TRANSPORTATION FATALITIES FALL IN 2008; NTSB CHAIRMAN VOWS TO 'PRESS HARD' TO CONTINUE TREND

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

Title: TRANSPORTATION FATALITIES FALL IN 2008; NTSB CHAIRMAN VOWS TO ‘PRESS HARD’ TO CONTINUE TREND

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                      NTSB PRESS RELEASE

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 29, 2009

SB-09-55

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TRANSPORTATION FATALITIES FALL IN 2008; NTSB CHAIRMAN VOWS

TO ‘PRESS HARD’ TO CONTINUE TREND

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Washington, DC - Transportation fatalities in the United

States decreased by almost 10 percent in 2008 from 2007,

according to preliminary figures released today by the

National Transportation Safety Board. This marks the third

consecutive year of decreasing transportation fatalities.

“While the statistics reveal an encouraging trend line,

there is still much work to be done to ensure that fewer

families each year will face losing a loved one in a

transportation accident,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P.

Hersman. “We at the NTSB will continue to press hard

advocating improvements in all modes of transportation to

keep this trend moving in the right direction, because every

transportation fatality is an unnecessary tragedy.”

The data indicate that total transportation fatalities in

all modes fell by almost four thousand, from 43,384 in 2007

to 39,397 in 2008. Along with a significant reduction in

highway fatalities, rail and pipeline deaths also decreased

but fatalities in the aviation and marine modes ticked up

slightly.

Highway fatalities, which account for over 94% of all

transportation deaths, fell by 3,998 (from 41,259 to

37,261). Motorcycle fatalities, however, continued to climb

(jumping from 5,174 to 5,290) following a long-term trend

that began in 1998 and has continued unabated.

 

Buses and motorcoaches were another exception to the drop in

highway fatalities. The number killed in this category

almost doubled in a single year (from 36 to 67).

Aviation deaths increased slightly from 550 to 572. Nearly

87 percent of aviation fatalities occurred in general

aviation accidents (495), which was almost unchanged from

the previous year (496).

Marine deaths increased slightly (from 766 to 779), with the

vast majority occurring in recreational boating (709).

 

Fatalities involving commercial passenger vessels fell 50%,

from 24 to 12.

Rail fatalities fell slightly from 794 to 777. The vast

majority of these fatalities were persons struck by a rail

vehicle.

Pipeline fatalities dropped from 15 to 8, with decreases in

both gas and liquid pipeline operations.

Aviation statistics are compiled by the NTSB. Marine numbers

are provided by the Department of Homeland Security, and

numbers for all other modes by the Department of

Transportation.

Related items:

Table:

http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2009/2007_2008%20fatality%20sta

ts%2024sep09.pdf

Chart: http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2009/piechart2008.pdf

Aviation Accident Statistics: http://www.ntsb.gov/aviation/Stats.htm

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NTSB Media Contact: Peter Knudson

(202) 314-6100

peter.knudson@xxxxxxxx

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