Chapter 5: Safety, Energy, and Environmental Impacts of Passenger Travel
The number of transportation-related fatalities has declined in recent decades. Compared to 1990 transportation fatality numbers, in 2001 there were 13,030 fewer fatalities—93.9 percent of this reduction is attributable to highway transportation.
In 2011 the overall rate for highway fatalities was 47.2 percent less than the 1990 rate as the highway modes showed across-the-board reductions in highway-related deaths. Fatalities for light-duty vehicles (passenger cars and light-trucks) decreased 51.3 percent, followed by decreases in the deaths of large-truck occupants and highway nonoccupants (pedestrians and bicyclists) of 50.7 and 43.1 percent, respectively. The general aviation fatality rate (as measured by fatalities per flight hour) decreased by 27.0 percent during this 1990–2011 period, while the rate for air carrier (as measured by fatalities per departure) remained stable and low.
Figure 5-1 Fatality Rates by Transportation Mode: 1990–2011
NOTES: Graphs with same color trend lines have identical scales. Air carrier fatalities resulting from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist acts include only onboard fatalities. Light-duty vehicles includes passenger car and light truck occupants.
SOURCE: Calculated by U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) based upon multiple sources as cited in USDOT, BTS, National Transportation Statistics (October 2013). Tables 2-9, 2-14, 2-17, 2-19, 2-21, and 2-23. Available at www.bts.gov, as of October 2013.
Figure 5-2 Number of Highway Fatalities by Age and Gender, 1980 and 2011
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), available at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/FARS, as of September 2013.
Highway fatalities accounted for 94.2 percent of all transportation-related deaths in 2011. The number of males killed on the highway exceeded the number of female fatalities for most age groups in 1980 and 2011. Persons under the age of 30 continued to have the highest fatality numbers in 2011, although deaths for that age group declined substantially from 1980. In 2011 males comprised 70.6 percent of highway fatalities, down from 73.2 percent in 1980. The greatest numbers of highway fatalities by gender in 2011 were among 21-year-old males and 19-year-old females.
Since 1980 there has been a considerable decrease in fatalities per capita across all age groups for both genders. In 2011 the greatest proportion of fatalities per capita was among males aged 15 to 29 and 78 to 84, as it was in 1980 at higher rates. Female fatalities per capita peaked between the ages of 15 and 23 in 2011 between the ages of 70 and 84, as it did in 1980 at higher rates.
Figure 5-3 Rate of Highway Fatalities Rate by Age and Gender, 1980 and 2011
SOURCES: Fatality Data— U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), available at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/FARS as of September 2013. Population Data—U.S. Department of Commerce, United States Census Bureau, 1980 and 2011 population estimates available at http://www.census.gov/popest.data/state/asrh/2011/index.html, as of September 2013.
Compared to 1990, there were 31.7 percent fewer transportation-related injuries in 2011. There has been a decrease in injuries in all modes of transportation in recent years. Injuries among passenger-car occupants declined 47.8 percent from 1990 to 2011 and 39.6 percent from 2000 to 2011. The majority of transportation injuries are highway related, accounting for over 90 percent of all injuries in a given year.
The 2011 total highway injury rate was about half the 1990 rate. Injuries for large-truck occupants were down 69.9 percent, followed by light-duty vehicle occupants (passenger cars and light-trucks) and highway non-occupant (pedestrians and bicyclist) injuries down 48.8 and 45.6 percent, respectively. The air carrier injury rate (as measured by injuries per departure) remained low and stable, while the general aviation injury rate (as measured by injuries per flight hour) slightly increased by 5.4 percent over the time period shown.
Figure 5-4 Injury Rates by Select Transportation Mode: 1990–2011
NOTES: Graphs with same color trend lines have identical scales. Light-duty vehicles includes passenger car and light-truck occupants.
SOURCE: Calculated by U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) based upon multiple sources as cited in USDOT, BTS, National Transportation Statistics (January 2014). Tables 1-35, 2-2, 2-9, and 2-14. Available at www.bts.gov, as of March 2014.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 9.4 percent of highway fatalities in 2011 involved drivers who were distracted by such activities as using a cell phone, texting, eating or drinking, using navigation systems or a map, or grooming themselves.1 As of December 2012, 39 states and the District of Columbia had laws banning texting while driving, and 10 states prohibit driver use of handheld cell phones. No state had banned all cell phone use by drivers, although 33 states do so for novice drivers and 19 states for school bus drivers.
Light-duty highway vehicles, such as passenger cars, light trucks, and sport utility vehicles, used 2.7 billion fewer gallons of gasoline in 2011 than in 2007 partially due to the improvements in fuel efficiency (Table 5-5). The largest percentage decrease from 2007 to 2011 was in residual fuel oil usage by water vessels, a decrease of 27.9 percent. Certificated air carriers also experienced a decrease, consuming 2.1 billion fewer gallons of jet fuel in 2011 than in 2007, a 16.4 percent decrease.
From 1990 to 2011, all transportation modes became more energy efficient with the exception of transit buses. Transit buses consumed the most energy per vehicle mile of travel; however, transit buses typically operate in an urban environment with frequent stops. U.S. airlines reduced energy consumption by 42.1 percent Btu per mile flown, the most of any mode.
The average fuel efficiency of the total U.S. passenger-car and light-truck fleet improved during the last 20 years as new vehicle efficiency increased. Stricter CAFE2 standards for fuel efficiency in passenger cars and light trucks have pushed automakers to produce vehicles with better fuel efficiency. In 2012 new vehicles, overall, averaged 30.8 miles per gallon (mpg). The fuel efficiency of new passenger cars rose by 12.8 percent, from 31.2 mpg in 2007 to 35.2 mpg in 2012. Fuel efficiency of new light trucks increased 8.2 percent from 23.1 mpg in 2007 to 25.0 mpg in 2012. Light trucks include vehicles such as pickup trucks, minivans, and SUVs.
Transportation is the largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generating sector in the United States, accounting for 28 percent of the U.S. total GHG emissions in 2010.3 Total transportation GHG emissions peaked in 2007, and has since steadily declined. By 2011 GHG emission levels for all transportation modes decreased by 8.3 percent (compared to 2007). From 2007 to 2011, GHG emissions from passenger cars and light duty trucks declined by 7.4 and 5.8 percent, respectively. GHG emissions from aircraft decreased the most, at 17.8 percent, followed by rail at 12.2 percent. Buses decreased the least, with 0.06 percent less GHG emissions in 2011 than in 2007.
1 For more information refer to the 2012 Transportation Statistics Annual Report, Chapter 5: Transportation Performance, available at: /archive/publications/transportation_statistics_annual_report/index.
2 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) is the sales weighted average fuel economy (expressed mpg) of a manufacturer’s fleet of cars or light trucks with a gross weight rating of 8,500 pounds or less, and manufactured for sale in the United States for a given year. The Energy Policy Conservation Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-163) established the first CAFE standards in response to the 1973-1974 Arab oil embargo.
3 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sources of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, for more information refer to: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/sources.html