CHAPTER TWO AUTO CRASH STATISTICS

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1 CHAPTER TWO AUTO CRASH STATISTICS Age and Its Impact: Teen Drivers Teen Driving Statistics Age and Its Impact: Elderly Drivers Elderly Driving Statistics Auto Crash Statistics

2 AGE AND ITS IMPAC T: TEEN DRIVERS THE PROBLEM In eve ry motorized country, teen-age drivers re p resent a major haza rd. The problem is worse in the United States than elsew h e re. Te e n - agers drive less than all but the elderly, but their numbers of crashes and crash deaths are dispro p o rtionately high. Risk is highest at age In fact, the crash rate per mile driven is almost three times as high among 16 year-olds as it is among 18- to 19-year-olds. Crash rates are high largely because of young drive r s immaturity combined with driving inexperience. The immaturity is apparent in young drive r s risky driving practices like speeding and tailgating. At the same time, teen-agers lack of experience behind the wheel makes it difficult for them to re c o g n i ze and respond to hazards. Crashes involving young drivers typically are single-vehicle crashes, primarily ru n - o f f - t h e - road crashes, that invo l ve driver error and/or speeding. They often occur when other young people are in the vehicle with the young drive r, so teen-agers are dispro p o rt i o n a t e l y i n vo l ved in crashes as passengers as well as drivers. The population of 16- to 19-year-olds decreased during the 1980s which, in turn, held down the problem of teenage drivers. Howe ve r, this trend ended in Now the population of 16- to 19-ye a r - olds is increasing, and so are motor vehicle crash deaths. TEENAGE FATALITIES 130 teenagers (age 15-19) died on Indiana roadways in T h e re we re 11, 981 teenagers injured in 2000 as well. as a point of comparison, there we re only 199 fatalities and 8,729 injuries for drivers over age 55 in Na t i o n a l l y, 5, 865 teenagers died in Teenagers accounted for 10 percent of the U.S. population in 2001 and 13 percent of motor vehicle deaths. In In d i a n a, teenagers re p resented nearly 15 percent of total fatalities on Indiana ro a d w a y s. Eighty-six percent of teen motor vehicle deaths in 2001 we re passenger vehicle occupants. the rest we re pedestrians (6 percent), motorc yclists (3 percent), bicyclists (2 percent), and people in other kinds of vehicles (3 perc e n t ). T h i rty-nine percent of deaths of year-olds in 1999 fro m all causes occurred in crashes. This is the latest year for which this information is ava i l a b l e. DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS NATIONAL STATISTICS Passenger vehicle death rates per 100,000 people in 2001 peaked at age 19 for drivers and at age 18 for passengers. Slightly more than half of teenage passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2001 we re drivers (54 percent), and a little less than half we re passengers (44 perc e n t ). Sixty-two percent of teenage passenger deaths in 2001 occurre d in crashes in which another teenager was driving. Among people of all ages, 20 percent of passenger deaths in 2001 occurre d when a teenager was driving. GENDER DIFFERENCES-NATIONAL STATISTICS About 2 out of eve ry 3 teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2001 we re males. Since 1975, teenage motor vehicle deaths have decreased more among males (43 percent) than among females (16 perc e n t ). Death rates we re higher in 2001 among male drivers age than among females 21 per 100,000 people compare d with 10 per 100,000. Percentage of Data Crashes by Characteristic, 1998 Driver Age: Driver Error S p e e d i n g Occupants Single Ve h i c l e Drivers Killed with BAC

3 TEEN DRIVING STAT I S T I CS YEAR-OLD MOTOR VEHICLE DEATHS Year Male Female Total ,826 2,530 9, ,983 2,650 9, ,295 2,645 9, ,280 2,639 9, ,932 2,591 9, ,014 2,301 8, ,354 1,969 7, ,850 1,955 6, ,947 2,005 6, ,715 2,022 6, ,280 2,182 7, ,107 2,186 7, ,036 2,204 7, ,528 2,158 6, ,420 1,944 6, ,891 1,867 5, ,495 1,713 5, ,678 1,742 5, ,770 1,859 5, ,702 1,970 5, ,855 1,963 5, ,715 2,014 5, ,649 1,960 5, ,740 2,009 5, , , ,729 1,853 5, ,923 2,010 5,933 NOTE: Total includes gender unknowns. Insurance Institute For Highway Safety TEENAGE MOTOR VEHICLE DEATHS BY TYPE, 2001 Age Passenger Vehicles Motorcyclists Pedestrians Bicyclists Other/Unknown , , Total 4,

TEEN DRIVING STAT I S T I CS PASSENGER VEHICLE DEATHS BY AGE AND SEATING POSITION, 2001 Age Drivers Passengers 13 4 103 14 19 164 15 52 246 16 436 385 17 554 429 18 738 464 19 790 394 Total 2,593

4 TEEN DRIVING STAT I S T I CS PASSENGER VEHICLE DEATHS BY AGE AND SEATING POSITION, 2001 Age Drivers Passengers Total 2,593 2,185 According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, 43 percent of teenage fatal crashes occur between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Teen-age motor vehicle crash fatalities in Indiana are well above the national average percent in Indiana vs percent for the U.S. average. 55 children (under the age of 16) were killed in 1999, a reduction of 13 from 1998, and 24 from Vehicular Contributing Circumstance Rates per Drivers in Crashes by Driver Age: Single Vehicle Crashes, 1999 S o u rce: Indiana Crash Fa c t s About one in four of all licensed Indiana teen-agers were involved in a crash in Indiana teen-age drivers make up only 6.1 percent of Indiana s licensed drivers but account for 14.3 percent of total drivers in crashes. 188 Indiana teen-age drivers died in automobile crashes in Automobile crashes are the number one killer of teen-agers. 3 our of 4 fatalities occurred on rural roads, remaining consistent with recent years r e s u l t s. 2 out of 3 fatalities were males. 1 out of 3 fatalities was male between the ages of

TEEN DRIVING STAT I S T I CS S o u rce: Indiana Crash Fa c t s G R A D UATED LICENSING This is the law: In d i a n a s graduated drive r s licensing law (Senate En ro l l e d Act 16) took effect Ja n

5 TEEN DRIVING STAT I S T I CS S o u rce: Indiana Crash Fa c t s G R A D UATED LICENSING This is the law: In d i a n a s graduated drive r s licensing law (Senate En ro l l e d Act 16) took effect Ja n u a ry 1, The law is designed to p rovide young drivers with a slow, steady introduction to driving habits. The law states these provisions: Dr i vers under 18 may not operate a motor vehicle during existing Indiana curf ew hours (11 p.m. - 5 a.m. Su n d a y t h rough Thursday nights; 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. Friday and Sa t u rday nights). They may drive during these hours if they are driving to and from a legal job, school-sponsore d e vent, church activity or when driving with a parent or g u a rdian. During the first 90 days after getting their license, drive r s under 18 can t transport other people in the car unless someone at least 21 years old, who holds a valid drive r s license, is riding in the passenger seat. Young drivers may d r i ve unaccompanied as long as they do not carry passengers during the first 90 days. All passengers must wear a seat belt if riding with a drive r under age 18. So u rc e s : Indiana State Po l i c e Insurance Institute for Highway Sa f e t y National Association of Independent In s u re r s

6 AGE AND ITS IMPAC T: ELDERLY DRIVERS T h e re s cause for concern when elderly people drive because they have higher rates of fatal crashes than all but the youngest drivers, especially per mile driven. A problem is that elderly drivers don t deal as well as younger ones with complex traffic situations, and multiple-vehicle crashes at intersections increase markedly with age. Elderly drivers are m o re likely to get traffic citations for failing to yield, turning improperly and running stop signs and red lights. Elderly people are more susceptible than younger people to medical complications following motor vehicle crash injuries. This means they re more likely to die from their i n j u r i e s. CRASH TYPES About half of fatal crashes involving drivers 80 ye a r s and older occur at intersections and invo l ve more than one vehicle. This compares with 23 percent among d r i vers up to age 50. People 80 years and older have the highest pedestrian death rates per 100,000 people. At age 80 and older, the pedestrian death rate per 100,000 among men is more than three times as high as for younger pedestrians. ELDERLY FATALITIES IN MOTOR VEHICLES 6,622 people 65 years and older died in motor ve h i c l e crashes in This is 10 percent fewer than in 1997, but a 24 percent increase since Se venty-nine percent of deaths in 2002 motor ve h i c l e crashes involving older people we re passenger ve h i c l e occupants, and 16 percent we re pedestrians. People 65 years and older re p resented 13 percent of the population in 1999 and 17 percent of motor ve h i c l e deaths. By 2030, elderly people are expected to re p resent 20 percent of the population. People age 75 and older have more motor ve h i c l e deaths per 100,000 people than other groups exc e p t people younger than 25. Per mile driven, drivers 75 years and older have higher rates of fatal motor vehicle crashes than drivers in other age groups except teenagers. Per licensed drive r, fatal crash rates rise sharply at age 70 and older. Since 1975, deaths of elderly passenger vehicle occupants has increased by nearly sixty percent while pedestrian deaths have declined by forty percent. Although far fewer older adults are killed while riding motorc y- cles, this number is increasing. Mo re than ten times as many people 65 years and older we re killed on motorc ycles in 2001 than in GENDER DIFFERENCES The motor vehicle death rate per 100,000 people begins to rise among males at age 70. By age 80 and o l d e r, the rate among men is more than twice as high as it is at age At all ages, males have much higher motor ve h i c l e death rates per 100,000 people compared with females. By age 85 and older, the rate is three times as high among men as among women. In s u rance Institute for Highway Sa f e t y

7 E L D E R LY DRIVING STAT I S T I CS M O TOR VEHICLE DEATHS PER 100,000 PEOPLE, 2002 AGE MALE FEMALE ALL Insurance Institute for Highway Safety M O TOR VEHICLE DEATHS, PEOPLE 65 YEARS AND OLDER Year Passenger vehicles Pedestrians Motorcyclists Other Total ,555 1, , ,431 1, , ,652 1, , ,480 1, , ,425 1, , ,513 1, , ,388 1, , ,526 1, , ,854 1, , ,961 1, , ,271 1, , ,451 1, , ,771 1, , ,911 1, , ,715 1, , ,897 1, , ,939 1, , ,179 1, , ,483 1, , ,537 1, , ,691 1, , ,953 1, , ,882 1, , ,755 1, , , , ,393 1, , ,236 1, ,622 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

8 AUTOMOBILE CRASH STAT I S T I CS M O TOR VEHICLE DEATHS, 2002 S TAT E ALL MOTOR VEHICLE DEAT H S PASSENGER VEHICLE OCCUPANT DEAT H S Precent Percent Nighttime Fatal crashes Number of deaths Number of deaths S i n g le - v e h i c l e S i n g l e - v e h i c l e A l a b a m a 926 1, A l a s k a A r i z o n a 972 1, A r k a n s a s C a l i f o r n i a 3, 643 4, 078 2, C o l o r a d o C o n n e c t i c u t D e l a w a r e District of Columbia F l o r i d a 2, 807 3, 132 2, G e o rg i a 1, 361 1, 523 1, H a w a i i I d a h o I l l i n o i s 1, 264 1, 411 1, I n d i a n a I o w a K a n s a s K e n t u c k y L o u i s i a n a M a i n e M a r y l a n d M a s s a c h u s e t t s M i c h i g a n 1, 173 1, M i n n e s o t a M i s s i s s i p p i M i s s o u r i 1, 082 1, M o n t a n a N e b r a s k a N e v a d a New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New Yo r k 1, 404 1, North Carolina 1, 426 1, 575 1, North Dakota O h i o 1, 285 1, 418 1, O k l a h o m a O r e g o n P e n n s y l v a n i a 1, 462 1, 614 1, Rhode Island South Carolina 949 1, South Dakota Te n n e s s e e 1, 056 1, Te x a s 3, 255 3, 725 2, U t a h Ve r m o n t Vi rg i n i a Wa s h i n g t o n West Vi rg i n i a Wi s c o n s i n Wy o m i n g U.S. To t a l 38, , , Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

9 AUTOMOBILE CRASH STAT I S T I CS S o u rce: Indiana Crash Fa c t s TIPS TO AVOID AN AC C I D E N T Scan roadsides for deer and slow down if one is spotted. Seeing one deer means others probably are nearby because they often travel in groups, so slow down. Deer are creatures of habit; seeing one cross the roadway means you likely will see many more cross there. Do not swerve to avoid a deer, since losing control is more likely to cause a serious accident than striking a deer. S o u rce: Indiana Crash Fa c t s Crashes between Indiana motorists and deer cost the Indiana insurance industry approximately $53 million each year. The average deer accident costs a driver about $1,555. Farm Bureau Insurance S o u rce: Indiana Crash Fa c t s

AUTOMOBILE CRASH STAT I S T I CS SPEED AND STOPPING DISTANCES Speed Stopping Distance(Dry) Stopping Distance (Wet) Motorcycle 35mph 225 feet 260 feet 45mph 315 feet 385 feet 55mph 435 feet 530 feet

10 AUTOMOBILE CRASH STAT I S T I CS SPEED AND STOPPING DISTANCES Speed Stopping Distance(Dry) Stopping Distance (Wet) Motorcycle 35mph 225 feet 260 feet 45mph 315 feet 385 feet 55mph 435 feet 530 feet 65mph 575 feet 705 feet Passenger Car 35mph 160 feet 185 feet 45mph 225 feet 275 feet 55mph 310 feet 380 feet 65mph 410 feet 505 feet Semi Truck 35mph 190 feet 230 feet 45mph 280 feet 350 feet 55mph 390 feet 490 feet 65mph 252 feet 665 feet U.S. Department of Transportation Drivers in Crashes by Age, Gender and Severity, 2000 S o u rce: Indiana Crash Fa c t s

11 AUTOMOBILE CRASH STAT I S T I CS CRASH SEV E R I TY BY COUNTY 2000

12 AUTOMOBILE CRASH STAT I S T I CS CRASH SEV E R I TY BY COUNTY 2000 c o n t i n u e d

DOT HS October 2011

DOT HS October 2011 TRAFFIC SAFETY FACTS 2009 Data DOT HS 811 389 October 2011 Motorcycles Definitions often vary across publications with respect to individuals on motorcycles. For this document, the following terms will