NHTSA is charged with failing as the nation's safety agency in the ongoing Toyota unintended acceleration and stuck accelerator pedal matters
The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced that the number of overall traffic fatalities reported at the end of 2009 reached the lowest level since 1954, declining for the 15th consecutive quarter.
Secretary LaHood released the preliminary data ahead of a scheduled hearing this afternoon by the Subcommittee On Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection of the U.S. House Representatives.
NHTSA is charged with failing to do its job as the nation’s safety agency in the ongoing Toyota unintended acceleration and stuck accelerator pedal matters.
More than 60 deaths are now alleged to have occurred because of safety related defects. Moreover, it took a visit to Japan by the former acting administrator of NHTSA to force a Toyota recall, since Toyota’s American executives had no power to do so.
The U.S. fatality record speaks for itself, but the timing of its release was clearly designed to give David Strickland, the current administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, talking points to use in NHTSA’s defense at the hearing.
According to early NHTSA projections, the fatality rate, which takes into account the number of miles traveled, reached the lowest level ever recorded.
“This is exciting news, but there are still far too many people dying in traffic accidents,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Drivers need to keep their hands on the steering wheel and their focus on the road in order to stay safe.”
The projected fatality data for 2009 places the highway death count at 33,963, a drop of 8.9 percent as compared to the 37,261 deaths reported in 2008. The fatality rate for 2009 declined to the lowest on record, to 1.16 fatalities per 100 million Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) down from 1.25 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2008.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration attributes the decline in 2009 to a combination of factors that include high visibility campaigns like Click It or Ticket to increase seat belt use, and Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest which helps with the enforcement of state laws to prevent drunk driving and distracted driving. In addition, the decline is also the result of safer roads, safer vehicles and motorists driving less.
NHTSA annually collects crash statistics from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to produce annual reports on traffic fatality trends. The agency intends to update 2009 estimates regularly as more data becomes available. The final counts for 2009 will be made available in the summer of 2010. To view the preliminary fatality statistics visit: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811291.PDF