Abstract: There were 1,065 fatal traffic accidents on California freeways in 1989. These resulted in the deaths of 1,179 people. This was an increase of 45 fatal accidents and 53 fatalities from 1988. Freeway travel during the same time increased 5% to over 105 billion vehicle miles. The 1989 fatality rate of 1.12 people killed per 100 million vheicle miles (MVM) of travel was unchanged from 1988. The fatal accident rate of 1.01 per MVM was 1% lower, however. Six accident types in 1989 increased numerically and three decreased. The major accident type increases were ran-off-road did-not-hit-fixed-object (33%), rear-end (5%), and hit-fixed-object (5%) accidents. The major reductions were cross-median (35%) and wrong-way (20%) accidents. Travel on freeways increased 61% in the last 10 years, while the fatal accident and fatality rates declined 18% and 20%, respectively. The only accident rate increases since 1980 included sideswipe (45%) and construction zone (283%) accidents, both involving very small numbers. The seven other accident type rates decreased from 0% to 65%. The number of fixed-object accidents increased 21%, while the fixed-object accident rate decreased 25%. Over 10 years, accident rates increased for three objects: curbs and dikes (35%), other objects (8%), and trees and plants (7%). Accident rate reductions for the other four objects varied from 26% to 73%.
Publication Year: 1992
Publication Date: 1992-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
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