New Laws Reduce Highway Deaths

The highway safety community has dramatically reduced the traffic fatality rate in the United States. In 1992, an historic low of 1.8 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled was achieved. This is substantially lower than the rate characteristic of the 1960s of 5.3 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. An extremely difficult challenge now being discussed is to reduce the 1992 rate of 1.8 deaths per 100 million miles traveled to 1.2 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. This would result in a savings of some 13,000 lives per year, assuming the current number of miles traveled. Reaching this ambitious goal, or even coming close, would entail additional costs and would require the use of numerous strategies, including increased focus on high-risk drivers.

New laws set forth a framework for increasing the Federal and State role in promoting the safety of young drivers, older drivers, and repeat violators of traffic safety regulations. These laws are intended to help judges, prosecutors, driver educators, and State driver licensing oflicials conduct their traffic safety responsibilities more effectively. The bill could lead to improvements in the training of the law enforcement community regarding youth and their traffic safety problems; assistance to families and physicians when they participate in licensing decisions; and improvements of State driver record systems. A concerted research program to improve driver training and the licensing process for high-risk drivers is required. Thus, new laws could lead to cost effective and scientifically based procedures to reduce discriminatory licensing practices. This measure also would strengthen and focus activities currently conducted by the National Highway Trafiic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and legislatively underpin expanded activities.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers, and teenage drivers tend to be at-fault for their fatal crashes more often than other drivers. Young drivers are vastly overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes and injuries. This is true whether the measure of exposure is based on population, miles driven, or number of licensed drivers. During 1991, the number of youths aged 15-20 who died in motor vehicle crashes was 6,630, of which 3,568 were drivers. Their inexperience in driving, risk-taking behavior, and consumption of alcohol are major causes for thousands of tragic losses and hundreds of thousands of injuries annually.

Sammy Beanard has researched and written about many driving related issues. To see more of his writing, visit his article about License Plate Lookup.