|
Abstract
|
This fact sheet contains information on fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes based on data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Refer to the end of this publication for more information on FARS.
A motor vehicle traffic crash is defined as an incident that nvolved one or more motor vehicles in transport that originated on a public trafficway, such as a road or highway. Crashes that occurred on private property, including parking lots and driveways, are excluded. The terms "motor vehicle traffic crash" and "traffic crash" are used interchangeably.
For this fact sheet, urban boundaries are determined by the State highway departments and approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the areas outside of those boundaries are described as rural. The State highway departments use the boundaries decided by the Census Bureau.
Key Findings
■ Of the 36,096 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2019 there were 16,340 (45%) that occurred in rural areas, 19,595 (54%) in urban areas, and 161 (less than 0.5%) in areas of unknown land use.
■ According to the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey, an esti-
mated 19 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, and according to the Federal Highway Administration only 30 percent of the total vehicle miles traveled in 2019 were in rural areas. However, rural areas accounted for 45 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2019.
■ Rural traffic fatalities decreased by 10 percent from 18,089 in 2010 to 16,340 in 2019, whereas urban traffic fatalities increased by 34 percent from 14,659 in 2010 to 19,595 in 2019.
■ In 2019 the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) was 1.9 times higher in rural areas than in urban areas (1.66 versus 0.86).
■ Speeding-related fatalities in 2019 occurred in almost equal proportions in rural and urban areas. Of the 16,340 rural traffic fatalities in 2019, 4,359 (27%) were killed in speeding-related crashes. Of the 19,595 urban traffic fatalities, 5,079 (26%) were killed in speeding-related crashes.
■ Rural alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities decreased by 16 percent from 5,491 in 2010 to 4,586 in 2019, while urban alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities increased by 21 percent from 4,564 in 2010 to 5,506 in 2019.
■ The proportions of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in rural areas decreased from 30 percent in 2010 to 28 percent in 2019 and in urban areas decreased from 31 percent in 2010 to 28 percent in 2019.
■ The 2019 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) observed that the seat belt use rate among front-seat passenger vehicle occupants in urban areas was 90.8 percent, and rural occupants were observed to have a use rate of 90.4 percent.
■ Based on known restraint use in fatal crashes, 48 percent of rural passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2019 were unrestrained as compared to 45 percent of urban passenger vehicle occupants killed. |