Official NHTSA data shows an increase of 2.6 percent in 2016 over 2015 in traffic accident fatalities.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released its official report on traffic accident fatalities in 2016. This report is issued only after the NHTSA is certain that all data has been reported and confirmed. Then, the data is analyzed and compared to previous years and applied to trending statistics over several years.
In 2016, according to this data, 37,461 fatalities resulted from traffic accidents on roads throughout the nation. This represents an increase from 2015 of 5.6 percent. This is a smaller increase in the number of traffic accident fatalities than in 2015 over 2014 (8.4 percent). This is the first time since 1963 – 1964 (9.4 percent) and 1964 – 1965 (3.2 percent) that such large increases in the number of fatalities occurred in back-to-back years.
Important data from the NHTSA analysis included:
- There was a decrease in the number of distracted driving and drowsy driving. Yet distracted driving related crashes account for 9.2 percent of all fatalities in 2016.
- Fatalities due to speeding, alcohol and not wearing seat belts continued to rise.
- Increases in motorcyclist and pedestrian deaths represented more than 33 percent of the increase in fatalities from 2-15 to 2016.
- The number of motorcyclist deaths increased by 5.1 percent (the highest number in 9 years).
- Pedestrian fatalities increased by 9 percent (the highest number in 26 years).
- Bicyclist deaths increased by 1.3 percent (the highest number in 25 years).
- The largest change in motorcyclist deaths was in the 60 + age group (up 21.5 percent).
- Young drivers (16 – 20) accounted for an additional 9.4 percent of fatalities.
- The data also shows a 10 -year trend of more older drivers in fatal crashes than all other age groups.
Data source: NHTSA’s 2016 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash through no fault of your own, call 911, call your insurance company, and call the trusted attorneys of Altizer Law, PC. We care about people. Should you need us, we are prepared to help you with our experience, our proficiency, and our determination to win for you the largest possible award or settlement appropriate.
