Highway Safety
Are highways and byways getting more and more dangerous? Is each successive generation and more reckless on the roads? Apparently not. Statistics Canada shows an ongoing reduction in the overall number of traffic related injures and deaths over the past several decades. The earliest statistics for Canada go back to 19851. Statistics for 2004 showed 8.5 fatalities per 100,000 persons while in 20152 there were 5.2 fatalities per 100,000 persons. Indeed, the number of fatalities per billion kilometers driven has been reduced from 8.8 in 2004 to 5.1 in 2015. Statistics from the United States, which date much further back than in Canada show similar reductions from 19703 onward.
So, are we better drivers than our parents and grandparents? Are our children — shudder — worse drivers than we are? Maybe not! The significant drop in motor vehicle accidents started around 1970. Seatbelt legislation was introduced in the US in 1968.4 Since that time a plethora of safety devices and legislation — side impact protection 1973, rear seat belts 1987, airbags 1984, blind spot warning 2004, child seat legislation 2006, automatic braking 20105 — have increased safety. The speed limits since 1970 have remained about the same, but cars and road construction have improved significantly. All in all, our children may be a little better at driving than their parents but also have a huge advantage due to all the technological advances.
To see a timeline of the introduction of safety features and legislation click HERE.
Motor vehicle deaths in U.S. by year
| Year | Deaths | VMT- Vehicle miles traveled (billions) | Fatalities per 100 million VMT | Population | Fatalities per 100,000 population | Change (in percent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899 | 26[5] | |||||
| 1900 | 567 | 76,094,000 | 0.047 | NA | ||
| 1901 | 54 | 77,584,000 | 0.070 |  47.12% |
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| 1902 | 79 | 79,163,000 | 0.100 | 43.38% |
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| 1903 | 117 | 80,632,000 | 0.145 | 45.40% |
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| 1904 | 172 | 82,166,000 | 0.209 | 44.26% |
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| 1905 | 252 | 83,822,000 | 0.301 | 43.62% |
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| 1906 | 338 | 85,450,000 | 0.396 | 31.57% |
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| 1907 | 581 | 87,008,000 | 0.668 | 68.82% |
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| 1908 | 751 | 88,710,000 | 0.847 | 26.78% |
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| 1909 | 1,174 | 90,490,000 | 1.297 | 53.25% |
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| 1910 | 1,599 | 92,407,000 | 1.730 | 33.38% |
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| 1911 | 2,043 | 93,863,000 | 2.177 | 25.79% |
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| 1912 | 2,968 | 95,335,000 | 3.113 | 43.03% |
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| 1913 | 4,079 | 97,225,000 | 4.195 | 34.76% |
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| 1914 | 4,468 | 99,111,000 | 4.508 | 7.45% |
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| 1915 | 6,779 | 100,546,000 | 6.742 | 49.56% |
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| 1916 | 7,766 | 101,961,000 | 7.617 | 12.97% |
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| 1917 | 9,630 | 103,268,000 | 9.325 | 22.43% |
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| 1918 | 10,390 | 103,208,000 | 10.067 | 7.95% |
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| 1919 | 10,896 | 104,514,000 | 10.425 | 3.56% |
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| 1920 | 12,155 | 106,461,000 | 11.417 | 9.51% |
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| 1921 | 13,253 | 55.03 | 24.09 | 108,538,000 | 12.210 | 6.95% |
| 1922 | 14,859 | 67.70 | 21.95 | 110,049,000 | 13.502 | 10.58% |
| 1923 | 17,870 | 85.00 | 21.03 | 111,947,000 | 15.963 | 18.22% |
| 1924 | 18,400 | 104.84 | 17.55 | 114,109,000 | 16.125 | 1.01% |
| 1925 | 20,771 | 122.35 | 16.98 | 115,829,000 | 17.932 | 11.21% |
| 1926 | 22,194 | 140.74 | 15.77 | 117,397,000 | 18.905 | 5.42% |
| 1927 | 24,470 | 158.45 | 15.44 | 119,035,000 | 20.557 | 8.74% |
| 1928 | 26,557 | 172.86 | 15.36 | 120,509,000 | 22.037 | 7.20% |
| 1929 | 29,592 | 197.72 | 14.97 | 121,767,000 | 24.302 | 10.28% |
| 1930 | 31,204 | 206.32 | 15.12 | 123,076,741 | 25.353 | 4.33% |
| 1931 | 31,963 | 216.15 | 14.79 | 124,039,648 | 25.768 | 1.64% |
| 1932 | 27,979 | 200.52 | 13.95 | 124,840,471 | 22.412 |  -13.03% |
| 1933 | 29,746 | 200.64 | 14.83 | 125,578,763 | 23.687 | 5.69% |
| 1934 | 34,240 | 215.56 | 15.88 | 126,373,773 | 27.094 | 14.38% |
| 1935 | 34,494 | 228.57 | 15.09 | 127,250,232 | 27.107 | 0.05% |
| 1936 | 36,126 | 252.13 | 14.33 | 128,053,180 | 28.212 | 4.07% |
| 1937 | 37,819 | 270.11 | 14.00 | 128,824,829 | 29.357 | 4.06% |
| 1938 | 31,083 | 271.18 | 11.46 | 129,824,939 | 23.942 | -18.44% |
| 1939 | 30,895 | 285.40 | 10.83 | 130,879,718 | 23.606 | -1.41% |
| 1940 | 32,914 | 302.19 | 10.89 | 132,122,446 | 24.912 | 5.53% |
| 1941 | 38,142 | 333.61 | 11.43 | 133,402,471 | 28.592 | 14.77% |
| 1942 | 27,007 | 268.22 | 10.07 | 134,859,553 | 20.026 | -29.96% |
| 1943 | 22,727 | 208.19 | 10.92 | 136,739,353 | 16.621 | -17.00% |
| 1944 | 23,165 | 212.71 | 10.89 | 138,397,345 | 16.738 | 0.71% |
| 1945 | 26,785 | 250.17 | 10.71 | 139,928,165 | 19.142 | 14.36% |
| 1946 | 31,874 | 340.88 | 9.35 | 141,388,566 | 22.544 | 17.77% |
| 1947 | 31,193 | 370.89 | 8.41 | 144,126,071 | 21.643 | -4.00% |
| 1948 | 30,775 | 397.96 | 7.73 | 146,631,302 | 20.988 | -3.03% |
| 1949 | 30,246 | 424.46 | 7.13 | 149,188,130 | 20.274 | -3.40% |
| 1950 | 33,186 | 458.25 | 7.24 | 152,271,417 | 21.794 | 7.50% |
| 1951 | 35,309 | 491.09 | 7.19 | 154,877,889 | 22.798 | 4.61% |
| 1952 | 36,088 | 513.58 | 7.03 | 157,552,740 | 22.905 | 0.47% |
| 1953 | 36,190 | 544.43 | 6.65 | 160,184,192 | 22.593 | -1.36% |
| 1954 | 33,890 | 561.96 | 6.03 | 163,025,854 | 20.788 | -7.99% |
| 1955 | 36,688 | 605.65 | 6.06 | 165,931,202 | 22.110 | 6.36% |
| 1956 | 37,965 | 627.84 | 6.05 | 168,903,031 | 22.477 | 1.66% |
| 1957 | 36,932 | 647.00 | 5.71 | 171,984,130 | 21.474 | -4.46% |
| 1958 | 35,331 | 664.65 | 5.32 | 174,881,904 | 20.203 | -5.92% |
| 1959 | 36,223 | 700.48 | 5.17 | 177,829,628 | 20.369 | 0.83% |
| 1960 | 36,399 | 718.76 | 5.06 | 180,671,158 | 20.147 | -1.09% |
| 1961 | 36,285 | 737.42 | 4.92 | 183,691,481 | 19.753 | -1.95% |
| 1962 | 38,980 | 766.73 | 5.08 | 186,537,737 | 20.897 | 5.79% |
| 1963 | 41,723 | 805.25 | 5.18 | 189,241,798 | 22.047 | 5.51% |
| 1964 | 45,645 | 846.30 | 5.39 | 191,888,791 | 23.787 | 7.89% |
| 1965 | 47,089 | 887.81 | 5.30 | 194,302,963 | 24.235 | 1.88% |
| 1966 | 50,894 | 925.90 | 5.50 | 196,560,338 | 25.892 | 6.84% |
| 1967 | 50,724 | 964.01 | 5.26 | 198,712,056 | 25.526 | -1.41% |
| 1968 | 52,725 | 1,015.87 | 5.19 | 200,706,052 | 26.270 | 2.91% |
| 1969 | 53,543 | 1,061.79 | 5.04 | 202,676,946 | 26.418 | 0.56% |
| 1970 | 52,627 | 1,109.72 | 4.74 | 205,052,174 | 25.665 | -2.85% |
| 1971 | 52,542 | 1,178.81 | 4.46 | 207,660,677 | 25.302 | -1.42% |
| 1972 | 54,589 | 1,259.79 | 4.33 | 209,896,021 | 26.008 | 2.79% |
| 1973 | 54,052 | 1,313.11 | 4.12 | 211,908,788 | 25.507 | -1.92% |
| 1974 | 45,196 | 1,280.54 | 3.53 | 213,853,928 | 21.134 | -17.14% |
| 1975 | 44,525 | 1,327.66 | 3.35 | 215,973,199 | 20.616 | -2.45% |
| 1976 | 45,523 | 1,402.38 | 3.25 | 218,035,164 | 20.879 | 1.27% |
| 1977 | 47,878 | 1,467.03 | 3.26 | 220,239,425 | 21.739 | 4.12% |
| 1978 | 50,331 | 1,544.70 | 3.26 | 222,584,545 | 22.612 | 4.02% |
| 1979 | 51,093 | 1,529.13 | 3.34 | 225,055,487 | 22.702 | 0.40% |
| 1980 | 51,091 | 1,527.30 | 3.35 | 227,224,681 | 22.485 | -0.96% |
| 1981 | 49,301 | 1,552.80 | 3.18 | 229,465,714 | 21.485 | -4.45% |
| 1982 | 43,945 | 1,595.01 | 2.76 | 231,664,458 | 18.969 | -11.71% |
| 1983 | 42,589 | 1,652.79 | 2.58 | 233,791,994 | 18.217 | -3.97% |
| 1984 | 44,257 | 1,720.27 | 2.57 | 235,824,902 | 18.767 | 3.02% |
| 1985 | 43,825 | 1,774.18 | 2.47 | 237,923,795 | 18.420 | -1.85% |
| 1986 | 46,087 | 1,834.87 | 2.51 | 240,132,887 | 19.192 | 4.19% |
| 1987 | 46,390 | 1,921.20 | 2.42 | 242,288,918 | 19.147 | -0.24% |
| 1988 | 47,087 | 2,025.96 | 2.32 | 244,498,982 | 19.259 | 0.58% |
| 1989 | 45,582 | 2,096.46 | 2.17 | 246,819,230 | 18.468 | -4.11% |
| 1990 | 44,599 | 2,144.36 | 2.08 | 249,464,396 | 17.878 | -3.19% |
| 1991 | 41,508 | 2,172.05 | 1.91 | 252,153,092 | 16.461 | -7.92% |
| 1992 | 39,250 | 2,247.15 | 1.75 | 255,029,699 | 15.390 | -6.51% |
| 1993 | 40,150 | 2,296.38 | 1.75 | 257,782,608 | 15.575 | 1.20% |
| 1994 | 40,716 | 2,358 | 1.73 | 260,327,021 | 15.6403 | 0.42% |
| 1995 | 41,817 | 2,423 | 1.73 | 262,803,276 | 15.9119 | 1.74% |
| 1996 | 42,065 | 2,486 | 1.69 | 265,228,572 | 15.8599 | -0.33% |
| 1997 | 42,013 | 2,562 | 1.64 | 267,783,607 | 15.6892 | -1.08% |
| 1998 | 41,501 | 2,632 | 1.58 | 270,248,003 | 15.3566 | -2.12% |
| 1999 | 41,717 | 2,691 | 1.55 | 272,690,813 | 15.2983 | -0.38% |
| 2000 | 41,945 | 2,747 | 1.53 | 282,216,952 | 14.8627 | -2.85% |
| 2001[2] | 42,196 | 2,797 | 1.51 | 285,226,284 | 14.794 | -0.46% |
| 2002 | 43,005 | 2,856 | 1.51 | 288,125,973 | 14.926 | 0.89% |
| 2003 | 42,884 | 2,890 | 1.48 | 290,796,023 | 14.747 | -1.75% |
| 2004 | 42,836 | 2,965 | 1.44 | 293,638,158 | 14.588 | -0.52% |
| 2005 | 43,510 | 2,989 | 1.46 | 296,507,061 | 14.674 | 0.44% |
| 2006 | 42,708 | 3,014 | 1.42 | 299,398,484 | 14.265 | -2.79% |
| 2007 | 41,259 | 3,031 | 1.36 | 301,139,947 | 13.701 | -3.85% |
| 2008 | 37,423 | 2,977 | 1.26 | 303,824,640 | 12.317 | -11.0% |
| 2009 | 33,883 | 2,957 | 1.15 | 306,700,000 | 11.048 | -9.7% |
| 2010[2] | 32,999 | 2,967 | 1.11 | 309,326,000 | 10.668 | -3.5% |
| 2011[6] | 32,479 | 2,950 | 1.10 | 311,588,000 | 10.42 | -2.3% |
| 2012[7] | 33,782 | 2,969 | 1.14 | 313,914,000 | 10.75 | 2.6% |
| 2013 | 32,893 | 2,988 | 1.10 | 316,129,000 | 10.40 | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 32,744 | 3,026 | 1.08 | 318,860,000 | 10.28 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 35,485 | 3,095 | 1.15 | 321,370,000 | 11.06 | 10.5% |
| 2016 | 37,461 | 3,221 | 1.18 | 323,121,000 | 11.59 | 5.6% |
- https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehiclesafety/tp-tp3322-2004-menu-691.htm#wb1
- https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehiclesafety/tp-tp3322-2015-1487.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seat_belt_laws_in_the_United_States
- https://www.motoringassist.com/motoring-advice/history-of-automobile-safety/