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Table 2-28: Motor Vehicle Fatal Crashes by Posted Speed Limit

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Table 2-28: Motor Vehicle Fatal Crashes by Posted Speed Limit

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  1975 1980 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
TOTAL fatal crashes 39,161 45,284 R39,196 39,836 36,937 34,942 35,780 36,254 37,241 37,494 37,324 37,107 37,140 R37,526 37,795
Under 55 mph, total 15,233 20,079 19,278 19,136 17,507 16,827 16,985 16,948 17,439 17,345 17,258 17,018 16,963 R17,054 17,389
5,10,15, 20, 25 mpha 2,617 2,865 2,504 2,234 2,097 1,911 1,895 1,890 1,893 1,896 1,955 1,873 1,863 R1,827 1,877
30, 35 mph 6,099 8,527 R7,890 7,756 6,908 6,696 6,759 6,565 6,681 6,445 6,383 6,025 5,946 R6,079 6,179
40, 45 mph 4,276 6,256 R6,812 7,092 6,608 6,345 6,454 6,632 6,938 7,096 7,132 7,349 7,245 R7,315 7,532
50 mph 2,241 2,431 2,072 2,054 1,894 1,875 1,877 1,861 1,927 1,908 1,788 1,771 1,909 R1,833 1,801
55 mph and above, total R16,095 20,352 R18,871 19,749 18,630 17,450 18,144 18,698 19,140 19,460 19,251 19,333 19,373 R19,735 19,343
55 mph 16,094 20,352 R18,863 17,556 16,543 15,444 15,980 16,512 16,753 14,097 12,897 12,522 12,184 R12,143 11,798
60 mph 0 0 2 18 9 4 9 13 16 523 935 1,073 1,069 R1,163 1,230
65 mph 1 0 2 2,175 2,078 2,002 2,155 2,173 2,323 3,214 3,311 3,421 3,537 R3,686 3,682
70 mph 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 38 1,282 1,633 1,835 2,079 R2,230 2,125
Over 70 mph 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10 344 475 482 504 513 508
Unknown, total R7,833 4,853 R1,047 951 800 665 651 608 662 689 815 756 804 R737 1,063

KEY: mph = miles per hour.

a The "No Statutory Limit" speed limit designation is included in this category.

NOTES

In 1974, Congress enacted a national maximum speed limit of 55 miles per hour (mph). Amendments in 1987 and 1991 allowed states to increase speed limits to 65 mph on rural Interstates and similar highways.

The National Maximum Speed Limit was repealed in late 1995; speed limits are again set by the states, some of which have raised their maximum speed limits to 70 mph or above.

SOURCE

U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis, Traffic Safety Facts 2000, DOT HS 809 337 (Washington, DC: December 2001), table 30, and personal communication, Sept. 10, 2002.