The auto industry in the United States focused for years on making vehicles that can get people to places faster and comfortable although it took a while to add protection to that. Seat belts weren’t put in numerous cars until it was required by Congress in 1959. They only made it a regulation because there were so numerous fatalities in commuter traffic incidents on the highways. It has shown in the numbers that protection technology in automobiles is more advanced. According to the Transportation Department, there were fewer traffic deaths on U.S. streets in 2009 than there have been in six decades.
Traffic deaths down thanks to safety advancements and tougher laws
Less automobile traffic deaths are attributed to airbags, body construction, stability control and seat belts although, the Associated Press reports, drinking and driving laws along with distracted/fatigued laws help also. Since 1950, traffic deaths are at all time low numbers in 2009 with a decrease of 9.7 percent to 33,808. In 2008, there were 37,423 highway accidents resulting in death. That’s 1.13 deaths per million miles driven in 2009, compared with 1.26 the previous year. Ray LaHood, Transportation Secretary, said the latest report “shows that America’s roads are the safest they’ve ever been.”.
Is it the recession?
During American recessions, motorway fatalities drop in history. For instance, within the late 1970s/early 1980s when Americans suffered through recession and oil shortages, the numbers were down. The very same thing occurred in the early 1990s. The cost of driving made it so less people drove. They would choose instead to either use public transportation or just stay home. Fewer cars on the road will naturally decrease the number of traffic deaths. However, despite the current recession, the Transportation Department found that the number of miles traveled by motorists increased by .2 percent in 2009.
More people concerned about distracted driving
It appears like it is always a bad idea to text or talk on the phone while driving. People should be focusing on the road. This is something regulation enforcement do not like. That is why more are trying to stop it. U.S. roads could be safer, reports AP who spoke to LaHood, if each and every state were to adopt these laws against driving distracted.
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Further reading
Star Tribune
startribune.com/business/102500979.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUI”
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seat_belt
The PSAs are working
youtube.com/watch?v=OXUjdBnWVMM
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