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Growth in U.S. Vehicle Deaths Soars to 50-Year High

Vehicle-related fatalities in the U.S. jumped 8% last year, the biggest year-on-year percentage increase in 50 years, according to the National Safety Council.
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Vehicle-related fatalities in the U.S. jumped 8% last year, the biggest year-on-year percentage increase in 50 years, according to the National Safety Council.

The actual death toll in 2015 was about 38,300 people, up 8% from 2014. NSC says the death rate per 100,000 population rose 7% to 11.9 fatalities. In terms of miles driven, the rate grew 5% to 1.22 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

Injuries that involved medical consultation totaled about 4.4 million. NSC estimates the cost of vehicle-related deaths, injuries and property damage in the U.S. totaled $412 billion in 2016. Data from previous years are not directly comparable because of changes how the council calculates results.

NSC also cautions that its fatality figures are not comparable to those from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That’s because the council counts deaths that occur as long as 12 months after a crash, and NHTSA tallies only those that occur within 30 days.

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