The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) says "crashes are not accidents." Accidents are described as crashes that occur without anyone's fault or negligence. In most crashes, people involved usually accept responsibility for for the crash.

Statistics

The following statistics were obtained from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ohio Crash Facts: 2006 and 2007 Data, published by the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

All motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians:

2007 USA Stats

41,052 fatalities on the United States roadways

     117 people died every day

     5 people died every hour

     1 person died every 12 minutes in a traffic crash

 2007 Nationwide Highway Fatalities

28,933 Fatalities in passenger cars and light trucks

     Another 2,221,00 injured

802 were killed in large trucks with 23,000 injured

4,654 Pedestrians were killed and 70,000 injured

698 Bicyclists were killed and 43,000 injured

approximately 20% of bicyclists who were killed were age 15 and under

2007 Motorcyclist Fatalities Increased for the 10th Straight Year!

Motorcylist fatalities now account for 13% of all traffic deaths

 5,154 Motorcyclists died  

   6.6% more than in 2006

     103,000 were injured

Ohio ranks 6th in the 50 United States for motorcyclist fatalities. This is not a TOP TEN that we should want to be in!

 2007 Ohio Stats

In 2007 Ohio issued 2,875,777 driver licenses

262,211 motorcycle endorsements (licenses) were issued, renewed or added to a driver license

Ohio driver licenses are only renewed every 4 years

Ohio had 328,742 traffic crashes

 Ohio had 1163  fatalities on its roadways

39 were children

Approximately 3.4 people were killed every day

Someone's loved one died on Ohio's highways every 7 hours

 79,674  victims were injured

9,159 injured victims were children age 14 and under

     The largest group of Ohio's of driver and pedestrian fatalities (235)  were between the ages of 21-25 with another 14,398 injuries 

 224 young people between 16-20 years old claimed second place for the highest number of Ohio's driver and pedestrian fatalities with another 18,680 injuries

www.publicsafety.ohio.gov

Causes:

Ohio reported crashes 328,742 in 2007. According to Ohio Crash Facts: 2007 Data,  the following five top causes of crashes in Ohio account for 58.5% of the  reported crashes:

1. Followed too closely (77,432)

 2. Failure to yield (42,798)

3. Falure to control (40,221)

 4. Improper lane change (21,898)

5. Ran red light or stop sign (13,222)

The top 5 Ohio motorist errors that resulted in fatalities are:

1. Failure to control (184)

2. Unsafe speed (165)

3. Failure to yield (125)

4. Improper lane change (121)

5. Left of center (97)

Ohio has 270,000 registered street motorcycles and 632,000 endorsed (licensed) motorcyclists.

NHTSA reports that, historically, 2/3 of crashes involving motorcyclists and another vehicle are caused by the other motorist, not the motorcyclist.

According to NHTSA, traffic crashes cost society $230.6 billion/year.    

Something has to be done to reduce traffic crashes. We believe that if motorists learn the significant impact that their actions have on innocent vicitims and families, most will be more aware of their actions, careful and less negligent, thereby, avoidable tragedies will be reduced.

It is up to all of us, as motorists, to take action to prevent horrible, life changing tragedies that are avoidable.