Chicago Car Accident Law Firm: There were 1,043 Illinois Traffic Deaths in 2008, Says US Department of Transportation
According to the US Department of Transportation, the total number of US traffic deaths—37,261 fatalities—hit their lowest level in 48 years, exhibiting a 9.7% drop from 2007 when 41,259 people died. One of the reasons for the decline in the number of deaths is that people traveled less miles last year than the year before.
2008 NHTSA Traffic Fatalities:
Light truck occupants: 10,764
Passenger car occupant deaths: 25,351 (13,874 of these victims were not using safety restraints.
Drunk driving deaths: 11,773
Large truck deaths: 677
Pedestrian Deaths: 4,378
There was, however, a slight increase in pedalcyclist deaths between 2007 and 2008 from 701 deaths to 716 fatalities. Motorcycle fatalities also went up from 5,174 motorcycle rider deaths in 2007 to 5,290 fatalities in 2008—making up 14% of all US traffic deaths last year.
2.35 million people sustained injuries in 2008 US motor vehicle accidents—a drop from the 2.49 million people that were injured in 2007.
Of the 5,811,000 2008 US traffic accidents, 5,770,000 were nonfatal traffic accidents, 1,630,000 were injury accidents, and 4,146,000 accidents resulted in property damage.
1,043 US traffic deaths occurred in the state of Illinois where the year prior, there were 1,248 traffic fatalities.
More 2008 Illinois Traffic Facts:
• 362 drunk driving deaths
• 385 speeding-related deaths
• 133 motorcycle rider deaths
• 142 of the people that died were younger than age 20
• 135 pedestrian deaths
Our Chicago car crash law firm represents clients injured in all kinds of Illinois traffic accidents. We are dedicated to making sure that injured parties obtain the financial recovery that they are owed for their Chicago personal injury or wrongful death cases.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood: Overall Traffic Fatalities Reach Record Low, NHTSA, July 2, 2009
Related Web Resources:
2008 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment - Highlights, NHTSA, June 2009 (PDF)
