Chapter 4. People
This chapter presents statistics about the Drivers, Passengers, Pedestrians,
and Pedalcyclists involved in police-reported motor vehicle crashes in
2003. The tables and figures are presented in nine groups: all killed or
injured persons, crash-involved drivers, occupants (drivers and passengers),
alcohol, restraints, motorcycle related, school bus related, pedestrians,
and pedalcyclists. Below are some of the statistics you will find in this
section:
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A total of 42,643 people lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes in 2003.
Another 2.9 million people were injured.
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The majority of persons killed or injured in traffic crashes were drivers
(64 percent), followed by passengers (30 percent), pedestrians (3 percent),
motorcycle riders (2 percent), and pedalcyclists (2 percent).
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Persons 16 to 20 years old had the highest fatality and injury rates per
100,000 population. Children 5 to 9 years old had the lowest fatality rates,
and children under 5 years old had the lowest injury rates.
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For every age group, the fatality rate per 100,000 population was lower
for females than for males. The injury rate based on population was lower
for females than for males for people 5 to 9 years old and over 74 years
old.
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Forty percent of the persons who were killed in traffic crashes in 2003
died in alcohol-related crashes. Ten percent of the injured persons received
their injuries in alcohol-related crashes.