Transportation fatalities declined in 2009

Written by jrood

Transportation fatalities in the United States decreased by 9.2 percent in 2009 from 2008, according to preliminary figures released today by the National Transportation Safety Board. The data indicate that transportation fatalities in all modes totaled 35,928 in 2009, compared to 39,569 in 2008. Although highway, rail, aviation, deaths declined, pipeline and marine fatalities showed an increase.

"While statistics show
that transportation fatalities have declined this past year," said NTSB
Chairman Deborah A. P. Hersman, "we continue to see far too many accidents
in all segments of the transportation community. There is still much work to do
to prevent the loss of life on our roads, rails, waterways, and skies."

Pipeline fatalities
increased by six (8 to 14), with an increase in both categories – gas pipelines
and liquid pipeline operations.

Marine deaths increased
from 783 to 817, with the vast majority occurring in recreational boating
(736). Other marine categories, including cargo transport and commercial
fishing, showed increases as well, although commercial passenger vessels showed
a slight decrease.

Highway fatalities, which
account for nearly 95 percent of all transportation deaths, decreased from
37,423 in 2008 to 33,808 in 2009. In fact, highway fatalities decreased in all
categories including motorcycle fatalities (down 16 percent), which had been on
the rise in recent years.

Aviation deaths decreased
from 574 to 538. Nearly 90 percent of aviation fatalities occurred in general
aviation accidents (471), but they still represented a decrease from the
previous year (494).

Rail fatalities decreased
four percent from 781 to 751. The vast majority of these fatalities were
persons struck by a rail vehicle.

 
Aviation statistics are compiled by the
NTSB. Marine numbers are provided by the Department of Homeland Security and
numbers for all other modes by the Department of Transportation.

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