Table 2. Persons Killed or Injured and Fatality and Injury Rates per Population, Licensed Drivers,
Registered Vehicles, and Vehicle Miles Traveled, 1966-2003

Killed

Year

Fatalities

Resident Population (Thousands)

Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population

Licensed Drivers (Thousands)

Fatality Rate per 100,000 Licensed Drivers

Registered Motor Vehicles (Thousands)

Fatality Rate per 100,000 Registered Vehicles

Vehicle Miles Traveled (Billions)

Fatality Rate per 100 Million VMT

1966

50,894

196,560

25.89

100,998

50.39

  95,703

53.18

   926

5.50

1970

52,627

205,052

25.67

111,543

47.18

111,242

47.31

1,110

4.74

1975

44,525

215,973

20.62

129,791

34.31

126,153

35.29

1,328

3.35

1976

45,523

218,035

20.88

134,036

33.96

130,793

34.81

1,402

3.25

1977

47,878

220,239

21.74

138,121

34.66

134,514

35.59

1,467

3.26

1978

50,331

222,585

22.61

140,844

35.74

140,374

35.85

1,545

3.26

1979

51,093

225,055

22.70

143,284

35.66

144,317

35.40

1,529

3.34

1980

51,091

227,225

22.48

145,295

35.16

146,845

34.79

1,527

3.35

1981

49,301

229,466

21.49

147,075

33.52

149,330

33.01

1,555

3.17

1982

43,945

231,664

18.97

150,234

29.25

151,148

29.07

1,595

2.76

1983

42,589

233,792

18.22

154,389

27.59

153,830

27.69

1,653

2.58

1984

44,257

235,825

18.77

155,424

28.48

158,900

27.85

1,720

2.57

1985

43,825

237,924

18.42

156,868

27.94

166,047

26.39

1,775

2.47

1986

46,087

240,133

19.19

159,486

28.90

168,545

27.34

1,835

2.51

1987

46,390

242,289

19.15

161,816

28.67

172,750

26.85

1,921

2.41

1988

47,087

244,499

19.26

162,854

28.91

177,455

26.53

2,026

2.32

1989

45,582

246,819

18.47

165,554

27.53

181,165

25.16

2,096

2.17

1990

44,599

249,464

17.88

167,015

26.70

184,275

24.20

2,144

2.08

1991

41,508

252,153

16.46

168,995

24.56

186,370

22.27

2,172

1.91

1992

39,250

255,030

15.39

173,125

22.67

184,938

21.22

2,247

1.75

1993

40,150

257,783

15.58

173,149

23.19

188,350

21.32

2,296

1.75

1994

40,716

260,327

15.64

175,403

23.21

192,497

21.15

2,358

1.73

1995

41,817

262,803

15.91

176,628

23.68

197,065

21.22

2,423

1.73

1996

42,065

265,229

15.86

179,539

23.43

201,631

20.86

2,486

1.69

1997

42,013

267,784

15.69

182,709

22.99

203,568

20.64

2,562

1.64

1998

41,501

270,248

15.36

184,861

22.45

208,076

19.95

2,632

1.58

1999

41,717

272,691

15.30

187,170

22.29

212,685

19.61

2,691

1.55

2000

41,945

282,178

14.86

190,625

22.00

217,028

19.33

2,747

1.53

2001

42,196

285,094

14.80

191,276

22.06

221,230

19.07

2,797

1.51

2002

43,005

287,974

14.93

194,602

22.10

225,685

19.06

2,856

1.51

2003

42,643

290,810

14.66

196,166

21.74

230,788

18.48

2,891

1.48

Injured

Year

Injured

Resident Population (Thousands)

Injury Rate per 100,000 Population

Licensed Drivers (Thousands)

Injury Rate per 100,000 Licensed Drivers

Registered Motor Vehicles (Thousands)

Injury Rate per 100,000 Registered Vehicles

Vehicle Miles Traveled (Billions)

Injury Rate per 100 Million VMT

1988

3,416,000

244,499

1,397

162,854

2,098

177,455

1,925

2,026

169

1989

3,284,000

246,819

1,330

165,554

1,984

181,165

1,813

2,096

157

1990

3,231,000

249,464

1,295

167,015

1,934

184,275

1,753

2,144

151

1991

3,097,000

252,153

1,228

168,995

1,833

186,370

1,662

2,172

143

1992

3,070,000

255,030

1,204

173,125

1,773

184,938

1,660

2,247

137

1993

3,149,000

257,783

1,222

173,149

1,819

188,350

1,672

2,296

137

1994

3,266,000

260,327

1,255

175,403

1,862

192,497

1,697

2,358

139

1995

3,465,000

262,803

1,319

176,628

1,962

197,065

1,758

2,423

143

1996

3,483,000

265,229

1,313

179,539

1,940

201,631

1,728

2,486

140

1997

3,348,000

267,784

1,250

182,709

1,832

203,568

1,644

2,562

131

1998

3,192,000

270,248

1,181

184,861

1,727

208,076

1,534

2,632

121

1999

3,236,000

272,691

1,187

187,170

1,729

212,685

1,522

2,691

120

2000

3,189,000

282,178

1,130

190,625

1,673

217,028

1,469

2,747

116

2001

3,033,000

285,094

1,064

191,276

1,585

221,230

1,371

2,797

108

2002

2,926,000

287,974

1,016

194,602

1,503

225,685

1,296

2,856

102

2003

2,889,000

290,810

   993

196,166

1,473

230,788

1,252

2,891

100

Sources: Vehicle Miles of Travel and Licensed Drivers—Federal Highway Administration; Registered Vehicles, 1966-1974—Federal Highway Administration; Registered Vehicles, 1975-2003—R.L. Polk & Co. and Federal Highway Administration; Population—U.S. Bureau of the Census; Traffic Deaths, 1966-1974—National Center for Health Statistics, D.H.H.S., State Accident Summaries (adjusted to 30-day traffic deaths by NHTSA); Traffic Deaths, 1975-2003—Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), NHTSA, 30-day traffic deaths; Injured, 1988-2003—General Estimates System (GES), NHTSA. Injury data not available for years before 1988.