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Motor vehicle fatality rates spike in the US

Preliminary estimates from the National Safety Council from all 50 states indicate that for the third consecutive month, road users in the US were at a higher risk of dying from a motor vehicle crash. As reported in Injury Facts, the fatality rate per miles driven in May, when most of the country was deep in quarantine from the pandemic, jumped a staggering 23.5% compared to the previous year, despite far less traffic on the roads.

The miles driven in May dropped 25.5% compared to prior year, whilst the increased rate comes in spite of an estimated 8% drop in the number of deaths for May compared to the prior year. Overall, the mileage death rate per 100 million vehicle miles driven was 1.47 in May compared to 1.19 in 2019.

At a time when the country should be reaping a safety benefit from less traffic, the roads are riskier, threatening to reverse traffic safety gains made over the last few years. After three straight years of rising fatality numbers between 2015 and 2017, the country had been experiencing a levelling off and small decline in overall fatalities.

“However, as motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of workplace fatalities, transportation safety should be integral to every organisation,” said Lorraine M. Martin, NSC president and CEO. “An employer’s reopening strategy is an opportunity to emphasise and reiterate the need for safe streets, as well as safe workplace transportation. Employers can make a real difference in improving safety on our roadways, helping to protect their employees, as well as other road users.”

This article courtesy of Russell Thrall III, publisher CollisionWeek. Check out their website at: www.collisionweek.com.

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