摘要: |
According to preliminary figures released by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the fatality rate and alcohol-related crashes are both down from 2003; however, 42,800 individuals died on the nation's highways in 2004, up slightly from 42,643 in 2003. NHTSA's report projects a fatality rate of for 2004 1.46 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), a drop from a record low of 1.48 in 2003. The report also projects the seventh straight increase in motorcycle fatalities. In 2004, 3,927 motorcyclists died, a 7.3 percent increase from the 3,661 motorcycle fatalities in 2003. NHTSA estimates that highway crashes cost society $230.6 billion a year or about $820 per person. |