Comparing the fatality risks in United States transportation across modes and over time

doi:10.1016/j.retrec.2012.12.011

Research in Transportation Economics

Volume 43, Issue 1, July 2013, Pages 9-22

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2012.12.011 Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper analyzes the transportation fatality risk in the United States. The analysis is in two parts. The first part compares the relative risks of the different modes based on data for the decade from 2000 to 2009. The second part is a time-series analysis for each mode using annual data from 1975 to 2010. By almost any measure, transportation is considerably safer now than it was in the mid 1970s. The improvement is especially noticeable for commercial modes such as aviation, railroads and maritime. Even the risks from private highway driving have halved during the past thirty-five years.

Section snippets

Cross-sectional analysis

The analysis in this section is based on calculating an average annual number of fatalities using data for the ten-year period from 2000 to 2009. An Appendix A gives details on the sources of the data.

Time-series analysis

The second part of the paper is an analysis of the trends in fatalities and fatality rates across the 36 year period from 1975 to 2010. A series of figures is used to plot the data and illustrate the trends. A Supplementary Appendix containing the data for the figures is posted on the journal website.

Concluding remarks

By almost any measure, transportation is considerably safer now than it was in the mid 1970s. The improvement is especially noticeable for commercial modes such as aviation, railroads and maritime. Even the risks of private highway driving have halved during the past thirty-five years.

Yet there is no cause for complacency. There is continued public pressure for even more improvement. In part this is because transportation is, despite the improvement over time, a significant source of the risks

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Comparing the fatality risks in United States transportation across modes and over time

Abstract

Section snippets

Cross-sectional analysis

Time-series analysis

Concluding remarks

Research in Transportation Economics

Research in Transportation Economics

Research in Transportation Economics

Accident Analysis and Prevention

Research in Transportation Economics

The handbook of road safety measures

Transportation in America

Traffic safety

General aviation and air taxi activity survey

National transit database – safety and security report for 2002

2009 Rail safety statistics report for 2003–2008