NHTSA’s Campaign Against Drunk Driving Starts Anew

Drunk driving in the United States is nothing new. These accidents always result in deaths of not only drunk drivers, but of innocent road users who are always in the receiving end of such mishaps, from drivers, passengers, bicyclists to pedestrians. Despite these, safety advocates and officials from law enforcement agencies are not stopping on their tracks in cracking down drunk drivers.

In what seems to be an annual tradition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), along with several entities in-charge of implementing traffic safety, are once again joining hands in fighting drunk driving in U.S. roadways by launching its “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. The objective of the campaign is crystal clear: a driver found drunk will be “stopped, arrested, and prosecuted.”

Aside from the said objective, this year’s campaign pays special attention on the victims of drunk driving. Statistical data from the NHTSA showed that in nearly 10,000 drunk driving-related crashes being recorded every year, more than a third of them were not the drunk driver. In fact, in 2011, there were at least 3,371 of them. In comparison, some 6,507 who died that year were the drunk drivers themselves.

Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have been playing a huge role in this nationwide campaign; elements of more than 10,000 police departments and law enforcement agencies all over the country have been out on the streets in full force since August 16 to implement the above mentioned objective.

Recent Statistics on Motor Vehicle Accidents Involving the Elderly

The elderly age group, particularly people ages 70 and older, is highly at risk of getting injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents. While they are less likely to be licensed to drive as opposed to younger people, as well as less likely to drive more miles than they did during early adult years, it was found that the fatal crash rates of the elderly per mile traveled increases starting at age 70 to 74. Such rates are at its highest among drivers 85 and older.

As it is, majority of elderly drivers have an increased likelihood of getting fatally injured in a motor vehicle crash because they are more susceptible to bodily harm, especially injuries to the chest. Aside from that, medical complications due to sustained injuries among the elderly may also happen.

To provide a clear perspective as to the vulnerability of elderly drivers to motor vehicle crashes, the following are some of the statistical information taken from the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data:

·         The total number of people ages 70 or older who died in motor vehicle crashes in 2011 was 4,052. Said figure was a 3-percent decrease from the previous year (4,171, 2010).

·         Of the number of elderly people who died in vehicle crashes in 2011, around 76 percent of them (3,097) were passenger vehicle occupants, while 16 percent of them (631) were pedestrians.

·         Of the 3,097 older passenger vehicle occupants who died in 2011, around 62 percent of them (2,292) were older drivers, while 15 percent of them (551) were passengers. In comparison, there were only 42 percent of drivers who died in motor vehicle crashes that year who are younger than 30.

·         Older males have higher death rates in crashes than older females, and this is true across other age groups.

·         In 2011, drivers 80 years or older accounted for 39 percent of multiple-vehicle crashes at intersections in the country, while drivers 20-49 accounted for only 18 percent.

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool: An Effective Tool To Address Safety of Bicyclists on the Road

Bicycle crashes have been happening left and right over the years. According to data gathered in 2004. 725 bicyclists got involved and killed in traffic accidents. This means that 12 percent of all the recorded traffic fatalities in the United States were bicyclists. Moreover, 41,000 biker-riding people were injured because of the said accidents. Because of this, more and more ways are being made to study and come up with ways to lessen and stop these from happening.

The Birth of PBCAT

The classification of bicycle crash types is needed on a way. This helps stakeholders to help prevent these accidents from happening. And so, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool (PBCAT) was made. The Federal Highway Association (FHWA) came up with this software application is designed to assist local and State pedestrian and bicycle coordinators, planners, and engineers in addressing bicycle crash problems. Through the PBCAT, users can create a database of details that are connected with car crashes involving motor vehicles and pedestrians or bicycle riders. This tool helps analyze the recovered data to come up with reports that guides stakeholders to pick the appropriate countermeasures that resolves the problems encountered that causes bike accidents.

What does the PBCAT has?

This user-friendly software now packs some enhancements that make it better than other online tools.