Automobiles made their debut in America in the late 19th Century. Roads at that time were narrow with no shoulders and sharp unprotected curves. These roads, coupled with an increased number of automobiles and the car owners’ affinity for speed, was a terrible mix for crashes. The first recorded fatality related to a car crash occurred on Sept. 13, 1899 in New York City.

Approximately three people are killed in traffic accidents everyday. One person is injured in a car accident every seven minutes, and there is one accident with property damage every four minutes. The peak time for collisions is from noon to 6:59 p.m. Tennesseans are almost 3.5 times more likely to die in a car accident than to be murdered.

Motor vehicle accidents in the United States cost the country $230.6 billion, a figure equivalent to 2.3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. According to the Department of Transportation’s report on the economic impact of motor vehicle crashes, the “hidden costs” of health care, property damage, lost productivity and increased insurance add up to $820 per person living in the United States.

However, along with the economic factor involved in motor vehicle accidents, there are other issues that interfere with the safety of American drivers. These two factors are the use of alcohol while operating a motor vehicle, and speeding. The 15 to 24 year-old age group was involved in the highest percentage of motor vehicle accidents overall, about 30 percent. In 2000, one out of three fatal crashes were the direct result of drinking or speeding.

According to the 2000 data for at-fault drivers, male drivers were two times more likely than women to be involved in a speeding-related crash. Male drivers were also four times more likely than women drivers to be involved in an alcohol-related crash. Alcohol and speed contributed to 16 percent and 13 percent, respectively, of all fatal motor vehicle accidents. Together, they contributed to almost a third of all Tennessee fatal traffic crashes.

“Car crashes are not random acts of God; they are preventable,” said Arthur D. Victorine, Director of the State of Tennessee Department of Transportation, Governor’s Highway Safety Office. “Strong laws, responsible behavior, and enforcement produce positive outcomes.”

Concerned with the growing number of car crashes, especially with fatalities, the National Safety Council was formed and began to compile statistics on traffic crashes. In 1913, the first year statistics were recorded by the Council, there were 4000 fatalities related to automobile crashes. This was nearly a five percent death rate out of 100,000 in population. The National Safety Council is an educational organization which is dedicated to educating and influencing society to adopt safety, health and environmental policies, practices and procedures that prevent and mitigate human suffering and economic losses arising from preventable causes.

For more information on this topic, go to www.fars~nhtsa.dot.gov or contact your local Department of Transportation.