Overall Traffic Fatality Rate Rises, NHTSA Says

he fatality rate on the nation’s highways last year rose slightly from a record low in 2004, and overall fatalities and deaths from large truck crashes rose slightly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday.

In a preliminary report, NHTSA projected a fatality rate of 1.46 deaths per million vehicle miles traveled last year, up from the record low 1.44 in 2004, though it did not give a fatality rate for fatal crashes involving large trucks.

Fatalities from large truck crashes rose to 5,226 from 5,190, while overall vehicle miles traveled for all vehicles last year are projected to rise to 2.964 trillion, from 2.963 trillion in 2004.

The 2004 rate of fatalities in crashes involving large trucks fell to its lowest level since DOT began keeping records in 1975, with a rate of 1.96 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle-miles-traveled. (Click here for previous coverage.)

To arrive at the heavy-duty truck figure, crash data will be merged later this year with more updated figures from the Federal Highway Administration on overall miles traveled.

DOT Secretary Norman Mineta said in a statement that “Every year this country experiences a national tragedy that is as preventable as it is devastating. We have the tools to prevent this tragedy — every car has a safety belt, every motorcycle rider should have a helmet and everyone should have enough sense to never drive while impaired.”

NHTSA said that while safety belt use is at an all-time high of 82% nationwide, the majority of deaths were unbelted passengers.

The agency also reported an eight straight increase in motorcycle fatalities and that overall alcohol-related fatalities rose 1.7%.