2011 traffic crash facts study reveals fatality rate falling

The State of Nebraska 2011 Traffic Crash Facts Annual Report has just been distributed by the Nebraska Department of Roads, and the findings are pretty incredible.

In a letter introducing the report, co-authored by Governor Dave Heineman and Nebraska Department of Roads Director Monty W. Fredrickson, "The statewide fatality rate fell to an all-time low of .9 deaths per hundred million miles traveled. The 181 fatalities recorded was the second lowest total ever, bettered only by the 166 people killed in 1944, during the height of World War II travel restrictions."

The letter goes on to thank Nebraska drivers, as well as state and local agencies that encourage highway safety.

A Strategic Highway Safety Plan was formulated for Nebraska in 2007, in part the result of a federal mandate if the states wanted to keep their federal highway funding. The bill that mandated the plan was also the one that contained an earmark for the construction of the Gravina Island Bridge in Alaska, further known as the "Bridge to Nowhere."

Nebraska's plan focused on increasing seat belt use, reducing drunk driving, crashes involving teenage drivers, intersection crashes, and roadway departure crashes.

Almost every chart in the 32-page report shows a graph a declining numbers, which in this particular instance, is a good thing. The complete report is available at http://tinyurl.com/8hpjqll

Fatalities dropped from 256 in 2007 to 181 in 2011 (25.8 percent). Serious injuries dropped from 1,976 in 2007 to 1,750 in 2010. Seatbelt usage increased during that time frame, as did seat belt citation convictions.

The report goes on to look at the day and time that fatal crashes occur more frequently (Saturday was the highest day and 3 to 6 p.m. was the most dangerous three-hour period.) Crashes tend to increase during the late fall and winter, probably due to weather conditions. Drivers under the age of 34 made up almost half of all crashes in 2011.

To extend the age-old controversy between male and female drivers, males represented 56 percent of the drivers in all crashes in Nebraska in 2011, and were involved in 75 percent of all fatal crashes. The author of the report went on to explain that at least part of the difference can be attributed to the fact that males drive more miles than females, thus having greater exposure to crashes.

More passenger cars are involved in crashes than any other body style, although utility vehicles are the fastest growing segment.

One area that has held pretty steady over the past five years is the number of crashes involving animals. In 2007, there were 3,381 animal-vehicle crashes and 3,507 in 2011. Deer are the most frequently involved animals.

In Red Willow County, there were 224 crashes, 3 fatalities, 94 people injured in crashes, and 157 property-damage-only accidents. While the trend has been going in the right direction, continued efforts to improve safety are certainly warranted.