Watch where you’re going
Car wrecks happen every day. As it turns out, though, there were actually fewer of them in 2006 than the previous year—at least, that’s what the National Center for Statistics and Analysis calculates. (Not all of the ’06 numbers have been finalized.) The statistics cover how many crashes there were, how many injuries and fatalities there were, who was wearing seatbelts and where they were when it happened—in a car, in a truck, walking or riding a bike. Among the findings: Only 45 percent of people involved in fatal crashes were wearing their seatbelts.
| 2005 | 2006 | % change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatalities | |||
| Total | 43,443 | 43,300 | -.3 |
| Drivers | 23,240 | 23,277 | +.2 |
| Passengers | 9,718 | 9,379 | -3.5 |
| Motorcyclists | 4,553 | 4,798 | +5.4 |
| Pedestrians | 4,881 | 4,768 | -2.3 |
| Pedalcyclists | 784 | 789 | +.6 |
| Alcohol-related | 17,525 | 17,941 | +2.4 |
| Injuries | |||
| Total | 2,699,000 | 2,536,000 | -.6 |
| Drivers | 1,743,000 | 1,626,000 | -6.7 |
| Passengers | 750,000 | 713,000 | -4.9 |
| Motorcyclists | 87,000 | 87,000 | 0.0 |
Source: www.nhtsa.gov
