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A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 23 OctOber 2019

U.S. highway deaths fall in 2018 for second straight year

By TOM KRISHER pedestrian deaths, the Most of the pedestrian SUVs as a factor in the in- tems. It's also working with
AP Auto Writer highest total in 28 years, deaths, 76%, and half the creases. SUVs sit taller than the Federal Highway Ad-
DETROIT (AP) — Traffic according to Consumer bicyclist deaths occurred cars, which can make it ministration to reduce bicy-
deaths in the U.S. fell slight- Reports, which said pedes- after dark, and the some more difficult for drivers to cle and pedestrian deaths.
ly in 2018 for the second "This is an epidemic of pre-
straight year, the govern- ventable deaths," said
ment's road safety agency Jake Fisher, senior director
said Tuesday. of auto testing for Consum-
The National Highway Traf- er Reports.
fic Safety Administration "We need to double
attributed the 2.4% drop down to figure out how to
partially to technology in achieve better pedestrian
newer vehicles that can detection and more wide-
prevent crashes. spread adoption."
A total of 36,560 people The agency said that the
died on the nation's roads number of deaths in crash-
in last year, the latest full- es with distracted drivers
year statistics available. hit 2,841 in 2018, or 7.8% of
The agency said the down- total traffic deaths. But the
ward trend is continuing 2018 number is down 12.4%
into 2019. First-half esti- from 2017, according to
mates show fatalities down the agency.
3.4%. The Truck Safety Coalition,
"This is encouraging news, an advocacy group, said
but still far too many per- crashes involving at least
ished or were injured, and one large truck killed 4,951
nearly all crashes are pre- people last year. In a state-
ventable, so much more ment, the group said fatali-
work remains to be done ties involving large trucks
to make America's roads have increased 46.5% in
safer for everyone," Trans- the past decade, yet the
portation Secretary Elaine administration of President
Chao, whose department Donald Trump has pushed
oversees NHTSA, said in a for proposals that would
statement. make it easier for truck driv-
The overall declines in 2017 In this July 1, 2016 file photo, drivers work their way out of Dallas during rush hour. The U.S. ers to work 17-hour days,
and 2018 came after two government's road safety agency says traffic deaths fell by a small amount for the second straight and to remove a 30-minute
years of large increases year. break requirement for truck
blamed on people driving Associated Press drivers after eight hours of
more as the economy im- work.
proved. trian fatalities have risen pedestrians and cyclists see pedestrians and cy- At the same time, the
But pedestrian deaths rose about 53% since 2009. had some alcohol in their clists. Transportation Department
3.4%, and the number of NHTSA said alcohol-im- systems. Seventy-four per- The agency said in a state- hasn't done anything to
people killed on bicycles paired fatalities dropped cent of the pedestrian ment that it's also study- advance safety rules that
and other pedaled vehi- 3.6% in 2018, while fatalities deaths occurred outside of ing changes in its five-star would require automatic
cles went up 6.3%. People attributed to speeding fell intersections, the agency crash assessment program emergency braking or
killed in large-truck crashes 5.7%. Motorcycle deaths reported. and will consider including electronic speed limiters
rose just under 1%. declined 4.7%, the agency NHTSA also said it would new technologies such as for big rigs, the statement
The agency reported 6,283 said. look into the increase in pedestrian detection sys- said.q