Road Safety – Road deaths in the United States are slowly declining despite hitting 40,000 for the last three years, according the National Safety Council (NSC). With a population of 325 million this represents 123 deaths per million people.
Preliminary estimates from the NSC show that in 2018, an estimated 40,000 people lost their lives to car crashes, down 1% from 2017 (40,231 deaths) and 2016 (40,327 deaths).
“Forty-thousand deaths is simply unacceptable,” said Nick Smith, NSC interim president and CEO. “We cannot afford to tread water anymore. We know what works, but need to demonstrate the commitment to implementing the solutions. Roadway deaths are preventable by doubling down on what works, embracing technology advancements and creating a culture of safer driving.”
Approximately 4.5 million people were seriously injured in crashes last year – also a 1% over 2017 figures. Seven states – Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania – as well as Washington D.C. had at least a 5.8% spike in fatalities. Five states experienced declines of more than 9.4%: Kansas, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wyoming.
The new figures signal a leveling off after years of consecutive rises. However, 2018’s preliminary estimates still are 14% higher than four years ago. Driver behavior is likely contributing to the numbers staying stubbornly high, the NSC stated.
To help ensure safer roads, NSC urges motorists to:
- Practice defensive driving.
- Buckle up
- Designate a sober driver or arrange alternative transportation
- Get plenty of sleep to avoid fatigue, and drive attentively, avoiding distractions.
- Recognize the dangers of drugged driving, including impairment from prescription opioids.
- Stay engaged in teens’ driving habits.
- Learn about your vehicle’s safety systems and how to use them.
- Fix recalls immediately.
- Ask lawmakers and state leaders to protect travelers on state roadways.
- Join the Road to Zero to understand how safety professionals are addressing motor vehicle fatalities.
The NSC has issued traffic fatality estimates since 1921. Additional information can be found on the organization’s website.
In comparison the deaths on roads in Ireland in 2018 were 148, with a population of just under 5 million, this represents a death rate of 29.6 per million people, this is almost 100 people per million less than the US.
In Ireland, in the period January – December 2018 there were 141 fatal collisions resulting in 148 fatalities on Irish roads. This represents the same number of collisions and 5% fewer deaths (-8) compared to provisional data for the full year of 2017.
Of the 148 fatalities, there were 62 Drivers killed, 20 Passengers, 42 Pedestrians, 15 Motorcyclists and 9 Pedal Cyclists.
The month of May (5) had the lowest number of fatalities in 2018, while April (17) June, November and December (16 per month) were particularly dangerous. The average number of deaths per month in 2018 (12 deaths per month) is less than the monthly average in 2017.
Sunday (32) was the most dangerous day in 2018, followed by Tuesday (23) and Monday (21).
In 2018, the county of Cork (16) and the county of Dublin (15) had the highest record of road fatalities.
IMEC Technologies provides Safety Management Software to increase worker safety and aid compliance. IMEC’s Safety Management Software will manage inspections and audits, provides hazard identification, incident reporting, management of corrective and preventative actions from generation to closure. IMEC provides lock out tag out software solutions that will allow users to create lockout tagout procedures using an intuitive Mobile App and Manage Lockout Tagout Procedures, also the Review and Execution of those Lockout Tagout Procedures using the Mobile App. Annual Lockout Tagout Procedures audits are conducted using a Mobile App. The Mobile Inspection App allow users to perform inspections and audits, for example the system can be used as a Fire Extinguisher Barcode Inspection Software system to manage monthly fire extinguisher inspections and general fire safety inspections and also to record safety observations and manage corrective actions, anywhere and anytime. The solution can be used as a fire extinguisher barcode inspection software system or life safety inspection system to aid compliance in Higher Education, Healthcare, Industrial and Commercial Organizations. Benefits from a Fire Extinguisher Barcode System include the elimination of paperwork and reducing the burden of compliance with regulations such as NFPA, The Joint Commission. The Incident Reporting App allows users to easily and quickly report incidents, hazards and near-misses, these are then sent to the appropriate people for action and are managed to closure. Web Apps provide features such as, setup, management, scheduling tools, analysis, reporting and dashboards etc with the ability to report incidents to government bodies such as OSHA and RIDDOR. HazMat T&T is a hazardous waste management software solution designed for Environmental Service Companies and companies who generate a large quantity of hazardous waste. The solution tracks hazardous waste from cradle to grave aiding compliance, providing accurate waste inventory, increasing waste handling efficiency, reducing risk and also helps manage waste costs. HazMat T&T Hazardous Waste Management Software can be deployed in a number of deployment scenarios, from Large Hazardous Waste Generators, tracking their hazardous waste at their site to Environmental Service and Waste Management Companies using it track and manage hazardous waste at transfer and disposal sites. For more information visit our website www.imectechnologies.com