The number of fatalities in car accidents last year hit a 62-year low

The number of fatalities in car accidents last year hit a 62-year low. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report on the 10th showing that the number of traffic fatalities nationwide dropped...

The number of fatalities in car accidents last year hit a new low in 62 years. A report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the 10th showed that the number of traffic fatalities in the country last year dropped to the lowest since 1949, but the number of deaths of cyclists and passengers of large trucks increased significantly. The number of cyclists increased by 8.7%, and the number of passengers of large trucks surged by 20%. The NHTSA report is the result of an analysis of various types of traffic fatalities last year. The number of traffic fatalities nationwide last year was 32,367, a decrease of 1.9% from 2010. At the same time, the miles traveled by drivers also decreased by 1.2% last year. Last year, there were 1.1 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, down from 1.11 in 2010. Akins, vice president of the Governor's Highway Safety Council, believes that the increase in bicycling deaths may be because more and more people are choosing to ride bicycles for commuting to get off work and for leisure. Taking Washington, D.C., as an example, the number of cyclists during morning and evening rush hours in the city has increased by 175% since 2004. During the same period, the city of Washington also tripled its number of bike lanes. Akins said: "The transportation culture in the United States is beginning to change, from driving cars to healthier and more environmentally friendly modes of transportation. We need to meet the safety needs of all modes of transportation." However, the increase in the number of fatalities among large truck passengers is puzzling. Akins said that it may be because the economy has improved and more trucks are on the road. "There are still many questions that have not been answered." NHTSA said it is working with the Federal Motor Carrier Administration to get more information and find out why the number of passenger deaths in large trucks has increased. Motorcycle fatalities also rose last year, by 2.1%. Deaths from motorcycles have continued to increase over the past 14 years, and last year's death toll increased for the 13th time in 14 years.