| According to AASHTO, The average U.S. crash rate remains unchanged. One out of every 84 born today will die violently in a motor vehicle crash. Six out of every 10 children will be injured in a highway crash over a lifetime, many of them more than once.
About 42,000 people are killed and an additional three million are injured in a motor vehicle crash each year.
The NHTSA research budget gets 58 billion dollars per year while the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research gets 289 million-while motor vehicle crashes are the forth leading cause of death.
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Crash Clock & Crime Clock
| Crime Clock: |
| Murder |
Every 31 Minutes |
| Aggravated Assault |
Every 32 Seconds |
| 1 Violent Crime |
Every 20 Seconds |
| Property Crime |
Every 3 Seconds |
| Crime |
Every 3 Seconds |
| Crash Clock: |
| Highway Fatality |
Every 13 Minutes |
| Injury |
Every 16 Seconds |
| Property Damage |
Every 7 Seconds |
| Crash |
Every 5 Seconds |
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| Crash Deaths Chart
This chart represents the dangers of the killer guardrails. With over 47,000 people killed on U.S. highways in 1998 and 10% killed on guardrails. |
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Fixed Object Crashes
| Fixed Object Crashes |
Fatalities for 1994 |
Percent of Fatalities |
Percent of Fixed Object Fatalities |
| Trees |
3141 |
4.7 |
27.1 |
| Embankment |
1126 |
2.8 |
10.2 |
| Guardrail |
1126 |
2.8 |
10.1 |
| Utility Pole |
1098 |
2.7 |
9.9 |
| Curb or Wall |
826 |
2.0 |
7.4 |
| Ditch |
803 |
2.0 |
7.2 |
| Culvert |
578 |
1.4 |
5.2 |
| Other Fixed Object |
533 |
1.3 |
4.8 |
| Fence |
442 |
1.1 |
4.0 |
| Sign/Light Support |
431 |
1.1 |
3.9 |
| Bridge |
428 |
1.1 |
3.8 |
| Misc. Pole/Support |
367 |
0.9 |
3.3 |
| Concrete/ Barrier |
217 |
0.5 |
1.9 |
| Building |
76 |
0.2 |
0.7 |
| Impact Attenuator |
28 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
| Fire Hydrant |
27 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
| Total |
11,135 |
27.4 |
100.0% |
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Safety Bang For The Buck:
The first number is the ranking, and the second number indicates the dollar value return for every dollar spent to correct these problems. If we spent $30 million to upgrade guardrails the total saving would be $225 million. We need the officials to figure the cost benefit ratio of rumble strips. Rumble strips would most likely be very high due to low cost and high return.
Rank: Next is improvement description : Benefit-Cost ratio:
| 1. Illuminations |
26.8 |
11. Upgrade Bridge Rail |
6.9 |
| 2. Upgrade Median Barrier |
22.6 |
12. Improve Sight Distance |
6.1 |
| 3. Traffic Signs |
22.4 |
13. Median for Traffic Separation |
6.1 |
| 4. Relocated/Breakaway Utility Poles |
17.7 |
14. Groove Pavement for Skid |
5.8 |
| 5. Remove Obstacles |
10.7 |
15. Improve Minor Structures |
5.3 |
| 6. New Traffic Signals |
8.5 |
16. Turning Lanes & Channelization |
4.5 |
| 7. Impact Attenuators |
8.0 |
17. New RR Crossing Gates |
3.4 |
| 8. New Median Barrier |
7.6 |
18. New RR Crossing Flashing Lights |
3.1 |
| 9. Upgrade Guardrail |
7.5 |
19. Pavement Marking and Delineation |
3.1 |
| 10. Upgrade Traffic Signals |
7.4 |
20. New RR Crossing Lights and Gates |
2.9 |
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| Airbag Statistics: (FHWA) |
| Object Struck |
Percent Change in Severity |
| Tree |
-29.6% |
| Utility Pole |
-35.2% |
| Guardrail(North Carolina) |
-53.6% |
| Guardrail(Illinois) |
-40.4% |
| Guardrail End or Terminal |
-55.0% |
| Ditch/Embankment |
+53.6% |
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FHWA Office of Operations Current News