Last week, NHTSA announced that projected numbers of motor vehicle fatalities across the U.S. in 2008 will fall to a near 50-year low (the actual counts will be released this August). A continued drop in Maryland traffic accident deaths is expected, in keeping with trends across the country. Let’s look at some Maryland car crash statistics available today:
- In 2007, a total of 614 people died in motor vehicle accidents in Maryland, down from 650 fatalities in 2003.
- Of those 614 fatalities, 179 involved alcohol-impaired driving and 216 involved speeding.
- More people died in urban traffic accidents (369 deaths) as compared to rural locations (245 fatalities) in Maryland in 2007.
Baltimore County, Maryland Traffic Accident Statistics
The NHTSA website allows visitors to research Maryland traffic deaths by years, county, and type of accident. Let’s look at Baltimore County, for example.
- In 2007, Baltimore County traffic accidents caused 72 fatalities, as compared to 86 deaths in 2003.
- Single-vehicle crashes caused 45 deaths in 2007, down from 51 deaths in 2003
- Large truck accidents caused 6 deaths in 2007, down from 8 deaths in 2003
- 17 pedestrians died in motor vehicle accidents in 2007, down from 21 in 2003
- Motorcycle crash fatalities increased, up from 7 deaths in 2003 to 13 deaths in 2007
- Alcohol-impaired driving deaths also went up, from 24 in 2003 to 31 in 2007
Public safety programs and laws measure their effectiveness with statistics. So any time the numbers of traffic fatalities go down, we know something is working. But what we’ve also learned as Baltimore County car accident lawyers is that behind the stats are people. For every single traffic fatality there is a story of somebody going somewhere who didn’t make it. Fewer deaths on Marylands roads and highways is always good news. But like we’ve said before, even one motor vehicle accident death is too many when it’s someone you love (or you).
NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts for Maryland 2003-2007
NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts for Baltimore County 2003-2007
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