2000 Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Crashes

National Center for Statistics & Analysis of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Fatality and Injury Estimates for 2000

Based on The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and The National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System (NASS GES)

The 2000 Annual Assessment

This report contains estimates for motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2000 and the resulting injuries and fatalities. They are compared to estimates from the 1999 Final Files. These Annual Assessment estimates are based on data from the sources indicated in the last slide. Data for 2000 from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) will be superceded about June 2002 by the Final 2000 FARS File. Exposure data will be updated by the originating agencies at a later date in 2001.

2000 Data Show Fatality Rates remain at Historic Low

Fatalities Declined among:

Injuries declined among Children ages 5-15 (-12%).

For Young Drivers (ages 16-20):

Fatalities increased in:

Using Safety Belts save lives. In 2000, 72 percent of belted passenger vehicle occupants (4 years of age and older) involved in a fatal crash survived compared to 43 percent of unrestrained occupants. Previous NHTSA research has shown that driver or a passenger cuts his or her risk of dying in a crash almost in half by buckling up.

Securing a child in an age appropriate safety seat could save the child's life. In 2000, of children under 1 year of age who were occupants of a passenger vehicle involved in a fatal crash, 78 percent of those who were restrained in a child safety seat survived the crash compared to 49 percent of those who were unrestrained.Previous NHTSA research has shown that placing your infant child in an age-appropriate child safety seat reduces the child?s risk of dying in a motor vehicle crash by as much as two-thirds.

Driving sober matters. In 2000, 42 percent of crashes involving an alcohol impaired or intoxicated driver or non-occupant resulted in an involved person being killed or injured. Years of data have shown that crashes involving an alcohol impaired or intoxicated driver or non-occupant are about 50 percent more likely to result in an injury or fatality than crashes in which alcohol was not involved. In 2000, about 1,400 fatalities occurred in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired or intoxicated driver who had at least one previous DWI conviction accounting for about 8.5 percent of all alcohol-related fatalities.

2000 Statistics and Comparisons with 1999 Statistics

Persons Killed and Injured and Number of Crashes: (format: 1999, 2000, % change).

Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries and Injury Rates are not statistically significant.
Sources: FARS, NASS GES

Exposure Data (format: Exposure Measure, 1999, 2000, % Change)

*Based on NHTSA' s projections.
Sources: R.L. Polk, FHWA, Census Bureau

Fatality and Injury Rates (format: Rate, 1999, 2000, % Change)

Persons Killed

Persons Injured

Unless otherwise noted, changes in numbers of injuries and injury rates are not statistically significant.
*Based on NHTSA's projections.
Sources: FARS, NASS, GES, FHWA, and Census Bureau

Vehicle Occupants Killed by Type of Vehicle (format: Type of Vehicle, 1999, 2000, % Change)

*Includes vehicle occupant fatalities in buses and other, e.g., farm equipment, construction equipment, etc., vehicle types. Source: FARS

Vehicle Occupants Injured by Type of Vehicle (format: Type of Vehicle, 1999, 2000, % Change)

Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries and Injury Rates are not statistically significant.
*Includes vehicle occupants injured in buses and other vehicle types.
Source: NASS GES

Non-Occupants Killed or Injured, By Role (format: Role, 1999, 2000, % Change)

Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries and Injury Rates statistically significant.
*Includes occupants of motor vehicles not in transport and are not occupants and of non-motor vehicle transport devices.
Italics signify Statistically Significant Change
Source: FARS, NASS GES

Passenger Vehicle Occupants (All Ages) involved in Fatal Crashes, by Restraint Use & Survival Status (format: Restraint Use/Survival Status, 1999, 1999 % , 2000, 2000 %, % Change in Count)

* Restraints Used = Use of any type of restraint, e.g., lap belt, lap/shoulder belt, child safety seat, etc. Source: FARS

Passenger Vehicle Occupants (All Ages) involved in Injury Crashes, by Restraint Use & Injury Status

(format: Restrain Use/Injury Status, 1999, 1999 %, 2000, 2000 %, % Change in Count)

* Restraints Used = Use of any type of restraint, e.g., lap belt, lap/shoulder belt, child safety seat, etc. Italics signify Statistically Significant Change. Totals may not add due to rounding. Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries and Injury Rates are not statistically significant. Source: NASS GES

Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries Italics signify Statistically Significant Change and Injury Rates are not statistically significant.
Sources: FARS, NASS GES

Persons Killed by Highest BAC in Crash Highest BAC in Crash (format: Highest BAC in Crash, 1999, 2000, % Change)

  • Total Alcohol Related: 15,976 16,653 +4.2%
  • % All Fatalities: 38% 40%
  • Impaired (0.01 <= BAC <= 0.09): 3,523 3,761 +6.8%
  • Intoxicated (0.10 <= BAC): 12,453 12,892 +3.5%

    Source: FARS

    Number of Crashes, by Type of Crash, Alcohol Involvement and Year

    (format: Type of Crash, Alcohol Involved (1999, 2000, % Change), (Not Alcohol Involved 1999, 2000, % Change)

    Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries and Injury Rates are not statistically significant
    Italics signify Statistically Significant Change .
    Sources: FARS, NASS GES

    Driver in Alcohol-Related Fatal Crashes with Previous Alcohol Convictions (format: 1999, 2000)

    Source: FARS

    Persons Killed in Large Truck Crashes,by Type (format: Type, 1999, 2000, % Change)

    nc = no change
    Source: FARS

    Persons Injured in Large Truck Crashes,by Type (format: Type, 1999, 2000, % Change)

    Truck Occupants: 33,000 31,000 -6.1%

    Other Vehicle Occupants: 105,000 106,000 +1.0%

    Non-Occupants: 4,000 3,000 -25%

    Total: 142,000 140,000 -1.4%

    Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries and Injury Rates are not statistically significant.
    Source: NASS GES

    Persons Killed or Injured in School Bus Related Crashes, by Role (format: Role, 1999, 2000, % Change)

    Persons Killed: 167 144 -14%

    Persons Injured: 18,000 20,000 +11%

    Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries and Injury Rates are not statistically significant.
    Sources: FARS, NASS GES
    Children, Ages 0 - 4, Killed or Injured, by Role (format: Role, 1999, 2000, % Change)

    Killed: 735 706 -3.9%

    Injured: 76,000 71,000 -6.6%

    Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries and Injury Rates are not statistically significant.
    Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.
    Source: FARS, NASS GES

    Children, Ages 5-15, Killed or Injured, by Role (format: Role, 1999, 2000, % Change)

    Killed: 2,207 2,105 -4.6%

    Injured: 297,000 261,000 -12%

    Unless otherwise noted, changes in Numbers of Injuries and Injury Rates are not statistically significant.
    Italics signify Statistically Significant Change
    Source: FARS, NASS GES

    Number of Crashes and Persons Killed in Crashes Involving Young Drivers (Ages 16-20) (format: Crashes or Persons Killed, 1999, 2000, % Change)

    Crashes: 1,745,000 1,683,000 -3.5%

    Persons Killed: 8,920 8,811 -1.2%

    *In vehicles with young drivers

    Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities by State (format: State, 1999, 2000, % Change)

    Source: FARS

    A Look at Motorcycle Fatalities

    Motorcyclist Fatalities account for most of increase in Fatalities from 1997 to 2000
    Total vs. Motorcyclist Fatalities by Year, 1997-2000 (format: Fatalities, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)

    Total: 42,013 41,501 41,717 41,821

    Motorcyclists: 2,116 2,294 2,483 2,862

    Percent of all Fatalities 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.8

    Source: FARS

    Motorcyclist Fatality Rates are Increasing (format: Rate, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)

    Persons Killed 2,116 2,294 2,483 2,862

    * Registration and VMT data not available for 2000.
    Sources: FARS, FHWA, and Census Bureau

    Fatalities increased in all age groups, but was highest for Under 20 and 40 and Over

    (format: Motorcyclists Killed, by Age Group (Age Group, 1999, 2000, Change, % Change)

    Source: FARS

    60 % of Total Increase occurred in 5 States

    States with Largest Increase in Motorcyclists Killed (format: State, 1999, 2000, Change, % Change)

    Percent of Total US Motorcyclist Fatalities: 33% 36%

    Source: FARS

    Long Term Trends 1988 - 2000

    Persons Killed in Traffic Crashes by Year

    Source: FARS

    Crash Fatality Rate by Year (Persons Killed / 100M VMT )

    Source: FARS / FHWA VMT

    Total Crashes and Persons Injured by Year (format: Year, Persons Injured, Crashes)

    Unless otherwise noted, year-to-year changes in numbers of injuries and injury rates are not statistically significant.
    Source: NASS GES

    Crash Injury Rate by Year Persons Injured / 100M VMT

    Unless otherwise noted, year-to-year changes in numbers of injuries and injury rates are not statistically significant.
    Source: NASS GES / FHWA VMT

    Persons Killed in Alcohol-Related Traffic Crashes, by Year

    Source: FARS

    Percent Alcohol-Related Traffic Crash Fatalities of Total Fatalities, by Year

    *Rounded to the tenth decimal.
    Source: FARS

    Pedestrians and Pedalcyclists Killed in Traffic Crashes,by Year (format: Year, Pedestrians, Pedalcyclists)

    Source: FARS

    Persons Killed in Large Truck, by Year

    Source: FARS

    Persons Injured in Large Truck Crashes, by Year

    Unless otherwise noted, year-to-year changes in numbers of injuries and injury rates are not statistically significant.
    Source: NASS GES

    Motorcyclists Killed by Year

    Source: FARS

    Child (Under 5) Occupant Fatalities, by Year

    Source: FARS

    Crash Data

    Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)

    NASS General Estimates System (GES)

    Exposure Data

    Vehicle Miles of Travel (VMT)

    Population Projection (based on 1990 Census)

    Registered Vehicles

    Questions about the data in this report may be sent by E-Mail to: ncsaweb@nhtsa.dot.gov or made by phone to: 1.800.934.8517