The fatality rate on the nation’s highways in 2004 was the lowest since record-keeping began 30 years ago, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Monday.

However, fatalities from large truck crashes increased slightly from 5,036 to 5,190.
The number of alcohol-related fatalities also dropped for the second straight year.
All told, 42,636 people died on the nation’s highways in 2004, down from 42,884 in 2003. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) was 1.46 in 2004, down from 1.48 in 2003. The fatality rate has been steadily improving since 1966 when 50,894 people died and the rate was 5.5.
“Drivers are safer today on our nation’s highways than they have ever been, in part because of the safer cars, higher safety belt use and stronger safety laws that this Department has helped champion,” said Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta. “But as long as the number of highway deaths remains as high as it is, we will keep advocating for the kind of vehicles, roads and driving habits that make people safer in their cars and trucks.”
Since 2001, the number of states with primary safety belt laws has increased to 22, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, leading to an 80% safety belt use level, the highest ever. In addition, all states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, now have 0.08 blood alcohol laws for drivers. Minnesota’s 0.08 law took effect Monday.
NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) also shows that, between 2003 and 2004:
• Fatalities from large truck crashes increased slightly from 5,036 to 5,190.
• Motorcycle fatalities increased from 3,714 to 4,008, an 8% rise.
• Alcohol-related fatalities dropped from 17,105 to 16,694, a 2.4% decline.
• Rollover deaths among passenger vehicle occupants increased 1.1% from 10,442 to 10,553.
• Total fatalities in sport utility vehicles (SUVs) increased 5.6%, from 4,483 to 4735, while fatalities in passenger -- cars, pickup trucks and vans decreased a total of 834.
• Passenger vehicle occupant fatalities dropped to 31,693 – the lowest since 1992. Declining fatalities in passenger cars are consistent with more crashworthy vehicles in the fleet and increases in safety belt use.
• Pedestrian deaths declined 2.8% from 4,774 in 2003 to 4,641.
• In 2004, 55% (down from 56% in 2003) of those killed in passenger vehicles were not wearing safety belts.
This underscores the value of the need for states to adopt primary safety belt laws.
NHTSA earlier estimated that highway crashes cost society $230.6 billion a year, about $820 per person.