died in the first 6 months of the year, compared to the 190 who died in the first half of 2010. Researchers have not yet determined whether that increase in fatal teen crashes continued in the second half of 2011 – but if it did, the 8-year streak of continuous decline in teen driver deaths for this age group might be over.