U.S. Auto Deaths Hit 12-Year High in 2002

Yahoo ^ | Thu Jul 17, 3:08 PM ET | John Crawley

[demlosers]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of people killed in sport utility rollover crashes rose 14 percent last year as total highway deaths hit a 12-year high at nearly 43,000, the U.S. government reported on Thursday.

The Transportation Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also reported that car crash injuries fell to an all-time low in 2002.

Child and pedestrian deaths also went down as did fatalities involving large trucks.

But in 2002, SUV rollover fatalities jumped to more than 2,400 victims, an increase of 14 percent over last year, the government said. Sixty-one percent of all SUV fatalities involved rollovers.

Overall fatalities increased to 42,815 in 2002 from 42,196 in 2001. Rollovers involving all types of vehicles accounted for more than 80 percent of the increase.

Government figures show the rate of fatal rollovers for SUVs is almost three times that of cars.

These statistics help underscore the challenge facing regulators, who have redoubled efforts to reduce carnage on the nation's roads. Motorists traveled more than 2.8 trillion miles last year.

This summer, highway safety officials launched media and law enforcement initiatives to improve seat belt use and discourage drunk driving.

Alcohol-related fatalities remained unchanged at 41 percent of the total, or 17,419. And nearly 60 percent of the total number of people killed in auto crashes last year were not wearing seat belts.

"I personally urge states to pass tough laws prohibiting drunk driving and requiring the use of safety belts. Once and for all we must resolve the national epidemic on our highways," Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said in a statement.

The nation's top auto safety regulator, Jeffrey Runge, has launched a high-profile campaign to make popular sport utility vehicles safer.

For now, Runge is relying on an industry-government effort to reduce SUV rollover and other risks, but has not ruled out regulations to force changes.

There are 22 million SUVs on U.S. roads, or about 10 percent of the total number of vehicles. This explosion in popularity since the mid 1990s has raised concerns about larger and heavier SUVs sharing the road with passenger cars.

In fatal crashes between passenger cars and the vehicle category that includes SUVs, the occupants of the car were more often the victims.

Joan Claybrook, president of consumer group Public Citizen, said the increase in SUV rollover death figures could put new pressure on the industry to make those vehicles safer. But she doubted voluntary efforts would succeed, saying that regulation would probably be necessary.

"You can design a vehicle to prevent most of the injuries and deaths," said Claybrook, who held Runge's job in the late 1970s.

[RightWhale]

The little icon picture on the sun visor [of the SUV balanced up on one wheel] that came with my SUV is still there, so is the exploding air bag icon picture on the glovebox. They add to the interior decor. DANGER, death may result! How could one possibly want to remove such decorative enhancements to driving comfort and atmosphere?

[Paladin2]

And Helmets. Don't leave home without one.

[Paladin2]

Also note that the population of the US is NOT decreasing.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

We had a good one last Memorial Day. Our local news reported that we had 12 highway deaths statewide during the holiday weekend. They proceeded to state that 7 of those deaths were motorcyclists from "Bike Week" in Myrtle Beach. They finished the piece by reporting that most of those killed weren't wearing seat belts. Duh. I can guarantee that over half of the victims weren't wearing seat belts as they were on motorcycles. What idiots (the media).

[spunkets]

"Joan Claybrook, president of consumer group Public Citizen, said, "blah blah...blah, blah, blah...blah..."."

None of it covered the fundamental reason crashes happen. That is, that drivers don't pay attention to what they're doing.

[Russell Scott]

Only 42,700 more deaths than the "quagmire" of destruction in Iraq. Maybe the Dims should demand a massive airlift of SUVs to Iraq, in order to make it more like Vietnam.

[Old Professer]

Okay, so working through their numbers we find that total SUV fatalities are 3934 which is 9% of the total fatalities while SUV's make up 10% of the total vehicles; meanwhile, if we work hard enough we can determine that there were over 13,300 non-SUV roll-over fatalities in 2002.

Since it has to be at least 5 times as difficult to roll a passenger car over than an SUV my guess is the author's bias is giving pickups and large trucks a free ride in this piece and is ragging on the SUV.

[Old Professer]

Also, remember that side windows aren't glazed, and if your head hits that glass you're in trouble then, too.

All the glass except for the windshield in a vehicle is tempered and when it breaks it crumbles in small, popcorn shaped pieces that do not cut or lacerate; the windshield is laminated plate glass (2 layers) and plastic and can slash your throat.

[mewzilla]

But there's a middle layer in the windshield designed to hold the glass together and help keep your head from going though it. That's not present in the side windows (makes them too heavy), so heads can and do go through those windows in a rollover. Even when you're belted.

[Jhoffa_]

Honestly.. aside from their loved ones, who the **** cares?

You know, people DON'T live forever and something is going to kill each and every one of us. Now some of you may prefer to go out as a drooling, diaper wearing, vegatable in some old folks home someplace, but I frankly don't relish the thought of such a fate.

Just let people do what they want to do, drive what they want to drive and leave them the hell alone.

They are going to die anyway and if they want to drop the green and take their chances at the wheel of a Ford Explorer, that's just peachy with me. If they want to skydive, that's great! Whatever! Anything but the safety nazi's continual whining is preferable.

[mewzilla]

For a good explanation of why laminated windshields work and the problems with other types of glass, click here. It discusses the rollover problem with SUVs as well.

[mewzilla]

Lose someone dear to you in an idiotic traffic accident and you might care.

[Jhoffa_]

I have and I know all about it, it's why I exempted "loved ones" above.

I also saw my grandmother die completely out of her mind from Alzheimer’s and saw my grandfather die of cancer. It got another of my friends too, a guy my age.. He was incoherent on drugs at the end and just screaming in pain.

Now, rather than tell you anymore stories, perhaps you would be kind enough to simply accept that people die and that's that. It's going to happen to you too ya know.

I fail to see how sucking all the fun out of my life is going to benefit me, you or society as a whole in the long run.

If anyone of the above people would have died in an SUV they would be just as dead and, frankly, it would have been more merciful.

[decimon]

The little icon picture on the sun visor [of the SUV balanced up on one wheel] that came with my SUV is still there, so is the exploding air bag icon picture on the glovebox. They add to the interior decor. DANGER, death may result! How could one possibly want to remove such decorative enhancements to driving comfort and atmosphere?

Yes, Big Brother ambiance.

Now that you've mentioned this I'll have to look again at the yellow stickers in my car to recall what they say. I'm so inured to these things that I don't see them.

[glock rocks]

LOL!!!

I will enjoy watching the SUV police attempting to relieve my wife of her minivan.

LOL... PC police vs. estrogen determination.


sorry bastards didn't have a chance. eeesh, what a mess. cleanup on aisle 308

[Jhoffa_]

PS: And I don't mean to be insensitive. It hurt me when all the people I cared for passed on also. It hurts everyone, no one is exempt.

But honestly.. I would rather go out doing what I want to do, in my SUV, sailboat, motorcycle or whatever than die alone in a nursing home or in one of the other ways I listed.

Life is so short, I want to enjoy the time I have here and if it involves risk, then that's fine.

So be it.

[Red Boots]

Just let people do what they want to do, drive what they want to drive and leave them the hell alone. This used to be considered the conservative position, now rarely seen on FR, which has seemingly been taken over by the safety police. The more we try to create the perfectly safe society, the less freedom we have. I'd like to be free....even to do stupid, unsafe stuff.

[Jhoffa_]

Yes.

The times, they are a changin... and not for the better, imo.

[eno_]

Quite true! A rolling vehicle tries VERY hard to fling everything inside it out, including all the occupants, their heads, limbs, etc. Not pretty.

[Captain Peter Blood]

This won't solve the problem but might put a dent in the number of fatalities.
Well all know that a number of accidents always happen on Holidays, Holiday travel, Etc.
Perhaps people should just stay home on Holidays and forget about traveling to Grandma's house etc.. Although it seems important at the time it really isn't.
Anyone out there know the statistics on Highway fatalities on Holiday Travel????