NHTSA Can't Explain Traffic Death Toll Jump After Industry Crackdown

But the jump is three times the amount of additional driving Americans did. Vehicle miles traveled in the first three months of 2014 increased by about 9.8 billion miles, or about a 3.9-percent increase.

The fatality rate for the first quarter of 2015 increased to 1.04 fatalities per 100 million miles up from the projected rate of 0.99 fatalities per 100 million in the first quarter of 2014. The number of deaths rose by 650 in the first three months. It would be the highest number of first quarter deaths since 2012.

NHTSA said it doesn’t know why deaths have risen. The agency “is continuing to gather/finalize data on crash fatalities for 2013, 2014 and 2015 using information from police accident reports and other sources. It is too soon to speculate on the contributing factors or potential implications of any changes in deaths on our roadways.”

randy3023 - 8/31/2015 11:51:30 AM

+1 Boost

People are driving like assholes and police are overwhelmed and/or are not cracking down on bad drivers as they SHOULD BE.

Just this morning a woman was texting and nearly caused an accident, right in front of me!

Speeders have run amok and are everywhere, going 15-25 mph over the posted limit in most zones.

There is complete havoc right now, and poor enforcement is to blame.

222max - 8/31/2015 12:03:47 PM

+5 Boost

I agree. Driving habits are going from bad to worse.

rockreid - 8/31/2015 5:23:01 PM

+5 Boost

I know why..
1.texting
2..texting
3..texting

absent - 9/1/2015 3:52:35 PM

+2 Boost

They don't know???
They do but don't like to talk about it, texting causes twice as many accidents as speeding and DUI combined, according to their own research they don't want to publish.
For some stupid reason texting does not have the same negative stigma as speeding, wrongly so as most speeders at least are more involved in driving itself instead of checking the latest Tweet or Instagram pic