According to a recently released report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic fatalities in the first half of 2012 increased by the largest percentage since 1975, the first year the NHTSA started collecting such data. An estimated 16,290 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the first half of the 2012. This represents a 9% increase, compared to the estimated 14,950 fatalities during the first half of last year.
The estimated increase in motor vehicle fatalities must serve as the impetus for the House and Senate to support the nation’s priority highway safety grant program when it considers legislation to continue funding the federal government known as a Continuing Resolution (CR). The new surface transportation legislation, MAP-21, enacted in June 2012, consolidated numerous safety grant programs into one new program known as Section 405. The new Section 405 provides resources for drunk and distracted driving prevention, increased occupant protection, and motorcycle safety.
Under the typical rules for a CR, new programs cannot be funded. As a result, all but $25 million of Section 405 cannot be appropriated. Unless the CR takes into account the revised priority highway safety grant program structure authorized under MAP-21, as much as $120 million in essential traffic safety grant funds could be denied to the states for six months.
These fatality figures are a timely call to action for states to implement new highway safety programs. States must enact laws and implement programs to address such issues as occupant protection for adults and children, teen graduated driver license programs, and alcohol-impaired driving. Passing these laws and executing these programs will protect families on America’s roadways and will help reverse this disturbing trend.
