FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE REDUCTION OF MOTOR VEHICLE FATALITIES IN 1974

During 1974 motor-vehicle deaths decreased seventeen percent compared with 1973. The decline in deaths was even sharper during the first months of 1974. Because of the national interest in these figures, and especially in view of the federal law limiting speeds to 55 miles per hour on high speed roads, the National Safety Council gathered as much data as possible on the various factors that could account for the change in fatality experience. Two separate periods were studied: the first four months of 1974 compared with the same months of 1973 and the second four months of 1974 compared with the second four months of 1973. Factors such as speed reduction, travel, changes in type of trip, average occupancy, and many others were assessed as to their impact on the overall fatality reduction. In both studies speed reduction (both in high speed roads and on low speed streets) contributed the largest portion of the decrease. Changes in travel also were important but to a much smaller degree. In both studies factors were also found that increased fatalities in 1974 and their influence had to be offset by the others. /Author/

• Corporate Authors:

  National Safety Council

  425 North Michigan Avenue
  Chicago, IL  United States  60611
• Authors:
  • Tofany, V L
• Publication Date: 1975-7-14

Media Info

• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: p. 783-790

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash rates; Fatalities; Prevention; Safety; Speed limits; Telephone influence factors; Travel patterns; Trip purpose
• Old TRIS Terms: Influence factors
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00149153
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding, HS-017 149
• Files: HSL, TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 27 1983 12:00AM