The fatality rate on the nation's highways in 2004 was the lowest since record-keeping began 30 years ago, according to a recent analysis by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Drivers are safer today on our nation's highways than they have ever been, in part because of the safer cars, higher safety-belt use, and stronger safety laws that this department has helped champion,” said Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta.
Last year in the United States, 42,636 people were killed in vehicular accidents, down from 42,884 in 2003. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled was 1.46 in 2004, down from 1.48 in 2003. The fatality rate has been steadily improving since 1966 when 50,894 people died and the rate was 5.5, NHTSA noted. At the same time, drivers have increased their vehicle miles traveled, to 2.92 trillion in 2004, up from 2.89 trillion in 2003.”
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