Traffic Accident Facts and Statistics, 1985

NHTSA · 1985 · ROSA P / Pennsylvania. Dept. of Transportation

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Summary

This report, published by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Center for Highway Safety, provides a comprehensive statistical review of motor vehicle traffic accidents in Pennsylvania for the calendar year 1985. The data is compiled from accident reports submitted by state, county, city, and other law enforcement agencies. The document aims to quantify the scope of traffic safety issues, detailing accident frequencies, injury and fatality rates, economic losses, and contributing factors such as alcohol involvement, seat belt usage, and driver demographics. In 1985, Pennsylvania recorded 143,244 total accidents, representing a 2.4% increase from 1984. These incidents resulted in 1,809 fatalities and 140,067 injuries, with an estimated economic loss of $1.9 billion. The fatality rate was 2.39 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles, slightly higher than the 1984 rate of 2.36. While pedestrian fatalities decreased by 16.1%, injuries to motorcyclists and pedal cyclists increased by 6.9% and 7.2%, respectively. Alcohol was a factor in 14.1% of all accidents and 41.7% of fatal accidents, contributing to an estimated $525.6 million in economic losses. The report highlights that Friday was the most dangerous day for accidents, and 53.2% of fatal crashes occurred in dark conditions. The analysis reveals significant disparities in safety outcomes based on behavior and demographics. Among accidents where seat belt usage was known, those wearing belts had significantly lower rates of severe injury and death compared to non-users; for instance, 74.7% of belted occupants had no injury, compared to 58.5% of unbelted occupants. Young drivers aged 16 to 18 accounted for 9.95% of drivers involved in accidents despite comprising only 3.8% of licensed drivers, with an involvement rate of 81 accidents per 1,000 drivers. Alcohol-related accidents were heavily concentrated at night, with 84.3% occurring after sunset. Additionally, 27.3% of operators in fatal accidents were driving under the influence. The report concludes that traffic accidents impose a substantial burden on the state, costing every resident approximately $154 annually, with alcohol-related crashes accounting for $42 per person. The data underscores the critical impact of alcohol impairment, particularly during nighttime and holiday periods, and the protective benefits of seat belt usage. Geographic data indicates that urban counties like Philadelphia and Allegheny had the highest absolute numbers of accidents and fatalities, while rural counties often exhibited higher fatality rates per population. The findings serve as a baseline for evaluating highway safety trends and informing policy interventions regarding driver behavior and vehicle safety.

Key finding

Alcohol involvement was present in 14.1% of all accidents but accounted for 41.7% of fatal accidents in Pennsylvania in 1985.

Methodology

dataset

Provenance

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Topics

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• incidence prevalence
• fatality injury trends
• demographic disparities
• comparative international

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes, observational prevalence