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NHTSA Reports 547 Maryland Traffic Fatalities and 29 Washington DC Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths in 2009

By Jack Lebowitz, Esq. and Vadim Mzhen, Esq.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently issued its 2009 Traffic Safety Facts Research Note, which includes its motor vehicle traffic crash statistics for the year. According to the NHTSA, 33,808 people were killed in auto collisions in the US, which was a 9.7% drop from the 37,423 people that died in traffic crashes in 2008. This is the lowest number of US highway deaths to occur in a year since 1950.

The drop in traffic deaths happened even as estimated vehicle miles traveled went up by 0.2% in the past two years. NHTSA also says that the lowest injury and fatality rates at 1.13 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled occurred last year.

Locally, our Maryland motor vehicle crash lawyers and Washington DC car accident attorneys are happy to report that there also was a decline in the number of traffic deaths for the year. There were 549 Maryland traffic fatalities last year?down from the 591 motor vehicle deaths in 2008 and 29 Washington DC auto crash deaths in 2009?a drop from the 34 Washington DC motor vehicle traffic deaths the year before.

The nation also saw a reverse in the yearly increase in motorcyclist deaths, which has been on the rise for 11 years. In 2009, there were 4.462 US motorcyclist fatalities. Compare that to 2008 when there were 5,312 motorcyclist deaths.

More 2009 US Traffic Facts:
? 23,382 passenger vehicle deaths
? 503 large truck crash fatalities
? 4,092 pedestrian accident deaths
? 630 pedalcyclist crash fatalities
? 2,217,000 traffic crash injuries
? 1,976,0000 passenger vehicle injuries
? 17,000 large truck injuries
? 90,000 motorcyclist injuries
? 59,000 pedestrian injuries
? 51,000 pedalcyclist injuries
? 10,839 drunk driving deaths
? 162 Maryland drunk driving deaths
? 10 Washington DC drunk driving deaths

Highlights of 2009 Motor Vehicle Crashes, Traffic Safety Facts (PDF)

2009 Data Show Major Across-the-Board Declines in all Categories
Despite a Slight Increase in Road Travel, NHTSA, November 9, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Maryland Department of Transportation

District Department of Transportation

Lebowitz & Mzhen continues to help Maryland car collision victims obtain injury compensation from all liable parties. Contact us today.

Full post as published by Maryland Accident Law Blog on September 15, 2010 (boomark / email).