Crash Deaths in the US: Where We Stand

Even when considering population size, miles traveled, and number of registered vehicles, the US consistently ranked poorly relative to other high-income countries for crash deaths. Some of the best performing countries:

  • Have policies in line with best practices, including those that address:
  • Primary enforcement of seat belt laws that cover everyone in every seat.
  • Requirements for car seats and booster seats for child passengers through at least age 8.
  • Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels.
    • US, Canada and the United Kingdom define drunk driving as BAC levels at 0.08% or above; all other comparison countries use lower BAC levels (0.02-0.05%).
  • Use advanced engineering and technology, such as:
    • Ignition interlocks for all people convicted of drunk driving.
  • Automated enforcement, for example, speed and red light cameras.
  • Improvements in vehicle safety and transportation infrastructure.

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