U.S. traffic fatalities soar 13.5 percent in first quarter of 2012
Despite efforts to build cars to better withstand
accidents and reduce threats posed by distracted driving, traffic fatalities
for the first three months of 2012 have shown a "significant
increase" compared with government statistics from a year earlier.
An estimated 7,630 people died in motor vehicle traffic
crashes for the first quarter this year, a 13.5% increase compared with the
same period in 2011, when there were 6,720 fatalities, according to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
An NHTSA spokesman said, "It's too soon to speculate
on the contributing factors or potential implications of any increase in deaths
on our roadways." The increase follows a downward trend for the past
several years.
Transportation safety officials point out the crash
fatality rate for the first quarter each year is traditionally significantly
lower than the rates for the other three quarters, in part because of the
effects of winter weather. However, the winter of 2012 was unseasonably warm
and people tend to drive more when the weather is better.
"While it is likely not the only factor involved,
AAA agrees that warmer-than-average winter weather may have contributed to
higher vehicle miles traveled, and ultimately more fatal crashes," said
Jacob Nelson, director of traffic safety advocacy and research with the
Automobile Association of America. "These data show there is more work to
be done to improve driver safety such as limiting distractions, reducing
impaired driving and promoting a culture of safety among motorists."
Data provided by the NHTSA indicates that if the current
estimates hold, the first quarter numbers would represent the second largest
year-to-year quarterly increase in traffic fatalities since the government
began recording them in 1975.
Traffic fatalities in the United States peaked in 1972,
with 54,589 killed, according to the Department of Transportation. But since
then, there has been stricter enforcement of driving laws and programs to
change driving behavior that have helped improve roadway safety.
Preliminary data reported by the Federal Highway
Administration shows vehicle miles traveled in the first three months of 2012
increased by about 9.7 billion miles, 1.4% more than 2011.
"After reaching a 60-year low last year, it is
disappointing for AAA to see driver fatalities rise," Nelson said in a
written statement. "Examination of federal data show that traffic crashes
occur more frequently as the number of miles traveled increases."
First-quarter fatalities had been falling since 2006,
when there were 9,558 in January through March.
The data on crash fatalities is compiled with information
from police accident reports and other sources.
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