|
The number of traffic fatalities in the United States declined by 3.2% compared to the same period in 2023 according to an estimate by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This marks the ninth quarter of straight declines.
At the same time, the preliminary data reported by the Federal Highway Administration show that vehicle miles travelled in the first half of 2024 increased by roughly 13.1 billion miles, or roughly 0.8% higher than the same period last year. Thereby, the percentage per mile is even further reduced.
One important reason for this. according to NHTSA, is likely the road safety plan adopted by USDOT to bring the number of roadway deaths to zero. Several initiatives were launched by NHTSA to support the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS). These include all areas, i.e., safer vehicles, safer speeds, safer roads, and safer people. The press release mentions in particular "rulemakings for lifesaving vehicle technologies."
Several additional technologies are well underway, such as a new requirement for passenger cars and light trucks to come equipped with automatic emergency braking systems by 2029. There is also ongoing work to finalize a similar requirement for heavy vehicles.
Full Article: IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine, Volume 19, Number 4, December 2024
| 
