ATLANTA (July 25, 2016) — Traffic fatalities in the U.S. fell by nearly a third from 2000 through 2013, but at 90 traffic-related deaths a day, the U.S. has the highest death rate among 19 high-income comparison nations, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“It's unacceptable for 90 people to die on our roads each day, especially when we know what works to prevent crashes, injuries and deaths,” said Erin Sauber-Schatz, transportation safety team lead, CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
“About 3,000 lives could be saved each year by increasing seat belt use to 100 percent, and up to 10,000 lives could be saved each year by eliminating alcohol-impaired driving.”
The researchers recommend using seat belts in both front and rear seats, properly using car seats and booster seats for children through at least age 8, never drinking and driving, obeying speed limits and eliminating distracted driving.
In addition, states can use proven strategies to support these actions that save lives, prevent injuries and avert crash-related costs.
For this Vital Signs report, the CDC analyzed data compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The CDC determined the number and rate of motor vehicle crash deaths in the U.S. and 19 other high-income countries and reported national seat belt use and percentage of deaths that involved alcohol-impaired driving or speeding, by country, when available. Countries included in the study were Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the U.S.
Each country included in the study was a member of OECD, met the World Bank's definition for high income, had a population of more than 1 million people and reported the annual number of motor vehicle deaths and vehicle miles traveled.
In addition, the difference between the country-reported motor vehicle crash death rate and the WHO-estimated rate could not exceed one death per 100,000 in population.
“It is important to compare us not to our past but to our potential. Seeing that other high-income countries are doing better, we know we can do better, too,” said Dr. Debra Houry, director of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
“People of our nation deserve better and safer transport.”
If the U.S. had the same motor vehicle crash death rate as Belgium — the country with the second highest death rate after the U.S. — about 12,000 fewer lives would have been lost and an estimated $140 million in direct medical costs would have been averted in 2013, according to the CDC.
And if the U.S. had the same rate as Sweden — the country with the lowest crash death rate among those studied — about 24,000 fewer lives would have been lost and an estimated $281 million in direct medical costs would have been averted in 2013, the CDC said.
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