2011 CASI Report by Julian Streete

THIS REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) is a statewide government agency whose goal is to provide highway safety data and fact-based analyses that will assist communities and safety advocates in implementing effective programs that will change high-risk driving behavior and increase safety on Georgia’s streets and highways. The mission of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is to educate the public on traffic safety and facilitate the implementation of programs that reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities on Georgia roadways

GOHS supports many programmatic initiatives that are focused on helping it accomplish its mission and vision. Beyond grant sub-recipients the agency supports efforts and programs such as Operation Zero Tolerance or Click It or Ticket, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Georgia Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (H.E.A.T.), Children Passenger Safety, and many more. GOHS knows that research, specific facts and data about highway safety in Georgia are extremely important in establishing new injury prevention goals and designing strong strategic plans. We hope this report will facilitate your understanding of highway safety and serve your data and information needs. 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS • INTRODUCTION

• HOW TO USE THIS REPORT • REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

• STATEWIDE FATALITY AND FATALITY RATE • TEEN DRIVERS

• OLDER DRIVERS

• LICENSED DRIVERS

• MOTORCYCLE SAFETY • PEDESTRIANS 68

• ALCOHOL

• VEHICLE TYPE • BIBLIOGRAPHY

• OCCUPANT PROTECTION • SPEEDING

82 89 3

INTRODUCTION Motor vehicle travel is the primary means of transportation in the United States and remains one of the leading causes of death and injury for all ages. Whether you have been a spectator of an actual crash; known someone involved in a crash; or if you have been involved in a crash yourself, it is apparent that damage is inevitable when a motor vehicle crash occurs. Damage can range from property damage to personal injury and/or death. Economic loss, loss of mobility, loss of a certain standard of living or loss of life can be a direct result of this damage. In some cases the loss can be recovered but in others nothing can replace the lost felt. The purpose of this report is to present important, data driven information to the general public, governing bodies and policy makers. Throughout this document the content will highlight important information and make it more relevant to the general public. This data is presented in such a manner that the startling facts are put into perspective. The utilization of this report will encourage responsible driving practices, and create safer roadways throughout the communities. With this information it is our hope that individuals and organizations work to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes that occur yearly on Georgia roads and highways.

HOW TO USE THIS REPORT We hope this report can help other organizations develop stronger goals and strategic plans to help us accomplish our mission of reducing injuries and fatalities caused by motor vehicle crashes. Additionally we hope individuals of all ages use this information to lower risk factors through policy development, to deter risky driving behaviors, and engage in and teach better driving practices. This report aims to encourage more lives saved, and the reduction of lifealtering injuries. The consequences of our driving habits are easy to forget if one becomes complacent in their lifestyle. All data, unless otherwise noted, is 2009 data and from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) crash reporting system. The motor vehicle crash data used was revised and released as of February 2011. The full report includes a list of resources for additional information from various publications on motor vehicles crashes and their contributing factors.

PEDESTRIANS • In 2010, 150 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes accounting for 12% of all motor vehicle fatalities that year. • 43 percent of all pedestrian fatalities from 2004-2010 were within Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, and Gwinnett counties. • Males make up a greater proportion of pedestrian crashes (63%). • Persons ages 25-34 are more likely to be in pedestrian crashes, with 360 crash incidences among this group occurring in 2010. • Older persons, those above 55 years of age, tend to suffer more severe injuries and fa¬talities per crash in comparison to other age groups; 14% of crashes among this group result in fatalities.

SEATBELT USE • Statewide safety belt usage in 2010 for drivers and passengers of passenger cars, trucks, and vans was 88.9%, a slight decrease of 0.7% from 2008. • Child safety seat usage in 2010 was 88.0%, an increase of 2.1% from the 2008 usage rate. • In 2010, the number of unrestrained fatalities for persons older than 5 years of age riding in passenger vehicles (454 unrestrained fatalities) decreased by 32% from 2005 (669 unrestrained fatalities). • Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) have the highest percent of unrestrained fatalities within the state of Georgia. In 2010, 62% of all passenger occupant fatalities (ages 5+ years) were unrestrained, followed by rural counties with 60% unrestrained fatalities

YOUTH DRIVERS • Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens—accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. • In 2010, there were 113 roadway fatalities among persons ages 15-20—this represents approximately 9% of all roadway fatalities that year. Teen roadway fatalities decreased by 48% from 218 fatalities in 2000. • Since 2005, the number of drivers ages 15-20 involved in fatal crashes has decrease by 54%. • The motor vehicle death rate for male teen drivers and passengers ages 15-19 was almost two times that of their female counterparts. Although male teen drivers and passengers have higher death rates, female teen motor vehicle occupants have higher injury rates in comparison to their male counterparts; 17% and 14% respectively.

OLDER DRIVERS • In 2010, the older population made up 31% of all people involved in traffic accidents and 16% of all people fatally injured. • Although older persons were among the least likely to be injured in a crash they were most likely, of any age group, to die when involved in a crash. Approximately 4.5 out of every 1,000 older persons involved in a motor vehicle crash is fatally injured. • The major identified contributors to motor vehicle crashes involving older drivers are following too closely (15%), failure to yield (11%), and changing lanes improperly (6%). • People age 65 and older are more likely than any other age group, age 5 and above, to wear safety restraints or use safety equipment (motorcycle/bicycle equipment).

FATAL CRASHES AND FATAL RATES • There was close to 1,170 fatal crashes that resulted in 1,284 fatalities—a 14% reduction (211 less fatalities) from the previous year and a 26% reduction (445 less fatalities) from the all time high in 2005. • In 2010, the number of fatal crashes in Georgia reached its minimum since the collection of motor vehicle crash data. • In 2010, there was a total of 109,258 million miles traveled in the state of Georgia. For every 100 million vehicle miles traveled, there were approximately 1.18 fatalities.

LICENSED DRIVERS • From 2000 to 2010 the number of Georgia drivers has increased by nearly 14%—which is over 760,000 additional drivers. • In 2003, there were 5.5 million licensed drivers and 104 billion vehicle miles traveled in comparison to 2010 when there were 6.3 million drivers and 109 billion vehicle miles traveled. • The crash rate for persons ages 16-19 was 17.2 crashes for every 100 licensed drivers in comparison to 30-34 year olds that experienced 9.0 crashes for every 100 licensed drivers.

VEHICLE TYPES

• Ninety-five percent of the 536,577 vehicles involved in motor vehicle crashes in 2010 were passenger cars or light trucks. • Medium and large trucks accounted for 10% of the vehicles in fatal crashes, but only 4% of the vehicles involved in injury crashes. There were 147 fatalities that involved 127 medium and large trucks. • The proportion of vehicles that rolled over in fatal crashes (18%) was more than 2.5 times as high as the proportion in injury crashes (7%).

MOTORCYCLES • Motorcyclists have a higher risk of being involved in fatal crashes than any other type of driver. • In 2010, there were 140 motorcyclist fatalities—this represents approximately 11% of all roadway fatalities that year. • In 2010, the top contributing factors noted in motorcycle fatal crashes were driver loss of control and illegal speed. • Eight percent of motorcyclists that were killed in crashes were not wearing a helmet. The number of un-helmeted fatalities has decreased by 27% since 2000.

ALCOHOL RELATED CRASHES • In 2010, there were 331 alcohol related fatalities—this represents approximately 26% of all roadway fatalities that year. Alcohol related fatalities decreased by 24% from 434 in 2000. • The percentage of drivers with blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 grams per deciliter or higher in fatal crashes was highest for pickup truck drivers (24%). • Of all fatal crashes, alcohol reporting among killed drivers is higher than reporting among injured and non-injured surviving drivers. Approximately 40% of all drivers (killed and surviving) involved in fatal crashes have reported alcohol blood concentrations at the time of the crash. • A person that has been involved in three or more previous alcohol related crashes has a higher risk of being in a fatal crash related to alcohol.

SPEED RELATED CRASHES • In 2010, there were 238 speed related fatalities—this represents approximately 19% of all roadway fatalities that year. Speed related fatalities decreased by 30% from 340 in 2005. • Among passenger vehicle drivers age 21 and older in fatal crashes in 2010, those who were not speeding were twice as likely to be wearing seat belts than those who were speeding at the time of the crash.

STATEWIDE FATALITY AND FATALITY RATES

STATEWIDE FATALITY AND FATALITY RATES IN GEORGIA, FROM 2000 TO 2009, APPROXIMATELY 15,800 PEOPLE DIED IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES. THAT’S AN AVERAGE OF 3.5 PEOPLE DYING EACH DAY AND ALMOST 25 DEATHS EACH WEEK. The highest number of roadway fatalities occurred in 2005 with just over 1,700 deaths. However, Georgia experienced a dip in fatality rates in 2009 with the lowest number of fatalities since the collection of motor vehicle crash data. There was close to 1,170 fatal crashes that resulted in 1,284 fatalities—a 14% reduction (211 less fatalities) from the previous year and a 26% reduction (445 less fatalities) from the all time high in 2005. A fatal crash is a motor vehicle crash where one or more deaths occur. The person killed in a fatal crash can be a driver, passenger, pedestrian, motorcyclist, bicyclist, or any other persons directly involved in the crash.

ROADWAY FATALITIES AND FATAL CRASHES BY YEAR, 1994-2009 The figure shows the number of fatalities and fatal crashes that have occurred from 1994-2009. The gray line represents the number of fatal crashes and the red line represents the total number of crash deaths (fatalities). In 2009, Georgia had the lowest number of fatalities since the collection of motor vehicle crash data.

Although the number of fatalities change from year to year, it is important to look at the rates at which fatalities occur. Fatality rates can be measured in many ways (i.e. fatalities per number of Georgia licensed drivers, fatalities per 1,000 population, or fatalities per vehicle miles traveled). When studying highway safety the most common measure of rates is the number of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). The number of roadway fatalities that occur in a year and the number of vehicle miles traveled in that same year determines the fatality rates. Fatality rates can remain steady and unchanging if the number of fatalities and vehicle miles traveled decreases or increases at the same rate. However, a decrease in fatality rates can be attributed to either a decrease in fatalities or a greater increase in vehicle miles traveled. Increase in vehicle miles traveled is indicative of increased exposure to roadways.

In 2009, there was a total of 109,258 million miles traveled in the state of Georgia. This is enough mileage to travel the equator of the earth more than 4 million times. For every 100 million vehicle miles traveled, there were approximately 1.18 fatalities. The highest fatality rate in Georgia, from 1994-2009, occurred in 1996 with approximate 1,600 fatalities and 8,900 million vehicle miles traveledâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this equates to a rate of 1.76 fatalities for every 100 million VMT. Although 2005 had the highest number of fatalities, that year also marked the beginning of a steady decrease in the number of roadway fatalities and the rate of roadway fatalities (per 100 million VMT). IN 2009 FOR EVERY 100 MILLION VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 1.18 FATALITIES.

ROADWAY FATALITIES AND FATALITY RATES (PER 100 MILLION VMT) TRENDS, 1994-2009

The number of roadway fatalities has varied from 1994 to 2009, peaking in 2005 with 1,729 fatalities and a rate of 1.52 fatalities per 100 vehicle miles travelled (VMT). The highest fatality rate occurred in 1996 with 1.76 fatalities per 100 million VMT and 1,573 roadway fatalities. However, in 2009 Georgia 14 experienced the lowest number of fatalities and fatality

rate in 15 years, with 1.18 fatalities per every 100 million VMT and 1,284 roadway fatalities â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a 14% reduction from the previous year. This reduction is attributed to the 14% reduction in fatalities from the previous year; there were no significant differences in the number of vehicle miles traveled from 2008 to 2009.

NATIONAL ROADWAY FATALITY RATESâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;FATALITIES PER 100 MILLION VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, 2009 In 2009, the national average roadway fatality rate was 1.13 fatalities per 100 million VMT. That same year, Georgia had a fatality crash rate of 1.18 fatalities per 100 million VMT. Although the Georgia fatality rate is high in comparison to the national average, this is the lowest fatality rate for Georgia in recorded history.

2009 ROADWAY FATAL CRASHES BY MONTH AND MONTHLY 3-YEAR AVERAGE FATAL CRASHES

Generally, the fatality rates are higher during holiday periods than in non-holiday periods. However, it is very difficult to predict human behavior and environmental factors that can cause motor vehicle crashes. Researchers use the averages across previous years as a crude predictor of fatalities and fatal crashes. However, in 2009 the monthly fatal crash counts

(represented by the bar) were lower in comparison to the three-year average (grey smooth trending line). They were significantly lower fatal crashes in the fall and spring season, in comparison to what would be expected by the three-year average fatal crashes 17

TOTAL FATAL CRASHES BY TIME OF DAY AND DAY OF WEEK, 2007-2009 Over 4000 fatal crashes were observed in Georgia from 2007 to 2009. Nearly one-third of fatal crashes occurred on Saturdays and Sundays (704 and 649 outbreaks respectively), with the majority (58%) occurring between the late evening to early morning period (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.). However, an opposite trend was noted in the number of fatal crashes during the weekdays in contrast to the weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in which, the number of fatal crashes were lower during the weekdays (Monday-Friday) for the late evening to early morning period. As Fridays signal the end of the weekdays and the start of the weekend, fatal crashes were consistently high for both the rush hour peak time and the late evening to early morning period (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., respectively). 18

ROADWAY FATALITIES: PERSON KILLED BY AGE GROUP, 2009 Among all roadway fatalities, people age 25-34 have the highest number followed by ages 45-54 and ages 35-44. Over 65% of Georgia roadway fatalities occur among persons in the age group 21-64.

ROADWAY FATALITIES: PERSONS KILLED BY GENDER, 2003-2009 From 2003 to 2009, men represented approximately 70% of all roadway fatalities in Georgia. On average 480 women and 1,100 men are killed each year.

TEEN DRIVERS

TEEN DRIVERS MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR U.S. TEENSâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group.1 These crashes were the leading cause of unintentional fatal injuries among persons ages 15-19 in Georgia from 2000-2007, representing 75% of all 1,889 unintentional fatal injuries. In 2005, close to 40,000 Georgia teen occupants were treated in the emergency room for nonfatal injuries that accrued $1,031 million dollars of total medical and other injury related costs. 1

1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [Online]. (2010). National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (producer). [Cited 2011 June 1].

FATALITIES, AGES 15-20 AND PERCENT OF FATALITIES, 2000-2009

From 2000 to 2009, approximately 200 persons ages 15-20 died each year in roadway fatalities. Over this time period this age group represented 13% of all roadway fatalities. However, in 2009 fatalities among this group reached an all time low. A little over 100 persons in this age group died in 2009â&#x20AC;&#x201D; accounting for only 9% of all fatalities for that year.

DRIVERS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES (AGE 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 20 YEARS), 2005-2009 Since 2005 the number of drivers, age 15-20 years, involved in a crash resulting in one or more fatalities has decreased. The number of drivers decreased 54% from 2005 to 2009.

DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES BY INJURY SEVERITY A total of 13,564 motor vehicle occupants, age 15-20 years, were injured in a motor vehicle crash and 113 were killed. Males are more likely than females to be involved in injury or fatal crashes. 23

ALL TEEN MOTOR VEHICLE OCCUPANT INJURY: MALES, 2009 In 2009, just over 74,000 teens, ages 15 to 19, were involved in close to 56,000 motor vehicle crashes. Teens represented approximately 10% of all occupants involved in Georgia motor vehicle crashes.

ALL TEEN MOTOR VEHICLE OCCUPANT INJURY: FEMALES, 2009

The motor vehicle death rate for male teen drivers and passengers ages 15 to 19 was almost two times that of their female counterparts. In 2009, 46 male teen motor vehicle occupants were fatally injured (killed) in comparison to 27 female teen motor vehicle occupants. Although male teen drivers and passenger have higher death rates, female teen motor vehicle occupants have higher injury (serious, visible, and complaints) rates in comparison to their male counterparts; 17% and 14%, respectfully.

TEEN MOTOR VEHICLE OCCUPANTS FATALLY INJURED IN CRASHES BY SEATING POSITION (AGE 15 – 19 YEARS), 2009

More fatal injuries occur in the driver’s seat position in comparison to other seating positions in a motor vehicle. In 2009, 41 teen drivers were fatally injured— 24 male drivers and 17 female drivers. The widow front passenger seat is the next deadliest seating position—11 male passengers and 7 female passengers were killed in the window front seat. Of all motor vehicle related fatalities among teens, females represent 37% and males represent 63%.

TEEN MOTOR VEHICLE OCCUPANTS INJURED IN CRASHES BY SEATING POSITION (AGE 15 – 19 YEARS), 2009

More injuries occur among teens that are riding in the front seat of a motor vehicle than any other seating position. Over 7,000 drivers were injured in 2009—63% of those drivers had complaints of injuries, 33% had visible injuries, and 4% had serious injuries. More serious injuries occur in the middle rear seat in comparison to any other seating position, 7% of passengers riding in the middle rear seat suffered from serious injuries.

RISK FACTORS GEORGIA 2009 HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY1 • Male high school students (12.6%) were more likely than female students (6.9%) to rarely or never wear seat belts.

• 20.4% of all students surveyed rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol one or more times. • 7.0% of all students surveyed drove when drinking alcohol one or more times.

“There are proven methods to helping teens become safer drivers. Research suggests that the most comprehensive graduated drivers licensing (GDL) programs are associated with reductions of 38% and 40% in fatal and injury crashes, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nation Center for Injury respectively, among 16 year-old drivers.” Prevention and Control, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention 27 1. 2.

Chen L, Baker SP, Braver ER, Li G. Carrying passengers as a risk factor for crashes fatal to 16- and 17-year old drivers. JAMA 2000; 283 (12): 1578—82. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2007 [Online]. (2009).

TEEN DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES BY TIME OF DAY (AGE 15 – 19 YEARS)

Most teen crashes occur during the weekday after school hours between 3:00pm and 5:59pm. More crash incidences occur towards the end of the week on Fridays and Saturdays. The rate of crashes among teen drivers is 37% greater on Friday in comparison to other weekdays.

TEEN DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES BY COUNTY (AGE 15 – 19 YEARS)

THE COUNTIES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF TEEN DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES ARE GWINNETT, FULTON, COBB, DEKALB, CHATHAM, AND RICHMOND COUNTIES. 28

FIRST HARMFUL EVENT IN CRASHES THAT INVOLVE TEEN DRIVERS, 2009

THE MOST HARMFUL EVENT TO TEEN DRIVERS IS CRASHES WITH OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES. THE OTHER TOP RANKED HARMFUL EVENTS ARE COLLISIONS WITH FIXED OBJECTS (4,485 CRASHES) FOLLOWED BY DRIVING INTO DITCHES (1,222 CRASHES).

FIRST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN CRASHES THAT INVOLVE TEEN DRIVERS, 2009 The most frequent causes or contributing factors to teen drivers’ crashes are following too closely (12,541 teen drivers) and failure to yield (6,101 teen drivers). Other top contributing factors include driver lost control, changing lanes improperly, and driving too fast for conditions.

OLDER DRIVERS

OLDER PERSONS FACE A GREATER RISK OF INJURY AND/OR DEATH IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES THAN YOUNGER PERSONS DUE TO A GREATER SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PHYSICAL INJURY THAT IS OFTEN COMPLICATED BY PREVIOUS EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS. Persons over age 65 were more often seriously injured or killed in crashes than younger persons. Twice as many injured persons ages 65-74 were killed compared to persons under age 65. In 2009, approximately 2 percent of the injured persons ages 65-74 died. Nearly 90,000 older persons were involved in more than 72,000 motor vehicle crashes. The major identified contributor to motor vehicle crashes involving older drivers are following too closely (15%), failure to yield (11%), and changing lanes improperly (6%). The most harmful event in crashes involving older drivers are hitting another motor vehicle in motion (82%), collision with parked motor vehicles (6%), and collision with other fixed objects (5%).

INJURIES AND FATALITY RATE (FATALITIES PER 1,000 PERSONS INVOLVED IN A CRASH) BY AGE, 2009

The older population makes up 31% of all people involved in traffic accidents and 16% of all people fatally injured. In 2009 over 9,300 persons age 65 and older were injured in motor vehicle crashes. This is indicated by the red bars in the figure. Although older persons were among the least likely to be injured in a crash they were most likely, of any age group, to die when involved in a crash. Approximately 32 4.5 out of every 1,000 older persons involved in a motor

vehicle crash is fatally injured. This is indicated by the thin blue bars in the figure. Other adult age groups, like ages 21-34 and ages 35-54, have over 30,000 injuries each. However, approximately 2 out every 1,000 persons in those adult groups involved in crashes die.

PERCENT OF ROADWAY FATALITIES BY AGE GROUP AND YEAR, 2000-2009

When examining fatalities since 2000, older motor vehicle occupants are consistently ranked the third highest group in roadway fatalities. Individual ages 35-54 and ages 21-34 are ranked first and second respectively. As indicated by the red line in the accompanying figure, older motor vehicle occupants

have typically made up approximately 15% of all fatalities in motor vehicle accidents. In 2007, fatalities in this population decreased below that of 16-20 year olds, but then steadily increased to just over 15% of the total traffic crash deaths.

INJURY SEVERITY BY MOTOR VEHICLE SEATING POSITION AMONG OLDER DRIVERS, 2009

Of the reported injuries experienced by elderly vehicle occupants, the majority were complaints of injury rather than visible or serious injuries. When they were either driving or the passenger in a motor vehicle, less than 35% of the injuries were visible or worse. Older persons operating a motor vehicle are more likely to suffer from visible and serious injuries in comparison to other positions in the vehicle. Of the total amount of older drivers that were involved in motor vehicle crashes in 2009â&#x20AC;&#x201D;3% were killed, 4% had serious injuries, 27% had visible injuries, and 66% had complaints of injuries.

RESTRAINT USE AMONG OCCUPANTS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES BY AGE, 2009

Persons age 65 and older are more likely than any other age group, age 5 and above, to wear safety restraints or use safety equipment (motorcycle/bicycle equipment). Over 60% of motor vehicle occupants involved in fatal crashes (crashes with at least one fatality) ages 65 and older were restrained or used safety equipment during the time of the crashâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in comparison to 54% of all motor vehicle occupants involved in fatal crashes of all ages. Only 17% of motor vehicle occupants age 65 years and older that were involved in fatal crashes were not

wearing a seat belt or other safety equipment. Children under the age of 5 years had the highest percentage of restraint use among any other age group that was involved in fatal crashes.

INJURY BY RESTRAINT USE AMONG OCCUPANTS AGED 65+ YEARS, 2009

This figure shows the percent of safety equipment use of motor vehicle occupants age 65 and older by their injury severity.

In 2009, 231 persons age of 65 and older were killed in motor vehicle crashesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this is less than 20% of all roadway fatalities. Of those older motor vehicle occupants that were killed, 45% were unrestrained and 40% were restrained. Older motor vehicle occupants that experienced no injury had the lowest number of unrestraint use (5% were unrestrained), in comparison to those injured or killed.

LICENSED DRIVERS

The number of driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s licenses provide a critical measure of driver exposure. Similar to vehicle miles traveled, the number of licensed drivers shows the relative risk and exposure of certain groups and subpopulations. This data is important to highway safety researchers and government agencies, like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS), and Department of Drivers Services (DDS), in assessing crash risk and tracking changes in crash rates over time. The rate of crashes per licensed driver is also an important measure for evaluating various countermeasures.

GEORGIA LICENSED DRIVERS, 2000-2009

The level of roadway exposure among Georgians has increased over time. The number of licensed drivers has steadily increased since 2003. From 2000 to 2009 the number of Georgia drivers has increased by nearly 14%â&#x20AC;&#x201D;which is over 760,000 additional drivers. Although the number of licensed driver increased, the collective number of vehicle miles traveled has fluctuated. In 2003, there were 5.5 million licensed drivers and 104 billion vehicle miles traveled in comparison to 2009 when there were 6.3 million drivers and 109 billion vehicle miles traveled.

DRIVERS INVOLVED IN CRASHES AND CRASH RATES PER 100 LICENSED DRIVERS, 2009

Out of all age groups, 16-19 year old drivers have an especially high risk of crash involvement. Per licensed driver, their crash rate is more than twice the rate for drivers in the age groups over 30 years old. In the state of Georgia in 2009, 16-19 year old drivers were involved in 113 fatal crashes that killed 118 people and 13,564 injury crashes that injured over 22,080 people. The crash rate for persons ages 1619 was 17.2 crashes for every 100 licensed drivers in comparison to 30-34 year olds that experienced 9.0 crashes for every 100 licensed drivers.

GRADUATED DRIVER LICENSING GRADUATED DRIVER LICENSING (GDL) IS AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR APPROACH TO MANAGING THE SERIOUS PROBLEM OF HIGH RATES OF FATAL AND NONFATAL CRASHES AMONG BEGINNING DRIVERS. “GDL allows beginning drivers to build experience incrementally before they are exposed to more hazardous driving situations. It achieves this by increasing licensing age, requiring more supervision in the initial phases of driving, and reducing exposure to high-risk situations such as carrying teen passengers and nighttime driving. The first phase of GDL is a learner’s period with supervised training. This is followed by an intermediate period where unsupervised driving is limited to less hazardous situations and a final stage without restrictions.”

~Baker, S.P., Chen, L., & Li, G. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (2006). National evaluation of graduated driver licensing programs (DOT HS 810 614). Retrieved from http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/NewDriver/GDLReport/ images/GDLReport.pdf

LICENSED DRIVERS AND CUMULATIVE PERCENT, 2009

As illustrated in the figure, most licensed drivers are between the ages of 35-49. This age group accounts for 20% of the total licensed driver population. From age 16, the minimum age to get a driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license, the number of licensed drivers within each age group increases until age 49. After age 50, the number of licensed drivers sharply decreases and continues to decline as the population ages. 42

The cumulative percent (red line) shows that 20% of all drivers are under the age of 30, 50% are under the age of 45, 80% are under the age of 60, and 95% are under the age of 75.

LICENSED DRIVERS BY AGE GROUP AND GENDER, 2009

The number of male versus female drivers in Georgia was approximately the same across all age groups in 2009. This distribution is also applicable to individual ages between 16 and 24 years as depicted in the sub-figure.

MOTORCYCLE SAFELY

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY Motorcycle safety is a growing concern in Georgia. Motorcyclists have a higher chance of being in a fatal crash than other types of drivers. Almost seven out of ten motorcyclists were either injured or killed in crashes in 2009 compared to one out of six for passenger cars. Motorcyclists are more than four times likely to be injured in crashes in comparison to passengers riding in a car. Risk factors that lead to injuries and/or fatality crashes are drinking alcohol, driving without a helmet, speeding, or driving recklessly. Classes such as driver education and advanced driving skills are required for motorcyclists to ensure safety. Georgia offers campaigns and programs that are focused on motorcycle safety. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Share the Roadâ&#x20AC;? campaign encourages motorists to share the road. Operation B.E.A.S.T. (Biker Education Awareness Safety Team) performs motorcycle checkpoints throughout Georgia highways. Georgia also supports Motorcycle Awareness Month in May. 45

MOTORCYCLIST FATALITIES AND PERCENT OF ALL FATALITIES BY YEAR Over the years, the number of fatalities among motorcyclists has more than doubled from 1994 with 55 motorcyclist fatalities to 140 motorcyclist fatalities in 2009. Not only is the number of deaths increasing, but the percentage of all road fatalities is also growing at an alarming rate. In 2000 motorcyclists represented only 4% of all fatalities, in comparison to 2009 where they represent 10.9% of all fatalities.

MOTORCYCLIST FATALITIES BY AGE The driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age could be a possible reason in fatal motorcycle crashes. In 2009, motorcyclists ages 20-29 years were more likely to die in a crash than any other group, followed by motorcyclists ages 40-49 years.

HELMET USE AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

“Motorcycle operators not wearing helmets or who were improperly licensed or speeding at the time of a fatal crash were more likely to be alcohol-positive than other operators”

THREE-FOURTHS OF OPERATORS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 3 A.M. WERE ALCOHOL-POSITIVE 47

MOTORCYCLE FATALITIES AND REGISTERED MOTORCYCLES

The number of motorcyclist fatalities and crashes is directly related to the number of motorcycles that are driving on the roadway. The number of fatalities increased as the number of registered motorcycles increased. From 1998 to 2009 the number of fatalities increased by 112% and the number of registered motorcycles increased by 116%. The number of fatalities also decreased as the number of registered motorcycles decreased. In 2009 there were 140 48 deaths and more than 187,000 registered motorcycles.

Between 2008 and 2009 the numbers of motorcycle fatalities and registrations decreased by 37 deaths and more than 3,400 motorcycles. The motorcyclist fatality rate in 2009 was 7.48 fatalities for every 100 registered motorcycles. The fatality rate has steadily decreased since 2006 when it peaked at 10.83 fatalities for every 100 registered motorcycles. 48

MOTORCYCLIST FATALITIES BY COUNTY 2005-2009 AND MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS ADVERTISEMENTS

MOTORCYCLE CRASHES AND REGISTRATION BY COUNTY

This map displays actual counts of fatalities in Georgia counties from 2005-2009 and safety awareness advertisements that alert driver of passenger cars to be aware of surrounding motorcyclists. Advertisements are placed in counties and areas with high motorcycle crashes with the highest injury severity. Almost one in every three fatal motorcycle crashes occurs in rural counties. Fulton County has the highest motorcycle fatalities, which is in red. Cobb, Gwinnett, and Hall counties have the second highest crash rate, which are in orange. The hashtags represents advertisement placement.

In 2009, Georgia reported 3,799 motorcycle crashes. Out of all Georgia counties, Fulton ranked the highest with 335 motorcycle crashes. In Cobb County, 12,314 motorcycles were registered, the highest number of registration among counties. Richmond County had 4.42 crashes rate per 100 registered motorcycles, which is the highest rate among all Georgia counties. 49

MOTORCYCLE FATALITIES AND HELMET USE Of the 140 motorcyclist fatalities, 126 (90%) wore helmets and 11 (8%) motorcyclist did not wear a helmet. The number of un-helmeted fatalities showed a steady decrease since 2007. In 2007, 12% of the 162 fatalities were unhelmeted.

LIVES SAVED BY HELMET USE According to the 2010 Observational Survey of Safety Restraint Use in Georgia conducted by the University of Georgia, the observed motorcycle helmet usage in 2010 in Georgia was 99.0%. There was an estimate of 76 lives saved from helmet use. An additional 4 lives could have been saved if helmet usage was 100%. 50

HELMET USE IN GEORGIA SAVED AN ESTIMATE OF $158 MILLION IN COSTS IN 2008.

IF THERE WERE 100% HELMET USAGE AMONG GEORGIA MOTORCYCLISTS, AN ADDITIONAL $8.7 MILLION WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED. 51

PEDESTRIANS

Any person on foot, walking, jogging, sitting, or lying down who is involved in a motor vehicle crash is considered a pedestrian. In 2009, there were 4,092 pedestrian fatalities in the United States, a 7 percent decrease from the 4,414 fatalities in 2008 (NHTSA, 2009). The majority of pedestrians killed were in urban areas (72%), on non-intersection roadways (76%), on days with normal weather (89%), and during the nighttime (69%). Pedestrian-related crashes occurred mostly between the hours of 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. and most often on weekends as oppose to weekdays. Of the age groups, pedestrians between the ages of 45-49 were more likely to die than any other age groups. In 2009, males were twice as likely to die in a pedestrian-related crash than females. That same year, the pedestrian fatality rate of males (1.82 per 100,000) was doubled that of females (0.82 per 100,000). There are many factors that contribute to the lack of pedestrian friendly crosswalks, which increases the chance of pedestrian related crashes. For example, some crosswalks may not be striped or the pavement within the crosswalk may be unleveled. These factors present a challenge for all pedestrians, especially older adults and those who use a wheelchair, walk with a cane, or have

a physical disability. Crosswalks signals limit the time for pedestrians to cross the street, especially on four-lane highways. Numerous areas with low to moderate traffic also lack sidewalks for pedestrians to use resulting in walking along the side of dangerous highways. An additional challenge is the poor infrastructure that is more traffic friendly instead of pedestrian friendly. Several researchers are working on ways to improve pedestrian safety at areas that lack pedestrian friendly design features such as visible crosswalks, sidewalks, and crosswalk signals. In Georgia, 11.7 percent of pedestrians died in motor vehicle crashes in 2009; this percentage is almost the same as the national percentage (12%) of pedestrian fatalities. From 2004-2008, 42 percent of pedestrian fatalities were located in Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, and Bibb Counties. In Georgia, males are most likely to sustain injuries and fatalities when involved in pedestrian crashes. Older adults are more likely to suffer severe injuries and fatalities compared to other age groups in Georgia; 14 percent of older adults involved in a pedestrian crash died. 54

INJURIES AND FATALITIES FOR PEDESTRIANS INVOLVED IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES BY YEAR In 2009, 150 pedestrians died in traffic crashes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a 3% decrease from the number reported in 2003.

NON-OCCUPANT MOTOR VEHICLE FATALITIES BY YEAR

On average, pedestrians make up more fatalities than bicyclists, other cyclist, and other/unknown non-occupants. Not using a motor vehicle is supposed to be a more economically friendly mode of transportation; however, the increase of motor vehicle traffic on roadways, lack of sidewalks, crosswalks, and crosswalk signals, as well as driver distractions could be the reason for pedestrian fatalities

PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES AND PERCENT OF ALL ROADWAY FATALITIES BY YEAR

9 19

95 19

9 19

97 19

9 19

0 00

01 02 003 04 0 0 0 2 2 2 2

0 20

IN 2009, PEDESTRIAN DEATHS ACCOUNTED FOR 12% OF ALL TRAFFIC FATALITIES. SINCE 2000, THE NUMBER OF PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES HAS DECREASED BY 14%.

PEDESTRIANS INVOLVED IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES BY INJURY LEVEL AND YEAR (2009)

PEDESTRIAN INJURIES OCCURRED FOR ALL AGE GROUPS; HOWEVER, A PERSON AGE 16-20 YEARS WAS MOST LIKELY TO BE KILLED IN PEDESTRIAN-RELATED CRASHES.

PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES BY GENDER AND INJURY SEVERITY (2009) In 2009, approximately two-thirds of pedestrians involved in a pedestrianrelated crash were male.

PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES BY TIME OF DAY (2009) Thirty percent of pedestrian fatalities occurred in crashes between 4 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7:59 p.m. Most pedestrian fatalities occurred on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. In the United States, a pedestrian is killed every two hours (ACEP, 2011). 58

TOTAL PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES BY COUNTY (2005-2009) AND PEDESTRIAN FATALITY RATE PER 10,000 POPULATION (2009) In 2009, Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, and Gwinnett had the highest number of fatalities. Seventy-two percent of fatalities occurred in urban and 28% in rural areas (NHTSA, 2009). These counties have more roadways with more traffic and less pedestrian friendly features.

BASED ON THE PEDESTRIAN FATALITY RATE, COUNTIES IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF ATLANTA DISPLAY A HIGHER FATALITY RATE. 59

OCCUPANT PROTECTION

OCCUPANT PROTECTION Occupant protection is a safety feature used to protect passengers of a motor vehicle during a crash. Various types of occupant protection include seat belts, child restraints, and air bags. Seat belts are the oldest form of occupant protection (GHSA, 2011). If worn properly, researchers discovered this would decrease the risk of injuries and fatalities. In the U.S. seat belt use increased for occupants less than 70 years of age. According to the 2008 National Occupant Protection Use Survey, 83 percent of whites were more likely to wear their seat belts compared to 75 percent of blacks; 86 percent of females and 81 percent of males wore seat belts. Drivers with one or more passengers were more likely to buckle up than if they were driving with no passengers. In 2008, over 25,000 occupant passengers in

vehicles were killed in a crash. Of those passengers, 10,642 used restraint; 12,865 did not use a restraint; and 1,844 restraint usages were unknown. Nationally, from 1975-2008, an estimated 8, 959 lives were saved by the use of a child restraint, whether using child safety seat or adult seat belt.

According to a Click-it-or-Ticket Safety Belt evaluation in Georgia, during an observational study, females (98.4%) wore seat belts more often than males (92.7%). Non-whites were observed to wear seat belts less often than whites. Cars and vans were observed to have passengers restrained in seat belts more than trucks. During the telephone surveys, 92.1 percent of passengers wore their shoulder belt all the time. The state law of Georgia requires passengers to be restrained by a federally approved seat belt while operating a motor vehicle. The majority of Georgians (99.6%) were aware the state law requires seat belt use.

OBSERVED SEATBELT USAGE RATE BY YEAR

Survey research Center/Office of Research Services at the University of Georgia 8

9 19

0 00

01 02 003 004 005 006 0 2 20 2 2 2 2

0 20

10 20

In 2010, approximately 90 out of every 100 motor vehicle front seat passengers were wearing seat belts. In the same year, there was the highest child safety seat usage rate in recorded history for Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;where 95 out of every 100 children were properly restrained.

In 2009, the usage rates were approximately the same for adult seat belts and children safety seats. In 2009, seatbelts saved 11 lives for children 4 years and younger; 476 lives saved for children between 5-12 years; and 94 lives saved for persons over the age of 12 years.

UNRESTRAINED PASSENGER VEHICLE OCCUPANT (AGE 5 AND OLDER) FATALITIES

In 2009, the number of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities for persons older than 5 years of age decreased by 4% from 2008. Nearly 49% (450) of occupant fatalities were unrestrained in 2009. 94 995 996 997 998 999 00 001 002 03 04 05 06 007 08 09 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

PASSENGER VEHICLE OCCUPANT (AGE 5 AND OLDER) FATALITIES BY RESTRAINT USE (2009) In 2009, 454 passengers who were unrestrained and aged 5 years and older died in a motor vehicle crash. Over 350 passengers were properly restrained that same year.

According to a survey conducted by the Survey Research Center, 41.2% of occupants felt seat belts were more helpful than harmful.

PASSENGER VEHICLE OCCUPANTS (ALL AGES) BY RESTRAINT USE AND INJURY SEVERITY (2009)

Unrestrained occupants have a higher risk of being involved in a fatal crash than restrained occupants. Over two-thirds of restrained occupants suffered no injuries during a crash. 65

PERCENT OF UNRESTRAINED PASSENGERS BY INJURY SEVERITY AND VEHICLE TYPE, 2009

IN 2009, APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF UNRESTRAINED PASSENGERS KILLED WERE IN A PICKUP TRUCK. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, GEORGIA FINALLY PASSED A STATE LAW REQUIRING DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS OF PICKUP TRUCKS TO WEAR SEAT BELTS IN 2010.

COUNT OF FATALLY INJURED UNRESTRAINED PASSENGER VEHICLE OCCUPANTS (AGE 5 AND OLDER) AND PERCENT OF UNRESTRAINED FATALITIES, 2009

In 2009, Georgia counties such as Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, and Gwinnett had the highest counts of unrestrained fatalities of occupants in a vehicle age 5 years and older. However, counties highlighted in red had the highest percentages of unrestrained fatalities.

FATALLY INJURED PASSENGER VEHICLE OCCUPANTS (AGE 5 AND OLDER) BY RESTRAINT USE AND REGION, 2009

Approximately 45% of all roadway fatalities occurred in rural areas and 23% occurred in the metropolitan counties. Overall, Georgia has an unrestrained fatality rate of 47 percent. The unrestrained fatality rate in rural areas is 48 percent and 45 percent in metropolitan areas. 67

SPEEDING

Each year millions of speed-related crashes are reported. In Georgia, approximately two out of every ten fatal crashes are due to a driver speeding. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a crash is considered speed-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash. These conditions could be weather or non-weather related. Speeding is normally accompanied by factors such as personal behavior, vehicle performance, public attitude, speed zones, and characteristic features of roadways. Compared to vehicles traveling slower, high speeding vehicles take longer to stop or slow down and will travel longer distances while a driver is reacting. In 2009, the average cost of motor vehicle related crashes was $1.3 million dollars. As a preemptive strike to alleviate the burden of costs related to injuries/ fatalities crashes there have been many tools and strategies developed to decrease the chances of speedrelated crashes from occurring. Such tools are speed detectors, speed bumps, speed zones, and higher fines.

SPEED CITATIONS BY YEAR, 2004-2009

This figure shows the number of citations issued during a 6-year period. In 2009, 419,000 citations were issued for speeding. This was a slight increase from 2008 despite the steady decrease of speed citations between the years 2006 and 2008.

SPEEDING CITATIONS FROM CRASHES BY GENDER AND AGE GROUP, 2009 In 2009, individuals between the ages of 21-34 years were more likely to be issued speeding citations from crashes. Across all age groups, males were more likely to be involved in speed related incidences and to be issued citations than females.

SPEED RELATED FATALITIES BY YEAR, 2000-2009

In 2009, Georgia reported 238 speed-related fatalitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;19% of all fatal crashes; this represents the lowest fatality rate and percentage since 2005. The number of speed related fatalities decreased by 71 bodies from 2008. On a survey conducted by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 50% of individuals felt their safety was seriously threatened by drivers who speed.

Impaired driving and unrestrained passengers are additional risk factors that increase not only opportunities for crashes, but also the likelihood of fatal injuries. Drivers who do not speed are more likely to use their safety belt. This is particularly true for young drivers. Drivers aged 21 and older (75%) who were not speeding were more likely to wear seat belts during the time of a fatal crash than speeding drivers (46%). 71

2009 SPEED RELATED FATALITIES BY ROAD TYPE AND SPEED LIMIT, 2009

Overall, non-interstate roadways had more fatalities at a speed of 55 mph than any other speed limit. Interstates had more fatalities that involved motorists driving at a speed greater than 55 mph compared to motorists driving at a speed less than 55 mph. Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s average speed limit is 65-70 mph on major roadways.

TOTAL SPEED RELATED FATALITIES BY COUNTY, 2005-2009 This map illustrates the total speed-related fatalities in Georgia counties. Counties with the highest speed-related fatalities are Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, and Cobb.

ALCOHOL

ALCOHOL Alcohol use has been a constant concern in the U.S. A driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher is considered being alcoholimpaired. Fatal crashes are considered alcohol-impaired related crashes if a driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BAC level are .08 g/dL or higher. It is considered illegal to have a BAC level of 0.08 g/dL or higher in the U.S. Increasing numbers of crashrelated injuries and fatalities has led to the development and continuation of organizations like Student Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Both organizations work to stop drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and prevent other risky behaviors that can lead to bad decisions and consequences. In 2009, the national total of fatalities related to alcohol was 10,839, a 22% decrease from 13,846 in 2008. The National Roadside

Survey (NRS) revealed, since 1973, the percentage of weekend nighttime drivers with a BAC level greater than 0.08 g/dL has declined 71%. Male drivers (2.6%) were more likely to have a BAC greater than 0.08 g/dL than female drivers (1.5%). Drivers with illegal BAC were most likely drive late at night than during the daytime or early nighttime. Motorcycle drivers had a higher percentage than any other drivers who are under the influence of alcohol. The study concluded more alcohol/drug tests occurred at night than during the day. In 2009, 14% of children aged 14 years and younger were killed in an alcohol-impaired driving crash. Half of these children were occupants of a vehicle where the driver was under the influence of alcohol. Another 15% of children were pedestrians or pedal cyclists struck by an alcohol-impaired driver.

In 2009, Georgia had a total of 1,284 fatalities, 331 of which were alcoholimpaired fatalities. Alcohol-impaired fatalities decreased 7% from 416 in 2008 to 331 in 2009. In 2008, Georgia ranked 6th for the highest number of alcohol-related deaths in the nation; Texas ranked number one. Of the 331 killed in an alcohol related crash, 85% of the BAC level was 0.08 or more. Strategies are being enforced to crack down on alcohol-impaired crashes such as maximizing the legal drinking age; sobriety checkpoints; laws with a low BAC illegal limit; mass media pairing with organizations to address the danger of driving while under the influence; ignition interlock; and interventions. Similarly, several successful campaigns are enforced to decrease crashes and crash-related injuries and fatalities such as Clickit-or-Ticket, Super Speeder Law, and Zero Tolerance. 75

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

ALCOHOL IMPAIRED FATALITIES AND PERCENT OF ALCOHOL IMPAIRED FATALITIES

Over the fifteen years span, the percentage of alcohol-impaired fatalities has shifted. In 2009, alcohol-impaired fatalities decreased 7% to 331 from 416 in 2008. In 2003, the lowest percentage of alcohol-impaired fatalities was 355 deaths representing 22% of all fatalities. The highest percentage of alcohol-impaired fatalities occurred in 2006 with 454 deaths representing 27% of all fatalities. Georgia ranked 6th with alcohol-impaired motor vehicle fatalities in 2008. A driver is considered impaired with a BAC of 0.08 or more.

TOP SEVEN COUNTIES WITH THE HIGHEST FATALITIES IN CRASHES INVOLVING AN ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVER (BAC=.08+)

Fulton County had 5 consecutive years of ranking the highest for fatalities in crashes among alcohol-impaired drivers. In 2009, Fulton County had 28 fatality crashes that involved an alcohol-impaired driver. DeKalb County ranks second with 20 fatalities in 2009. Campaigns like Click-it-or-Ticket, Operation Zero-tolerance, and Super Speeder Law are enforced in Georgia to decrease the number of crash and crash-related injuries and fatalities.

ALCOHOL TEST RESULTS OF DRIVERS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES

Georgia has an alcohol reporting rate of 40% -- 40% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes were tested for alcohol consumption with recorded BAC. Alcohol reporting rates have increased steadily from 2005 with 34% reporting rates to 40% in 2009. In Georgia, 1,741 drivers were involved in fatal crashes, and 695 drivers were tested. The highest alcohol testing occurred among the fatally injured (59%), followed by injured drivers (26%), and 21% among all surviving drivers.

Among the 863 surviving drivers (injured and not injured) 22 drivers had previous recorded Driving Under the Influence (DUI) convictions. Eight of the 22 persons with previous recorded DUI convictions had BAC greater than or equal to 0.08. Thirteen out of 22 persons with previous recorded DUI convictions were not tested for alcohol consumption at the fatal crash scene. The top violation charged to a person involved in fatal crashes is manslaughter/homicide (69 drivers), DUI (19), and failure to yield (16).

DRIVERS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES WITH POSITIVE ALCOHOL TEST RESULTS (%BAC) BY INJURY LEVEL

DRIVERS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES WITH POSITIVE ALCOHOL TEST RESULTS BY RESTRAINT USE

The majority of the drivers with positive alcohol test results died in crashes (74%, 512 drivers). Other alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes either suffered from injury (18%, 127 drivers) or remained uninjured (8%, 55 drivers). Drivers that had higher concentrations of alcohol detected in their blood, have a greater chance of fatal injuries in comparison to those with lower blood alcohol concentrations. Of those drivers with high BAC levels 76% (159 drivers) were killed and only 6% (13 drivers) survived with no injury.

Drivers with a positive BAC are less likely to wear seatbelts or other restraint equipment when operating a vehicle. The higher the blood alcohol concentration, the less likely the driver is to use restraint mechanisms. Fiftyone percent of drivers with BAC between 0.01 and 0.08 were wearing seatbelts during a fatal crash but only 13% of drivers with BAC between 0.26 and 0.47 were properly 79 restrained during a fatal crash.

DRIVERS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES WITH POSITIVE ALCOHOL TEST RESULT BY GENDER

Male drivers were more likely to test positive for alcohol than females. Male drivers were also more likely to have a higher BAC percentage than female drivers.

DRIVERS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES WITH POSITIVE ALCOHOL TEST RESULTS BY AGE GROUP

Drivers between the ages of 21-34 years had the highest number of tests that signified the presence of alcohol. Furthermore, this age group also had the highest BAC level range of 0.26-0.47 g/dL. During a survey conducted in Georgia, over half of the participants believed the BAC limit for persons under the age of 21 years was 0 g/dL. Similarly, participants believed the BAC level for 21 years and older was between .01-.07 g/ dL4.

DRIVERS WITH POSITIVE ALCOHOL TEST RESULTS BY TIME OF DAY

9 p.m. to Midnight Midnight to 3 a.m.

Number of Drivers

Thirty percent of drivers with a high BAC level tested positive between the hours of 6-9 p.m. The the majority of alcohol incidences occurred during the evening or night time. 81

VEHICLE TYPE

VEHICLE TYPE Modes of transportation fall under a variety of vehicle types. The different types of vehicles are passenger cars (two-door or four-door), light trucks (pickup trucks and SUVs), large trucks (semi-trucks), and motorcycles (including scooters and minibikes). In the United States, over 34,000 crash fatalities occurred in 2009. Of the vehicle types, passenger cars had the highest amount of fatal crashes at 13,095 fatal crashes, followed by 4,462 fatal crashes among motorcycles, 10,287 among light trucks, and 503 among large trucks.

In Georgia, close to 1,800 fatal crashes occurred in 2009. Of the vehicles involved in fatal crashes, over 40 percent was light trucks. Passenger cars are the most popular vehicle type, followed by pickup trucks, and SUVs. Thirty-eight percent of passenger cars were involved in fatal crashes. Additionally, 32 percent of pickup trucks and SUVs; 10 percent of motorcycles; and 2 percent of large trucks had occupants to die in a crash. In 2009, Georgia passed a seat belt law requiring pickup truck drivers to wear seat belts at all times. Gradually, advancements have occurred over the years for vehicles. These advancements include side airbags, passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes, and decreasing rollovers in SUVs. Advancements in vehicles have helped to improve the quality of vehicles and 83 the safety of passengers.

FATAL CRASHES BY VEHICLE TYPE (2000-2009)

In 2009, Georgia had a total of 1,750 fatal crashes by specific vehicle type, a 16 percent decrease from 2,072 in 2008. Of the vehicle types, light trucks had the most fatal crashes; buses had the least. Prior to 2009, passengers in light trucks were not required to wear seatbelts. Since the passing of the law in 2009, there has been a significant decline in fatalities among light trucks.

PERCENT OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES BY VEHICLES TYPE

During 2008-2009, light trucks had a higher percentage of fatal crashes than any other vehicle type in Georgia. During the 10-year average, passenger cars had the highest percent of fatal crashes.

VEHICLES INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES BY VEHICLES TYPE, 2009

In 2009, light trucks (including utility vehicles, vans, and pickup trucks) had the highest number of fatal crashes compared to other vehicle types. Eight percent of fatal crashes occurred among motorcycles. Large trucks (7.6%) had the least amount of fatal crashes. 85

NUMBER OF FATALITIES AND PERCENT OF UNRESTRAINED FATALITIES BY VEHICLES TYPE AND MOST HARMFUL EVENT, 2009

Most harmful events occurred when a motor vehicle was in motion. Fatalities occurred among passenger vehicles the most. However, over half of pickup truck occupants were unrestrained. Pickup trucks (84%) followed by utility passenger vehicle (74%) occupants were not restrained during a 86

crash that involved an overturn vehicle. For motorcycles, scooters, and mini bikes occupants were unhelmeted as oppose to unrestrained.

PERCENT OF UNRESTRAINED FATALITIES, FATALITY RATE (PER 1,000 CRASHES), AND INJURY RATE (PER 100 CRASHES) BY VEHICLES TYPE, 2009

Due to no protective covering, motorcycles, scooters, and mini bikes suffer more injuries (74.4) and fatalities (35.5) than any other vehicle type. Sixty-percent of pickup truck occupants did not wear a restraint, which resulted in fatalities and injuries. Utility passenger vehicles accounted for 52 percent of all unrestrained fatalities. This could have been a result of rollover and/or speed-related. 87

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1997

OBSERVED SEATBELT USE BY VEHICLE TYPE

Over the 14 year span, the overall seatbelt use has increased gradually. This could be the result of safety campaigns and laws passed to decrease the chances of crash-related injuries and fatalities. Seatbelt use in pickup trucks increased 16 percent in 2009. This increase resulted from the passing of Georgia law requiring pickup truck drivers to wear seatbelts. Of all the vehicle types, 91 percent of cars were observed to wear seat belts.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Aggressive Driving Enforcement: Evaluation of Two Demonstration Programs. (2004, March). Retrieved from http://www. nhtsa.gov/ Click-it-or-Ticket Safety Belt Evaluation. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.gahighwaysafety.org/ Compton, R., & Berning, A. (2009). Traffic Safety Facts: Results of the 2007 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers. Retrieved from http://www.nhtsa.gov/ Database: Department of Drivers’ Services. Web. Database: Georgia Crash Reporting System. Web. Database: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (2009). Web. Davis, G. A., Davuluri, S., & Pei, J. (n.d.). Speed as a risk factor in serious run-off-road crashes: Bayesian case-control analysis with case speed uncertainty. Journal of Transportation and Statistics, 9(1), Retrieved from http://www. bts.gov/publications/journal_of_transportation_and_statistics/volume_09_number_01/html/paper_02/index.html Drunk driving statistic . (2008). Retrieved from http://www.alcoholalert.com GHSA Issues: Occupant Protection. (2011). Georgia Highway Safety Association. Retrieved from http://www.ghsa.org Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Drinking and Driving Survey. (2011). University of Georgia’s Survey Research Center. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. (2011). Safety. Retrieved from http://www.iihs.org/research/fatality_facts_2009/ statebystate.html National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.nhtsa.gov (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.aaafoundation.org (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.gahighwaysafety.org/statistics/speed.html

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.georgiacriminaldefense.com/georgiabloodalcoholcontent.html

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.georgiacriminaldefense.com Pedestrians. (2008). Georgia Office of Highway Safety. Retrieved from http://www.gahighwaysafety.org/statistics/ pedestrians.html Pedestrian Safety. (2011). American College of Emergency Physicians. Retrieved from http://www.acep.org (2010). Status report. 45(12), Retrieved from http://www.iihs.org (2003). Status Report, Special issue: Speeding. 38(10), Retrieved from http://www.highwaysafety.org (2010). Status Report, Special Issue: Phoning while driving. 45(2), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Traffic Safety Facts: 2009 Data. (2009). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Retrieved from http:// www.nhtsa.gov Traffic Safety Facts: Occupant Protection. (2008). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Retrieved from http:// www.nhtsa.gov Traffic Safety Facts: Seat Belt Use in 2008-Demographic Result. (2008). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Retrieved from http://www.nhtsa.gov Traffic Safety Facts: Research Note. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Highlights of 2009 Motor Vehicle Crashes.â&#x20AC;? (2010). Retrieved from http://www.nhtsa. gov Traffic Safety Facts: Alcohol-Impaired Driving. (2009). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Retrieved from http://www.nhtsa.gov Voas, R.B, McKnight, A.S., Thom, D.R., Smith, T.A., Hurt, Jr., H.H., Waller, P.F., Zellner, J.W. (2007). Methodology for Determining Motorcycle Operator Crash Risk and Alcohol Impairment. Volume 1: Synthesis report on alternative approaches with priorities for research.

RA GROUP Analysis and Compilation of Data

Research Analysis Group

GRAY EDITING Content Editing

JSTREET BRANDING Design Layout and Graphics

Research Analysis Group